Max drum I.D. is 7.2 in. Repeat as necessary. Make sure the shoe adjustment is okay before you start fooling with cable length. The front of the Excel is suspended over terra firma by quite ordinary struts. Proper toe is .16 in.
Rear suspension is by independent trailing arms, coil springs, and separate shocks.
An automatic transaxle Excel that stalls when shifted into reverse may have a clogged trans cooler circuit, which can cause hydraulic feedback that engages the converter clutch. Detach the cooler lines, connect them together with a hose, and give it a try. Don't leave the bypass in place or you'll fry the trans in just a few miles. A clunking, knocking noise in the rear suspension may be coming from the upper shock mountings. A creaking noise in the front during cold weather is probably due to a temperature-induced change in the stabilizer bar bushings' resiliency.