Park Break Adjustment

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Aug 29, 2001 | 01:07 PM

Koz

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Park Break Adjustment

Hi.. I'm new to the forum as well as a first time Corvette owner. 1980 L48 4spd.
The park break didn't seem to hold without really pulling up so I tried to adjust it.
Does the adjustment wheel only turn one way and is that the way I'm suppose to turn it?
I forget if it's bottom to top or top to bottom but it only turned one way.
I turned it about 10 times and it made no difference. I didn't know if I was turning it right and didn't
want it to fall off inside the hub so I stopped. Can anyone give some advice?

Thanks!

Aug 29, 2001 | 01:14 PM

GaryS

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From: Moon Township PA

Re: Park Break Adjustment (Koz)

If you have the GM Chassis Service Manual for your year it will specifically tell you which way to turn the star adjuster wheel. I THINK that the procedure for my 72 is to pull the handle up something like 13 clicks and then loosen the star adjuster. Then you start tightening it until the parking pads barely touch, and then tighten ten more times. I will double check this. It is very simple and the book is easy to follow.
Gary

Aug 29, 2001 | 01:46 PM

Koz

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Re: Park Break Adjustment (GaryS)

Thanks.. I just have the Haynes book which told me to disconnect the spring and take tension off the park brake cable then turn the adj. wheel until it starts to touch the hub then back off a few turns.. Something like that. It's hard to put into words which way to turn that wheel. From ground up, top down, etc.. wouldn't it be just opposite for the other side. If it wasn't for the hub rivits I would open it up and see what's going on. Just didn't want to turn a simple adjustment into more work than needed.

Aug 29, 2001 | 02:02 PM

The Wanderer

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From: (Temporarily) Colorado Springs Colorado

Re: Park Break Adjustment (Koz)

Check this url out at Zips.

http://www.zip-corvette.com/techniclfs.htm

Here is a small part from their instructs ...

Temporarily attach two lug nuts to hold the rotor in place and turn the disc until the adjust star can be seen through the adjusting hole. Insert a flat blade screwdriver in the star wheel teeth and turn the adjusting star, expanding the shoes. Move your hand away from the floor for both wheels to expand the shoes. Adjust the shoes until the disc will not move, then back off 8 to 10 notches. If you installed new cables, connect the front cable to the equalizer and rear cables. Then move inside the car and apply the parking brake lever two notches. Tighten the brake cables at the equalizer to there is a slight drag. Turn the rear rotors by hand. You should feel a slight drag. Release the lever and try the rear rotors again. Now there should be no drag.

Good luck and keep us informed

Aug 29, 2001 | 02:16 PM

Stephen Irons

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Re: Park Break Adjustment (Koz)

It can help to have a good look in the small hole for adjustment with a flashlight, preferably a MAglite type with a narrow beam. You'll be able to see that the wheel has a threaaded part attached that screws in and out of a barrel. To tighten the brake up, it needs to screw out of the barrel. The barrel, and the small piece on the outside of the wheel are held by the shoeas and don't turn. The wheel should turn both ways, at least until it is screwed right in to the barrel, when it should stop, and the brake shoes would be at their furthest from the rotor.

May help?

Regards.

Aug 29, 2001 | 02:39 PM

Koz

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Re: Park Break Adjustment (Stephen Irons)

Thanks.. I remember working on my 70 Chevelle brakes. There was a spring loaded lever that would keep the wheel from back turning. May have been the automatic adjuster.. not sure.. it's been a LONG TIME... It was a pain to back spin that adjustment wheel cause you had to lift that arm before doing so. Guessing since it's only for the parking break there is no locking arm on the Vette. Not sure why it only spun one way when I tried to adjust. Could be that it was at it's limit and I need new park brake shoes.. Could also be I didn't know what I was doing.. 8-) I tried to peek in there using a drop light. I'll try one of those mag lights and see what I can see..

Aug 29, 2001 | 02:53 PM

john's '81 mouse

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From: Des Moines Iowa

Re: Park Break Adjustment (Koz)

Please note than unless originality is a really big issue to you, you can drill out and remove the rivets that hold the rotors on, the rivets were simply put on at factory to ease assembly line installation, and serve no purpose once on the car, since the wheel lug nuts will hold the rotor on tight. If you decide to remove the rivets/rotor, be sure to mark location of rotor to hub, use paint or some other permanent method to mark a wheel stud to a rotor hole, doing this will assure re-instllation at same location, which should minimize chances of getting air 'pumping' into brake system due to rotor runnout problems.

With the rotor/brake drum removed, you should be able to get a good look to see the adjustor and to visually check wear on the parking brake shoes, could also use this as an opportunity to clean the mechanism with brake cleaner, and maybe lubricate with some silicone spray, but don't get any on the brake shoes! Also would be OK/good idea to 'rough up' the parking brake shoe surface on the inside of the parking brake drum with some emery cloth.

Good luck with your project, you should be OK by following the very good instuctions include in this thread.

Aug 29, 2001 | 02:57 PM

GaryS

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Joined: May 1999

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From: Moon Township PA

Re: Park Break Adjustment (Koz)

I have the GM manual in front of me and the Zip web site is a good place to start. Here is some more information from the GM book.

"Loosen brake cable at the equalizer until the parking brake levers move freely to the off position with slcak in the calbes."
"Turn the disc until the adjusting screw can be seen in the hole."
"insert a screw driver throught he hole and tighten the adjusting screw by moving YOUR HAND AWAY FROM THE FLOOR ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES."
"tighten until the disc will not move, then back off six to eight notches"
btw, don't forget to re-tighten the equalizer cable.

I hope this helps. For those who don't have the GM Chassis Servive manual for your car, this is the best money spent.
Gary