I don’t like any drag on drum brakes, the drum will overheat quickly. On the F550s at work there is a drum brake inside the rotor for a parking brake. It is about the size of a Ford Ranger rear drum brake. Something like 9”x2”, I pull the caliper and pads then I pull the axle to get a good feel. Our trucks have to apply the parking brake for the boom to work, a safety interlock. So they get driven with the parking brake applied from time to time.
I also have rear drums on my GMC pickup, I remove the axle to make sure there is no drag when the brakes are released. I use the parking brake all the time especially when hitching a trailer. My truck has a Detroit locker so there is quite a lot of slop even in park until the locker locks both wheels. So the parking brake is essential to good truck control while in tight quarters hitching my various trailers.

I believe you warped the new drums and I don’t know if they even turn them anymore. The new Chinese drums are pretty inexpensive but the more expensive ones are probably made out of better steel. Just set them up with no drag and will run cool and not warp.

 

A competent machinist at any brake shop SHOULD be able to answer that question, derf. I used to cut a LOT of rotors and drums when I worked for Autozone back in the 1990's. I don't recall ever having any drums I cut come back in. Of course, they have to be measured. If they're near the maximum diameter, they'll need to be thrown away and replaced. I wonder how much OEM drums would cost them?

 

The car is a 2001 Corolla. It is approaching hoopdie status. I never buy lowest grade anything from AutoZone. They were the mid grade duralast whatever. I believe Andy has nailed it then I set it up with drag and therefore they quickly warped.

Oh how I look forward to taking that apart and putting it back together yet again. It's not that bad. I'm going to have to crank the hell out of that parking brake adjuster to have it do anything. The cables must be stretched.

AutoZone: $60 /pair
OEM: $180 / pair +shipping.

An OEM backing plate is $60......