Hey Dennis; Yes, the 7-click thing comes right out of the shop manual, the 'bolters Bible. But (you knew that was coming, right?) if you don't first run the adjusters out until the wheel grabs, you don't know if the shoe assembly is centered on the backing plates so anything else you do could possibly be off. I've adjusted my '53 by first running the adjusters out until the wheel is tight, then backed off until the wheel turns freely, but you can still hear a slight scraping sound. Not according to "the book" but was taught to me by my uncle, a Chevrolet mechanic. I had the same symptoms as you describe when I first got the truck home, but now after adjusting the brakes I have a firm pedal and I can make those new radials sing out if I need to.
