I just installed new brake shoes on my 86 sammy and I can't get the brake drum on. Do I have to bleed the wheel cylinder to get it to contract?

I haven't done them on the Sami but usually there is an adjustment wheel, kind of star shaped I guess. Is there not one on the samurai?

There is a ratchet device just below the wheel cyl that you need to re-adjust.
I'll send you pm.

Thanks for the help guys. I have the manual and it appears that the ratchet device has no effect in this case because the piston in the cylinder is extended and won't let the shoes come any closer together. 

Well, the new shoes are on both sides now. The shoes are identical to the old ones but have more meat. I can't get either drum on. The wheel cylinder does allow me to push in the plunger to get the shoes a bit closer together and give a little more room for the drum but it starts pushing back right away. The ratchet position doesn't seem to make any difference. What could I possibly be doing wrong? any ideas?

OK, here's the deal...
Only ONE of the 4 plungers in the wheel cylinders works. The other 3 are frozen and won't go in or out. Because they won't compress, the drum won't fit over the shoes. Mystery solved.

Glad you found the problem !
I was going to post the the wheel cylinder is froze.
This problem happened on my 87 Sammy but the other way, I HAD NO LEFT REAR BRAKE !!
which wasn't noticed until a spring trail event and I was always getting turned sideways on down hill de-sends.

The problem I believe is that the original wheel cylinder is aluminum, the pistons are steel and good old electrolosis
welds the two together during inactive use ie; winter layover.

CAPT

I was hesitant to even deal with the brakes because I knew nothing about them. Replacing the shoes was simple enough but not being able to tell the difference between a good cylinder and a bad one cost me a lot of time and aggravation. Now I know, and I also know that one of my rear brakes was not working. The new cylinders should be here Monday. Then all I have to do is teach the dog how to press the brake pedal while I bleed them.