OK SO I JUST GOT MY 87 SAMMI FIXED AFTER I MINOR ACCIDET IT WAS RUNING AMAZING! SINCE I GOT MY SAMURAI THE EBRAKE NEVER REALLY WORKED LIKE IT WOULD BARELY SLOW ME DOWN IF I PULLED IT! SO TONIGHT I WAS PULLING IT TO A DRIVE THROUGH AND RIGHT AS I WAS STOPING I PULLED IT A LITTLE AS I ALWAYS DO THEN IT CLUNKED AND I WAS LIKE OHHH THAT DIDNT SOUND GOOD! SO I DRIVE FORWARD AND I HEAR CLUNK CLUNK CLUCK AS I GO FASTER IT GETS FASTER SO I PULL MY REAR DRIVER SIDE DRUM OFF TO SEE WHAT THE DEAL IS AS I GET IT OFF I SEE THAT MY RATCHET IN THERE IS HITTING THE BUMPS ON THE DRUM LIKE THE RATCHET IS STICK OUT TO FAR! I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT DRUM BRAKES SO I GET IT ENOGHT TO DRIVE HOME IT CLUCKS THE WHOLE WAY HOME! WHAT WOULD CAUSE THE RATCHET TO GET OUT OF WACK LIKE THAT WHAT DO I EED TO DO TO FIX IT PLEASE HELP FELLOW ZUKERS IM SO FRAZZLED!!

Is the ratchet you are talking about the adjuster that goes between the two shoes? If so you probably had a spring break allowing it to drop out of it's proper location. your best bet to 'learn' drum brakes is to jack the vehicle up, take both drums off and just look. Compare the good side to the bad side and see what is different. If you have a broken spring, rusted clip etc. you can go to any parts store and get a brake hardware kit that will have all new clips, springs etc.

Zig