Question rear brake/drum replacment job on 2007 Chevy Malibu

Hi,
About 3 weeks ago I had my mechanic replace both the rear brakes and the rear drums on 2007 Chevy Malibu LS with 2.2L 4 cylinder engine. Curiously, after driving the car for more than 15 minutes, I start to feel as though the rear brakes are taking hold and slowing the care. After driving further, I start to get this odd vibration up through the floorboard and steering wheel.
Now, I don't experience this when first starting out and it seems as though the car has to be driven for 15 minutes or so before these symptoms start to happen and get worse the longer I drive the car. The other thing is, this car is our backup car and doesn't get driven far or even driven daily. I just assumed the seating/matching of the new brakes to the new drums was the reason.
Yesterday, I could clearly smell burnt brake lining originating from the rear wheels after parking the car.
I'm taking the car back tomorrow and haven't looked at it myself but the only thing I can possibly think is that the self-adjusting mechanism for the brakes has gotten installed wrong. I know some cars require either backing up and applying the brakes for the self-adjuster to work and some require application of the parking brake to do the adjusting.
Your ideas appreciated,
greynold99

 

I think your diagnostics is correct. Do you regulatory use your parking brake? If not you should. When I use to do brakes I always used Never Seize on the adjusters to keep them in working order. If the adjusters were not close to being in the right "distance" then the adjusting action of driving in reverse then slamming the brake will not work. Also, your parking break cable may be rusted or corroded and sticking. If the dragging seems to be taking place after the car heats up then I'd say the drums are dragging on the shoe.

 

Your car has rear disc brakes with the baby drum emergency brake shoes.
Your problem sounds more like a caliper sticking.

 

Take it back to your mechanic. Sounds like caliper or wheel cylinder sticking.

 

The OP clearly stated rear drums. Some models come standard with drums while a sports upgrade will have discs. Ford Focus is standard disc front and drum rears. Only the sport package has all disc brakes and is what I have. My Chevy van (2005 Safari) although with a heavy dudy suspension and towing package has front disc and rear drums.

 

I went back to look at the parts listing and most of the models show discs and a few show drum so I believe you are correct Norm.

 

Parking brake shoes were not gapped properly or adjuster is not set right. As the result, drum start fleecing parking shoe, warming it up and causing it to expend a little. Then a mad cycle starts. More heat=more expansion=more drag=more heat.
OP, you should NOT drive car as is. You will boil brake fluid in the rear lines and loose rear brakes.

 

Turns out it was not the rear brakes but the left front disk caliper that was sticking.
I am surprised at the coincidence that the caliper started to stick while the rear brakes were worked on/replaced - maybe there's a connection, maybe not.
The final clue was the plasticized nuts holding the plastic wheel covers on got so hot that the wheel cover fell off when the threads melted.

I picked up the car yesterday and except for the brake pads, which were replaced, along with the caliper on that side being just a little more worn and white on the top edge of the pad from being so hot - you couldn't see much difference.
Thanks for your replies,
greynold99