DropTheTop

Hello everyone. Unfortunately I don't have much to bring to the table ( mechanically speaking ) but I do appreciate the things I can learn here, and plan on sharing what I can - since my girlfriend and my cats don't seem to be as interested in my baby as I am!

Some History: A month ago I picked up a 98 triple black A4 Vert. I sold my 80 C3 to my Brother-in-Law a couple years ago, who promptly bought an 03 Z06 two weeks after I got the 98!

The car was in need of brakes, so of course I picked up slotted/drilled rotors, pads, Z06 calipers, and braided lines. I built 3" high platforms to drive onto, and followed the proper crossmember jacking instructions. Life was great, until I went to remove the rear rotors. First off: the e-brake was NOT engaged. OK, so I proceeded to "tap" the rotor with my malet - no dice. I couldn't even rotate the rotor with the car in Neutral. So I "tapped" the rotor from the rear until it started to come loose. Everything seemed fine until BING I hear this crazy noise! After cursing, head scratching, a smoke and a beer I realized I was taking the e-brake pad with the rotor. The brake pad retaining spring popped loose, hence the noise I heard. So, I finished removal, and after an hour and a half, more cursing, another beer and a small screwdriver I actually got that stupid brake pad retaining spring back into place! After that it was smooth sailing.....until it was time to put on the new rotors. I tried like hell to turn the e-brake adjuster down, but just couldn't figure it out. I decided to "tap" the new rotors on anyway, figuring they were tight coming off, so what's the difference? Well, the difference is that my first ride around the block was a hot and smelly one, as you can imagine! I parked it overnight to cool down, and repeated my trip around the block. A thousand times better, but still hotter than usual. Repeat the next day...better still.

So, have I luckily side-stepped disaster? Has this happened to anyone else? I think they're still too tight to remove again, cause I'd sure like to figure out how to turn down those adjusters, and re-flush or at least bleed the brakes again in case I boiled some fluid. I mean, you couldn't even touch the rims they were so hot that first night!

Braking seems to be very smooth and straight with no hint as yet to warped rotors, but I'm thinking that something is just not right. I'm afraid to drive it too far until my mind is at rest. Any insights? Thanks guys, and hopefully I can be a positive to this forum.

I'm just being nice right now, I actually can't wait to start breaking stones with the rest of you! BTW, I removed my 3rd spark plug as mentioned in another thread, and my car lopes so loudly now that I can barely hear my e-brake toasting my rotors! Thanks!

Cozmo

I had the same problem with the spring when replacing my rear rotors a few weeks ago. Mine was the drivers side. The emergency brake should be self adjusting. Put the car in neutral, roll it, engage and disengage it a few times and it should take care of itself if you got everything back in properly.

DropTheTop

Well, I did read that it was supposedly self-adjusting, but I thought that was only self-tightening. I was not under the impression that it would loosen. Just for the record, I did that sequence while in reverse, not in neutral. It did not seem to have any effect. Thanks anyway, I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Evil-Twin

As I have said millions of times here...... rolling backward while engaging the lever will only take any slack out of the cable, it has no effect on the shoe to drum clearance... I have posted this and posted this.,..people in this thread have seen it several times and yet it doesn't sink in....and they are still giving bad information on this subject. THERE is no auto adjust for the ebrake shoes, only the cable slack.. and there is rarely slack in the cable... in 62,000 miles and sever years I have never had to take any slack out of my ebrake cable... get the notion that the ebrake is self adjusting, it isn't!!!!!!!!
the only way you can tighten up the ebrake lock up is to adjust the star adjuster until you can just barely get the rotor back on.... once seated it will be fine... I had to adjust mine 43 clicks... many others who have followed my tips have found anywhere between 30 and 50 clicks to get a proper inter-fit. I adjusted mine once at 1000 miles and It has been awesome eversince... that was seven years ago and 60,000 miles.. I could stop my car doing 30 miles an hour with my ebrake, and feel confident doing it..

DropTheTop

ET, my problem is they're too tight. Is it safe to assume I can turn them DOWN? If so, what tool do I use, since none of my freakin' prybars would make the adjuster budge. Thanks.

Evil-Twin

No you can not turn them down, there is no material on the shoes to turn down.. do you understand that the star adjuster goes both in and out..the star wheel is connected to a screw when rotates in and out depending on which way you turn the star... you may need to try and shoot some penetrating oil behind the star and work the adjuster back and forth with a pair of vice grips.. if it was sitting here in my driveway I could have it fixed in five minute... Your original problem was cause by cocking the rotor as you pry ed it off this is what cause the spring to pop..some times the rotor hub boss gets welded with rust the the hub. I tell every to shoot some penetrating oil right at the hub boss and tap with a brass hammer..but once the rust is broken you have to be careful you dont **** the rotor... there should only be about .030 in. clearance between the shoes and the drum...

DropTheTop

ET, I was not asking if I could turn the brake pad down, i was asking if the star adjuster turned down, or "in" as you phrased it. I could not get mine to move in either direction. I do understand that the star adjuster SHOULD move, I'm just stating that mine doesn't seem to want to move in either direction.