disabling automatic parking brake adjuster
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
From: Somewheres in FL
disabling automatic parking brake adjuster
My manual says to do this before taking the rear caliper off to get to the rotor. The instructions suck. There's not a hole to insert a nail through to disengage the "drive pawl". how irritating. These haynes manuals shouldnt even be printed. what a piece of S**t manual. any help appreciated.
Popular Reply
Mar 3, 2013, 09:09 PM
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 28
From: South Riding VA
OK here they are: I used the word pawl and Cam to pretty much mean the same thing in my labels. The "Cam: and "prawl" are both the same thing and it is the thing that you pull back to disengage and hold in place with a nail or piece of wire or whatever...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 6,694
Likes: 3
From: Less Talk, More WOT | Houston TX
Re: disabling automatic parking brake adjuster (bgrant_12002)
My manual says to do this before taking the rear caliper off to get to the rotor. The instructions suck. There's not a hole to insert a nail through to disengage the "drive pawl". how irritating. These haynes manuals shouldnt even be printed. what a piece of S**t manual. any help appreciated.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 6,097
Likes: 0
From: High Plains Drifter Fayetteville, AR
Re: disabling automatic parking brake adjuster (bgrant_12002)
Can't help with your problem, but do yourself a favor and get the factory "Helms" manual for your year. Will save you many headaches down the road.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 28
From: South Riding VA
I'm re-energizing this OLD thread because I can't find the answer and all the directions in the FSM, Chiltons, and Haynes suck. i can't tell SH*& from the pictures.. anybody have a better thread to get this done?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 28
From: South Riding VA
OK, I finally figured it out, I'll post pictures to try to document some things that I think would help for posterity. Bottom line is that there are really 2 different prawls. One is close to the handle toward the front of the car. This is the one that you engage and disengage when pushing the button on the handle to apply and remove the brake.
The second prawl is the one that we are supposed to hold in the disengaged position and insert the wire, nail etc to keep it there. This one is tougher to see and is in the sandwiched between the back plate and the plate that moves (whatever that's called) and it's in the rear of the mechanism (toward the back of the car). Once you move this prawl using a hook, or offset awl or whatever, the nail will be able to move deeper into the hole and prevent it from reengaging. Once that's done you can move the cam that the cable is attached to all the way forward to create slack in the parking brake cable.
I know it's a bit tough to follow, but some better pictures will help.. I'll post soon.
The second prawl is the one that we are supposed to hold in the disengaged position and insert the wire, nail etc to keep it there. This one is tougher to see and is in the sandwiched between the back plate and the plate that moves (whatever that's called) and it's in the rear of the mechanism (toward the back of the car). Once you move this prawl using a hook, or offset awl or whatever, the nail will be able to move deeper into the hole and prevent it from reengaging. Once that's done you can move the cam that the cable is attached to all the way forward to create slack in the parking brake cable.
I know it's a bit tough to follow, but some better pictures will help.. I'll post soon.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 28
From: South Riding VA
OK here they are: I used the word pawl and Cam to pretty much mean the same thing in my labels. The "Cam: and "prawl" are both the same thing and it is the thing that you pull back to disengage and hold in place with a nail or piece of wire or whatever...
Last edited by mxw128; Mar 3, 2013 at 09:10 PM. Reason: update pic#2
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Thanks for the pictures. It really helps. I too couldn't figure out anything by looking at the FSM or Haynes.
Do I have to disable the parking brake adjuster if the parking brake is not engaged to begin with?
Do I have to disable the parking brake adjuster if the parking brake is not engaged to begin with?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 28
From: South Riding VA
I believe so. probably a good idea regardless. Once you get it figured out it doesn't take any time at all to do it.
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Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Palmdale CA
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 388
Likes: 54
From: Sparta New Jersey
I'm doing my brakes now and was puzzled by the FSM procedure to release the parking brake adjuster, it just didn't make any sense when comparing the described process to the pictures. I searched here using the search function and got some hits but it was when I searched using Google that I got this thread.
MXW128's pictures, with captions, especially the second picture did it for me. You're actually approaching the ratcheting pawl from about a 45 degree angle from the top rear of the assembly. I used a machinist's pick with a right angle bend at the tip which I slipped between the sill and the rear of the pawl support bracket. I then rotated the tip of the pick toward the inside of the car and was able to hook the pawl assembly, lift it then insert a large cotter pin which fit well.
Thanks to MXW128.
MXW128's pictures, with captions, especially the second picture did it for me. You're actually approaching the ratcheting pawl from about a 45 degree angle from the top rear of the assembly. I used a machinist's pick with a right angle bend at the tip which I slipped between the sill and the rear of the pawl support bracket. I then rotated the tip of the pick toward the inside of the car and was able to hook the pawl assembly, lift it then insert a large cotter pin which fit well.
Thanks to MXW128.
Last edited by rusty76; Jan 11, 2020 at 09:21 PM.
