Does your parking brake work?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,362
Likes: 7
From: Brazos TX
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
Mine worked reasonably well for about a year. Then about a month ago it just died. Now it works a little. I will try to re-adjust it. I rebuilt the brakes last year and had it working pretty good.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 11,520
Likes: 13
From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
Yes, the parking brake works. :cool:
Parking brakes have been a problem on rear disc brake cars so some think like your brake guy. Have fixed several parking brakes on rear disc brake cars by simply using them. Sometimes the cable needs a llittle tightening.
:cheers:
Parking brakes have been a problem on rear disc brake cars so some think like your brake guy. Have fixed several parking brakes on rear disc brake cars by simply using them. Sometimes the cable needs a llittle tightening.
:cheers:
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,841
Likes: 3
From: Halifax, NS, Canada
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
My Corvette in 1977 when new, the emergency brake would not hold the car if it was in gear. The dealer service manager at the time basically told me the same thing that the diameter of the brake drums are too small to hold the car. I also remember him telling me that if they did hold the car and if you were to accerate, that with the small diameter shoes and drum, something would definitely give, not such a pretty picture. :D
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: St Louis MO
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
After replacing the rear cable that was frozen on one side only and adjusting the parking brake shoes and then the tension cable according to the factory service manual my parking brake works GREAT!!!!
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,854
Likes: 3
From: HONOLULU HAWAII
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
I purchased new pads/rotors/stainless cables, brackets, etc, and had them all installed IAW manuals....running brakes work fine....parking brakes work like all the others...only in reverse........maybe they were designed for high speed emergency stopping in reverse...in case we ever have to get the hell out of Dodge real quickly. You know....90 MPH brakes fail....no problem whip the steering wheel around so you're flying in reverse, then rip the handle off the console. :D :seeya
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,581
Likes: 14
From: Tolar Texas
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
Mine works just a "little bit".
If my car had a manual transmission I would be more concerned but for the most part, I don't find too many occasions that it's needed with the automatic transmission.
If my car had a manual transmission I would be more concerned but for the most part, I don't find too many occasions that it's needed with the automatic transmission.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Moro IL
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
I replaced the frozen cable on mine when I got it, it works OK as long as the hill isn't very steep, but it does tend to hang occasionally when backing up.
:cheers:
Pat Kunz
:cheers:
Pat Kunz
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,062
Likes: 1,361
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
Mine didn't work all that bad, it was like most others.
It would keep the car from rolling on a slight incline.
Now it works great !!!! What changed you say ??
I just finished rebuilding the trailing arms.
In my frenzy to sandblast "everything", I was doing the park brake
shoes (the metal part), and the surface of the shoes (organic part)
looked very glazed. Sooo I gave it a blast of sand as well.
They were very dark and glazed, and after, they were a light tan color and
a bit rough.
They now have a great grip.
I suspect that if I only use it when I am stopped, it may hold for a while.
If I ever use it while in motion, the shoes will likely get glazed and revert
to it's usual operation.
Barry
It would keep the car from rolling on a slight incline.
Now it works great !!!! What changed you say ??
I just finished rebuilding the trailing arms.
In my frenzy to sandblast "everything", I was doing the park brake
shoes (the metal part), and the surface of the shoes (organic part)
looked very glazed. Sooo I gave it a blast of sand as well.
They were very dark and glazed, and after, they were a light tan color and
a bit rough.
They now have a great grip.
I suspect that if I only use it when I am stopped, it may hold for a while.
If I ever use it while in motion, the shoes will likely get glazed and revert
to it's usual operation.
Barry
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,536
Likes: 10
From: Sault Ste Marie Ontario
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Barry's70LT1)
I relocated my parking brake cables on top of my workbench when I put my larger tires on. I have not got around to welding back on to my trailing arms. So as a result my cables do not work very well.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 896
Likes: 1
From: Thomasville, home of the Big Chair NC
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
Parking brake? my cars don't have no stinking parking brake!
Custom interiors have eliminated the problem!
Now on the 94, I have never used it, and as far as I know, I'll never try it!
Custom interiors have eliminated the problem!
Now on the 94, I have never used it, and as far as I know, I'll never try it!
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,574
Likes: 0
From: Middleboro/Boston MA
Re: Does your parking brake work? (427V8)
It does now that I replaced everything except the rotors.
I decided to fix it last year when I was over my sisters house,
her driveway is on an incline down to the street. I started imagining one of the kids popping it out of gear and rolling into the street :eek:
That's all it took for me to hook it back up after not having it for 20 yrs :rolleyes:
I decided to fix it last year when I was over my sisters house,
her driveway is on an incline down to the street. I started imagining one of the kids popping it out of gear and rolling into the street :eek:
That's all it took for me to hook it back up after not having it for 20 yrs :rolleyes:
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 0
From: Moon Township PA
Re: Does your parking brake work? (Koz)
As others have stated, these parking brakes were always weak. However, if properly adjusted they should hold a car on an incline. I don't know the geometry of the P brake system but it does seem to hold better if the car is facing uphill.
The GM Chassis Service Manual gives a very good adjustment procedure for the P brake shoes AND the cable. It take about 30 minutes to do the whole system, but it will definetly improve the P brakes.
Gary
The GM Chassis Service Manual gives a very good adjustment procedure for the P brake shoes AND the cable. It take about 30 minutes to do the whole system, but it will definetly improve the P brakes.
Gary
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Whispering Pines NC
Re: Does your parking brake work? (73 LS-4)
Mine works fine....NOW!!! My cable was stretched all the way out and I went to Lowe's and got a small "cable lock" for about $4. I cut the cable and inserted the 2 ends into the little holes on the lock to take out all of the slack. Then readjusted the cable using the "14 clicks " of the handle as per AIM. This helped alot but was not what I really wanted. Pulled off the wheels and rotors to get at the rear brake shoes. After many years of use, the brake shoes were "slick" from use. I used some sandpaper and scuffed them up and now the emergency brake works great! Check the shoes!!!!
Mike
Mike