On Mon, 08 Jan 2018 09:16:15 -0500,
slate_leeper wrote:

The parking brake is adjustable. This was usually done with a threaded
sleeve over a threaded stud mounted between the two shoes at either
the top or bottom.

Is this the mechanism you're talking about?
https://s13.postimg.org/senkcelrb/brakes_drum_1.jpg

Here's the bottom, where the parking brake cable connects:
https://s13.postimg.org/5egwznnt3/brakes_drum_2.jpg

On the threaded sleeve is a toothed "wheel" which
is used to turn the sleeve from the inside of the brake mount plate
when the brake drum is on. There is a special tool for this, which
resembles a small pry bar. You can probably find or make something to
use.

I picked up at Harbor Freight a bunch of brake tools, one an all purpose
foot-long pliers, the others the special-purpose spring tool so I should be
ok on tools unless there is a Toyota-specific tool required (which I don't
think there is).

Before putting the drum on, turn the sleeve in to shorten the link
between the two brake shoes. The brake drum should then slide right
on.

That makes a lot of sense, so I will do that when I put the new shoes back
on. I probably should have turned the toothed wheel a few clicks even when
I inspected it and put it back on, as it was a bit tight getting the drum
back on. I had to use a mallet.

Put on the tire and tighten the lugs to hold the drum properly in
position. From under the car access the slot behind the toothed wheel,
and using the adjustment tool turn it to lengthen the adjuster until
the tire can no longer be rotated by hand. Then back the adjuster off
until the tire can just be rotated easily.

This makes a lot of sense!

It would adjust the brakes to the minimum, where the automatic backing up
in reverse will fine tune it, I guess.

BTW, make sure that the longer of the new brake shoes is on the BACK
for each wheel.

Ah. That means that the two shoes are NOT identical!

That negates the idea of "rotating" them every few years like we do tires
every five thousand miles to get more even wear out of them over time.