Parking brake upper spring
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 920
Likes: 1
From: Shelby Township Michigan
Parking brake upper spring
The upper spring on my parking brake broke apart. I have a new one, but am having a hard time putting it back in. Has anyone just replaced the upper spring? Is there some trick to this or do I need to pull the entire parking brake shoe set up out?
Thanks,
Dino
Thanks,
Dino
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 28
From: Lutz Florida
It is a PITA but there is a tool that makes it a lot easier. The nomenclature is "65 to 82 parking brake spring tool". All the Corvette parts vendors should have them. It looks like long a flat blade screwdriver with a notch in the blade to catch and expand the spring. Costs around ten bucks and will save you 10 times that in aggravation. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 2
From: Kearneysville West Virginia
I just went through this. Put one end of the spring in the hole in one shoe, then take a long thin, but sturdy screw driver and hook the loose end of the spring around the screw driver blade. Then take the tip of the blade and place it in the hole on the other shoe. Now, using the screw driver as a lever, stretch the spring towards the hole. The spring will slide down the screw driver blade and be right at the hole. Hold it there and take another screw driver and push the end of the spring into the hole in the shoe. Slowly remove the first screwdriver and the spring will snap into place. Make sure you wear safety glasses.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 2
From: Kearneysville West Virginia
I don't have any pictures at hand, but it goes between the two shoes near the top. If you look at each shoe near the top, you will see a small hole in each shoe. The spring ends go in each hole and it lies beneath the shoe retainer and pulls the shoes together at the retainer. I hope this helps.
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Joined: May 2000
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From: Clearwater FL
Last edited by Van Steel; Sep 18, 2009 at 08:49 AM.
