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Just installed new parking brake pads. got every thing cinched up but noticed that the top parts of the pad metal hardware does not rest against the upper center hold down bolt. The brake lever mechanism is engaged in the slots on both shoes as it should be but it appears that one shoe is always out further than the other. I can rock them around and the other side will be out further. Cant get both concave parts of the pad hardware to sit up snug against the center post. either one does or the other does causing one brake pad to stick out further than the other. I watched a you tube video on this but cant tell if its normal to not fit against the center post, it almost looks like it on the video. tried putting on the wheel hub and it seems to fit pretty snug against the brake pads (the bottom adjuster is all the way in). Dont recall how the old brakes looked on removal. Anyone tell me if this is okay or am I missing something?
It would except the photos dont have the parking brake lever installed between the upper shoe slots which appears to be the part that is keeping the shoes slightly spread apart. though I think the bottom photo has the lever under the upper spring though I cant tell for sure. Nice link though on corvette central. Thanks
I guess you mean the actuating lever? I did not replace this item, its moving freely after I lubed it up. the shoes are installed right side up and the actuating lever is engaged in the shoe slots (checked to see that I didnt do something stupid like putting them upside down). Thought maybe the shoes were different front to back but looked at the set and also compared them to the old ones and there does not seem to be a difference.
Originally Posted by GUSTO14
Are the "paws" on the actuating lever installed correctly as in these images?
Is it safe to assume that before you installed the actuating lever, your shoes fit snugly around the "Brake Anchor"?
If that is the case we need to address why they no longer do when the "actuating lever" is installed. At this point be sure that there is slack in the parking brake cable where it attaches to the actuating lever or it is disconnected from the lever.
As you can see, the actuating lever has two pieces. The lever, and a cross bar (that fits between the two shoes). The two parts are hinged by a pin and each of the two parts has a "paw" on them that engages the slot in their respective shoe. As the "lever" is pulled forward by the parking brake cable, it pushes the "cross-bar" forward and the cross-bar paw moves the forward shoe outboard. At the same time the paw on the lever is engaged with the rear shoe, and is now pushing that shoe to the rear. The only part of the actuating lever that should be engaging the shoes are the two paws.
If this is the case, there is something wrong with the actuating lever or the slots in your new shoes are not cut deep enough. I would guess that there is an engagement issue and not a problem with the components. Let us know what you discover.
GUSTO
The brake actuator is the original, i have not taken it off. I have not slackened the cable, it is as it was when I took off the old shoes. Since the lever is not a replacement I assumed it was the shoes at fault but I have matched up the shoes to the old ones and have compared the slots, pin holes ,size/shape etc. and they seem identical to the old shoes. The actuator lever paws are engaged in both slots. I have tried reducing the cable tension via forcing the lever behind the backing plate toward the back of the car to slacken the cable but it did not change the positioning of the shoes. It appears that the length of the actuator arm is keeping the shoes slightly off the anchor post. Since I cant see a difference in the depth and positioning of the new shoe slots vs the old I must assume this was the way it was when I removed the old shoes as there is no other way to adjust this.
Last edited by greggome; Mar 14, 2015 at 10:41 PM.
I'm guessing that you have installed the upper retractor spring that pulls the tops of the shoes together.
I remember having to "wrestle" with the actuating lever and the shoes for several minutes/got a little frustrated............ before everything popped into place on my '68.
I'm thinking that maybe the brake cable is adjusted taught causing the actuator arm to be slightly engaged causing the pads to spread apart away from the center post.
Originally Posted by doorgunner
I'm guessing that you have installed the upper retractor spring that pulls the tops of the shoes together.
I remember having to "wrestle" with the actuating lever and the shoes for several minutes/got a little frustrated............ before everything popped into place on my '68.
The brake actuator is the original, i have not taken it off. I have not slackened the cable, it is as it was when I took off the old shoes. Since the lever is not a replacement I assumed it was the shoes at fault but I have matched up the shoes to the old ones and have compared the slots, pin holes ,size/shape etc. and they seem identical to the old shoes. The actuator lever paws are engaged in both slots. I have tried reducing the cable tension via forcing the lever behind the backing plate toward the front of the car to slacken the cable but it did not change the positioning of the shoes. It appears that the length of the actuator arm is keeping the shoes slightly off the anchor post. Since I cant see a difference in the depth and positioning of the new shoe slots vs the old I must assume this was the way it was when I removed the old shoes as there is no other way to adjust this.
You mention forcing the lever toward the front of the car does not change the position of the shoes...
If the actuating lever is engaging the shoes correctly, this action can have only one effect on the shoes, it must move them apart. That is how the parking brake is engaged. If the shoes are not moving as you move the actuating lever, the "paws" can not be engaging the shoes correctly. Any movement of the lever should have a corresponding effect on the shoes moving apart.
What i meant was forcing the lever toward the rear of the car I assumed would hopefully decrease the cable tension thereby allowing the brake pads to move inward toward the center post. this did not happen. I didnt get much motion trying this , guess the cable is extended as far as it would allow. , but the pads do spread outward when the PB lever is pulled and I can visually see the paws in the slots of the brake shoes.
Originally Posted by GUSTO14
You mention forcing the lever toward the front of the car does not change the position of the shoes...
If the actuating lever is engaging the shoes correctly, this action can have only one effect on the shoes, it must move them apart. That is how the parking brake is engaged. If the shoes are not moving as you move the actuating lever, the "paws" can not be engaging the shoes correctly. Any movement of the lever should have a corresponding effect on the shoes moving apart.
parking brake replacement 68'
