E-Brake replacement
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
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E-Brake replacement
I've followed all the threads, used silicone to hold the shoe pin, tied the springs with fishing line and have the special "tool" no one can live without but am still unable to get the E-brakes back in. So now I'm looking at a bigger picture. My bearings are fine; would I totally destroy them by knocking out the spindle from the carrier so I can get to the E-brake? The cheap alternative is to just leave all the stuff out; however, I prefer to have the system operate. It is definately true that one project leads to another to another to another ....... Help, please. Thanks.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
I'm guessing from your post that you are having trouble getting the shoe retention pins back into those little cups that go up against the springs? That is the hardest part of the e-brake job. What I did (twice) was to get the longest pair of needle nose pliers I could find, and reach in through the sight hole in the hub. Then, I would "grab" the cup using outward pressure on the rim of the cup, line it up with the pin, and push the cup onto the pin, all the while maintaining my grip on the cup with the outward pressure. When the pin was all the way through, I would quickly close the pliers, grabbing the pin. Then, I would hold the cup steady with another pair of needle nose pliers, and twist the pin 90 degrees to seat it.
I just did this job last April, and you have to seat 4 pins in this manner. The first one took more than 2 hours, the 4th one took 10 minutes. Get yourself a beer, turn on the radio, take a deep breath and relax. I got there eventually, and so will you, it just takes a lot of patience.......
I just did this job last April, and you have to seat 4 pins in this manner. The first one took more than 2 hours, the 4th one took 10 minutes. Get yourself a beer, turn on the radio, take a deep breath and relax. I got there eventually, and so will you, it just takes a lot of patience.......
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Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Racer
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 406
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From: Maroochydore QLD
I just finished doing mine two weeks ago.
Now it may be possible to follow the instructions and push the pins through the cups using needle nose pliers through the hole in the hub but it seemed impossible for me so I put the bottom spring on, left the top spring off, fitted the shoes around the hub then pushed the assembly sideways to expose the pin from behind the hub, then I pushed the spring and cup over the pin, it worked, push it sideways the other way and do same with other pin, when both on you need to fit the top spring, now this takes some patience, I simply used long nose pliers again, hooked spring on one side and streched it to other side, hooking spring in to shoe while stretching it is hard, need three hands, I used teeth, (joking) a screwdriver can be used to push the spring hook in to shoe while stretching it but it's difficult. Dont drink beer first, keep plenty of band aids handy and be prepared to swear lots and kick the dog.
Believe it or not I found adjusting the cables and shoes harder than fitting them. Good luck.
Dennis.
Now it may be possible to follow the instructions and push the pins through the cups using needle nose pliers through the hole in the hub but it seemed impossible for me so I put the bottom spring on, left the top spring off, fitted the shoes around the hub then pushed the assembly sideways to expose the pin from behind the hub, then I pushed the spring and cup over the pin, it worked, push it sideways the other way and do same with other pin, when both on you need to fit the top spring, now this takes some patience, I simply used long nose pliers again, hooked spring on one side and streched it to other side, hooking spring in to shoe while stretching it is hard, need three hands, I used teeth, (joking) a screwdriver can be used to push the spring hook in to shoe while stretching it but it's difficult. Dont drink beer first, keep plenty of band aids handy and be prepared to swear lots and kick the dog.
Believe it or not I found adjusting the cables and shoes harder than fitting them. Good luck.
Dennis.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
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St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
Beer = While probably not necessary, it helps me to remember that working on my car is my hobby and I am supposed to be enjoying it.
Aussie79 - I have heard of this method, but the pins were just not long enough to do it this way. Even doing it my way, you have to put the one spring on and set the shoes in place, then stretch the other spring on, and that is a little challenging. Actually, I got over the needing three hands thing by getting my wife to get down on the garage floor with me. Then the challenge became fitting three hands, two heads and a light all in the same place
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
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From: Hinckley OH
I'd still like to know the answer to the original question but not to do parking brakes. I would like to paint the carrier and backiing plate etc.
