Please just stop and listen to @old_mopar_guy… As part of this service you MUST…Must manually adjust the shoes using the slot behind the backing plate. Forget about the self adjuster self adjusting…you arent there yet.
Manually adjust thru the backplate until a reasonable amount of drag is felt in the drum…and you are good to go.
okay ill just do that then and come back here with an update probably in the next day or two thanks everyone thus far
If you adjust the brake shoes like the typical back yard mechanic (over tighten) the shoes will break in faster, you might be satisfied with the results.
Adjust it so that the drum will not free spin… So that light pressure using your hand will move the drum without too much force…you want it tight-ish… it will bed in the brakes and very shortly they will be perfectly adjusted and free wheeling when brakes are not applied in short order.
This is a needed step.
Not sure if this applies to your car but in some vehicles, self-adjusting of the rear brakes is done by using the parking brake. In these vehicles, hitting the brake when backing up doesn’t do it.
If you adjust the brake too tight by mistake you will need to use a small screwdriver through the slot to lift that lever so you can use the large screwdriver or brake spoon to turn the star wheel the other way.
The old Chrysler products of the 40s or 50s were easier to adjust, they used s hex head bolt through the backing plate and the emergency brake was on the driveshaft not in the rear wheels.