Parking brake adjustment
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Parking brake adjustment
Did a search for this but couldnt find anything other than moving the bracket for oversize tires. Got my 79 jacked up, tires off, brake cable loosened up. Now I need to tighten up the pads/shoes but in looking at the back of the rotor area I didnt see any adjustment slot like on my other cars. Is my memory shot or should I be using the holes that are in the front of the rotor? There are 2 holes, how do I position them to make the adjustment? I seem to remember someone saying you had to turn the star down towards the garage floor to tighten , is this correct?
ESU
ESU
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
you need to use the holes that are on the front of the rotor and hopefully the rotor was installed so that the holes are "open"....by that i mean the rotor could be installed so the hole on the rotor for adjusting could be misaligned with the holes on the hub preventing you from getting access..... the star nut is at the bottom of the rotor like around 6:00 if my memory is working today
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 596
Likes: 1
ESU- I was busy with this task all afternoon yesterday. I replaced my cables due to bends and lack of pull.
Removing the rotors to make your adjustments will be needed if, as stated above, the two opposite extra holes in the rotor face need to be lined up with the two holes on the spindle face.
Once that is done, the star adjuster is located at the bottom (6:00) of the assembly. Moving your hand away from the floor- down on the blade- of the screwdriver will tighten the shoes to the drum. Tighten 'til the disc will not move, then back off 6-8 notches.
Unless you're a glutten for punishment, I wouldn't "undo" any of the E-brake hardware. Don't ask me how I know.
Removing the rotors to make your adjustments will be needed if, as stated above, the two opposite extra holes in the rotor face need to be lined up with the two holes on the spindle face.
Once that is done, the star adjuster is located at the bottom (6:00) of the assembly. Moving your hand away from the floor- down on the blade- of the screwdriver will tighten the shoes to the drum. Tighten 'til the disc will not move, then back off 6-8 notches.
Unless you're a glutten for punishment, I wouldn't "undo" any of the E-brake hardware. Don't ask me how I know.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Originally Posted by Restorod '79
ESU- I was busy with this task all afternoon yesterday. I replaced my cables due to bends and lack of pull.
Removing the rotors to make your adjustments will be needed if, as stated above, the two opposite extra holes in the rotor face need to be lined up with the two holes on the spindle face.
Once that is done, the star adjuster is located at the bottom (6:00) of the assembly. Moving your hand away from the floor- down on the blade- of the screwdriver will tighten the shoes to the drum. Tighten 'til the disc will not move, then back off 6-8 notches.
Unless you're a glutten for punishment, I wouldn't "undo" any of the E-brake hardware. Don't ask me how I know.
Removing the rotors to make your adjustments will be needed if, as stated above, the two opposite extra holes in the rotor face need to be lined up with the two holes on the spindle face.
Once that is done, the star adjuster is located at the bottom (6:00) of the assembly. Moving your hand away from the floor- down on the blade- of the screwdriver will tighten the shoes to the drum. Tighten 'til the disc will not move, then back off 6-8 notches.
Unless you're a glutten for punishment, I wouldn't "undo" any of the E-brake hardware. Don't ask me how I know.
ESU
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,795
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by ESU
I've seen enough comments about e brake hardware and shoes to know I want nothing to do with that. I figured I'd just try the adjustment and see what happens. So basically I have to put one hole of the rotor at 6 o'clock and then I should be able to see the star adjuster through the hole?
ESU
ESU
i just did mine yesterday and it was push down on the screwdriver on the passengers side and and pull up on the drivers side
either way i have a working e-brake now
Last edited by 1Z87L8; Apr 24, 2006 at 08:31 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Problems of Course
OK, did the drivers side 1,2,3 easy as pie. Turned rotor to 6 oclock, star was there, tightened it all the way, backed off a few and went to pass side. On pass side turned rotor to 6 oclock and no star. Found it about 5:30 - 5 oclock. I can only get one motion of the screwdriver either up or down then it stops,. Sprayed a little pb blaster and the same thing. One or two notches up, then one or two notches down. Took off caliper, cant get rotor off, more pb blaster. Is rotor held on by anything?? Should have just left well enough alone, MSVETTEMAN must have jinxed me with his bad luck, j/k MS. Suggestions, Ideas????? Help!
ESU
PS Hi Stew you grand poobah of hobbiests lol.
ESU
PS Hi Stew you grand poobah of hobbiests lol.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
one of the rusting poiints is the lever that is connected to the cables as they enter the hub assembly under the caliper....you can't see this but it would be a great area to spray PB blaster in ....and keep manipulating the e brake lever and it may loosen up.....the brake shoes are probably expanded and rusted in that positon and there is a ridge on the inside of the rotor cap that will not let it slide off
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
one of the rusting poiints is the lever that is connected to the cables as they enter the hub assembly under the caliper....you can't see this but it would be a great area to spray PB blaster in ....and keep manipulating the e brake lever and it may loosen up.....the brake shoes are probably expanded and rusted in that positon and there is a ridge on the inside of the rotor cap that will not let it slide off
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,010
Likes: 3
From: Moon Twp. PA USA
Originally Posted by ESU
OK, did the drivers side 1,2,3 easy as pie. Turned rotor to 6 oclock, star was there, tightened it all the way, backed off a few and went to pass side. On pass side turned rotor to 6 oclock and no star. Found it about 5:30 - 5 oclock. I can only get one motion of the screwdriver either up or down then it stops,. Sprayed a little pb blaster and the same thing. One or two notches up, then one or two notches down. Took off caliper, cant get rotor off, more pb blaster. Is rotor held on by anything?? Should have just left well enough alone, MSVETTEMAN must have jinxed me with his bad luck, j/k MS. Suggestions, Ideas????? Help!
ESU
PS Hi Stew you grand poobah of hobbiests lol.
ESU
PS Hi Stew you grand poobah of hobbiests lol.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Originally Posted by ESU
Rivets?? Drill??? Screw that, I'll leave it alone, Thx, ESU
ESU
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Spent an hour or two in the garage last night and came to the conclusion that who needs a *(*^%*()*(%$@!% parking brake anyway! Time to move on to the next project, heater core or aux electric pusher fan,,,,hmmmmm. Maybe a rear sway bar, hmmmmm.
ESU
ESU
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Odessa FL
I took mine apart a year ago and gave up trying to adjust it. Mine has the S/steel replacment parts but is still hard to set up right. I might of just been lazy that day (or stupid) or both but in the long run I gave up.
Maybe I will try again but just leave in in gear now.
Maybe I will try again but just leave in in gear now.
