Parking brake adjustment
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Parking brake adjustment
I need to adjust my parking brake and would like to know if there are any tricks. I pulled with wheels off and rotated the rotors, but could not find the screw to adjust them. I cannot seem to find my manuals right now and would appreciate any info on doing this job.
Mark B.
Mark B.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 29,077
Likes: 0
From: Deep East Texas
Re: Parking brake adjustment (Sigforty)
There's a hole in the "drum" part of the rotor. Rotate the rotor to put the hole at the 6:00 position. You can look thru the hole and see the star wheel. It adjusts just like old fashioned drum brakes. Put a broad tipped flat blade screwdriver thru the hole to turn the star wheel. Moving the screwdriver handle away from the floor on each side of the car should tighten the brakes. You might also want to check the cables to be sure that they aren't loose.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,407
Likes: 2
From: Carmichael CA
Re: Parking brake adjustment (Sigforty)
The emergency brake is adjusted with two nuts located on the cable at the connection where the cable from the brake handle meets the loop of cable extending to both wheel brake drums. I use a 1/4" open end wrench to hold onto the square tip of the hook at the end of the cable, then use (I think it's 7/16" or 1/2") open end wrench to loosen one of the nuts.
I'm not sure if there is a star wheel, but it would be accessible from the inside of the wheel hub. Unless there is something different from conventional star wheels then you will need to move the star wheel in different directions for each wheel, i.e. prying up on the passenger side and prying down on the drivers side or vice versa.
Try to adjust the cable first. It is also possible that your emergency brake pads are worn down too far.
I'm not sure if there is a star wheel, but it would be accessible from the inside of the wheel hub. Unless there is something different from conventional star wheels then you will need to move the star wheel in different directions for each wheel, i.e. prying up on the passenger side and prying down on the drivers side or vice versa.
Try to adjust the cable first. It is also possible that your emergency brake pads are worn down too far.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,310
Likes: 1
Re: Parking brake adjustment (Sigforty)
Agree with the adjustments above (starwheel & cable). I'm assuming that the hole in the hub and the hole in the rotor have been lined up previously so that you can actually see into the PB/drum area (someone could have put the rotor on wrong). If you don't see a starwheel somewhere between 5:30 & 6:30 then there's also the possibility that someone has done a really poor PB job on your car (can you see the brake shoes in there?).
Pro
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 708
Likes: 21
From: Montrose CA
Re: Parking brake adjustment (Sigforty)
just did this the other day... I agree with the advice above... start with the star-wheel inside the rotor... my trick... I use a flashlight to see the star wheel before I stick the screwdriver in there... better to see what your doing - Haynes manual has a good procedure ending with checking for 13-clicks on the parking brake handle.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Re: Parking brake adjustment (jerryp58)
I was looking in throught the hole, but did not really see anything big to adjust. I saw the spring, pads and levers inside the rotor. When I get back to messing with the car Friday I am going to look more around the 6 position throught the hole in the rotor. I had already adjusted the cable once and now think I need to try the pads at the rotor. I was not really sure what I was looking for when I was messing with it today, but now I have a good idea.
Thanks,
Mark B.
Thanks,
Mark B.
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Re: Parking brake adjustment (Sigforty)
I am also curious as to how easy the rotor should be to turn? I had to put alot more power into turning then I was expecting.
Mark B.
Mark B.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,010
Likes: 3
From: Moon Twp. PA USA
Re: Parking brake adjustment (Sigforty)
If you have the car jacked up with the wheels hanging free, you might be getting some binding on the half shaft U joints causing the rotor to turn hard.
Adjust the brakes first (with the star wheel) before adjusting the cable.
BTW, they are shoes not pads.
Adjust the brakes first (with the star wheel) before adjusting the cable.
BTW, they are shoes not pads.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Re: Parking brake adjustment (glen242)
Thanks for all the help everyone. I tighted everything up this weekend and now my parking brake is holding tight.
Mark B.
Mark B.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 0
From: Moon Township PA
Re: Parking brake adjustment (Sigforty)
The GM Service manual is very clear about the adjustment procedure. You shuldn't adjust just the shoes and not the cable, and vice versa. The gist of the adjustment is to loosen the cable at the "Y" and then back off the shoes. Adjust the shoes so that the rotor can't be spun by hand then back off "X" number of teeth on the star wheel (can't remember the number here and my book is out on loan). Then you adjust the cable so that, with the parking brake set at 13 clicks on the handle (I think) the pressure is around 80 punds.
This is from the good folks who built the car and know how to repair and tune it.
Gary
This is from the good folks who built the car and know how to repair and tune it.
Gary
