Drum brake S-cam having offset cam followers

A drum brake (40) is provided that improves the direction of the actuating forces to reduce stress, improve efficiency and permit thicker brake linings. First and second brake shoes (48, 50) each have a first end pivotally coupled to a brake spider (44). First and second cam followers (58, 60) are disposed at corresponding second ends of the brake shoes. A cam (56) engages the cam followers (58, 60) with movement of the cam causing the brake shoes (48, 50) to move between positions of engagement and disengagement with a braking surface. The cam followers (48, 50) are offset such that a center of the first cam follower is disposed at a first distance (D1) from a center axis (64) of the brake and a center of the second cam follower is disposed at a second distance (D2) from the center axis (64) with the first distance different from the second distance so as to improve the direction of the cam force vector.