...thanks DngrZne. 
E-Brake
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
E-Brake
Has anyone else had a problem with the e-brake in their C5?
I've had the car for 6 months now and I've had a few close calls just using the e-brake at idle to keep it in place. It's rolled a few times if it isn't ALL THE WAY UP. I'm talking WAY up.
Tonight I parked in my driveway (which isn't all that sloped) with it in neutral and the car rolled 10" right into my other car.
This time the e-brake WAS all the way up and it still rolled.
Backed it up, tried it again, still rolled. I'm not sure what the problem here is, do the cables stretch over time??
I've had the car for 6 months now and I've had a few close calls just using the e-brake at idle to keep it in place. It's rolled a few times if it isn't ALL THE WAY UP. I'm talking WAY up.
Tonight I parked in my driveway (which isn't all that sloped) with it in neutral and the car rolled 10" right into my other car.
This time the e-brake WAS all the way up and it still rolled.Backed it up, tried it again, still rolled. I'm not sure what the problem here is, do the cables stretch over time??
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,218
Likes: 1
From: Cresskill NJ
If you do some searching around on the forum there is a procedure for adjusting it. I believe one way is moving in reverse and then activating the e-brake. If it is too far out then I think it will need to be adjusted at the brakes themselves.
My advice to you though is to never get out of the car unless it is in first gear or reverse. Only time I trust the parking brake is if the car is on a flat ground and I'm right there working on it.
Chris
My advice to you though is to never get out of the car unless it is in first gear or reverse. Only time I trust the parking brake is if the car is on a flat ground and I'm right there working on it.
Chris
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,218
Likes: 1
From: Cresskill NJ
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,665
Likes: 4
From: FL
I have had an '01 coupe since new. I've done the self adjustment with success, and when it gets more out of service, I have the dealer adjust it themselves. The dealer did mine about 8 months ago and it has never worked so well.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,218
Likes: 1
From: Cresskill NJ
Originally Posted by TigerSharkVette
mine has been all the way up and just liek snapped iself back down and rolled so now ill put it in 2nd gear on hills or slopes to be safe
Maybe the ratchet is gone in it? It's a good idea on any car with a button on top of the parking brake to hold the button in when setting or releasing the brake and only letting go once it's at the end of it's travel. It will save a lot of wear on the ratcheting mechanism.
Chris
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
There are three possibilities
1. the cable needs adjustment
2. the tensioning pawl is caked with hardened grease
3. The rear shoes need manual adjustment
follow this link to a CF members web page for all the fixes you will need on this issue
http://www.ronjpics.com/Corvettestuff.htm
1. the cable needs adjustment
2. the tensioning pawl is caked with hardened grease
3. The rear shoes need manual adjustment
follow this link to a CF members web page for all the fixes you will need on this issue
http://www.ronjpics.com/Corvettestuff.htm
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,920
Likes: 2
From: North Bend WA
I haven't had any truly close calls yet, but the e-brake doesn't give me much confidence. I usually pull it pretty damn tight and try to park on level surfaces (obviously leave the car in gear often too). The other day I pulled up on it to tighten it and heard a semi-sickening snapping sound, but it still seems to work normally so I'm not exactly sure what happened except I got a good scare.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,202
Likes: 4,187
From: Kannapolis NC
E Brake Issue
I had a 98 that the E brake handle would pull up easily to the top and not hold anything. I took it to a mechanic who owns and repairs vettes and he looked under while I pulled the handle and the cable wasn't moving. If I pulled it off and on quickly several times, it would catch and work fine until I parked it with the brake off for a while. Then same problem. He said it was in the handle end under the console. I never did repair it. (Auto trans). I recently bought an 03 and the brake works extremely well. In other words, it may not be on the brake end, but on the handle end. Easy to diagnose though, don't know how hard to repair. It's really not all that hard to adjust the e-brake shoes either, unless the e-brake shoes are worn out or stuck. I'd be interested to hear how you resolve it.
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Common problem. I've had mine adjusted several times in order for it to properly hold the car on an incline. In fact, while the car was under factory warranty, the dealer replaced the entire mechanism next to the console as it broke.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
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From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
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Originally Posted by BltByKrmn
For everyone else, this is from that link:
The ebrake also has an auto adjust feature.. but it will only work if your e brake lever is between 45 degrees and 55 degrees..if your ebrake is out further than that the e brake will not auto adjust..... ( AUTO ADJUST feature ) roll the car back wards on a hill.. or in reverse @ 5 mph..pull up on the e brake lever... this will slam your car to an abrupt stop.. the engagement of the shoes to the drum while the car is moving back wards will cause the shoe assembly to flex.. it is the flex that causes the blade to click the adjusting star one click... Do this three or four times and it will expand your shoes.. you can not over tighten these shoes... if it needs two clicks to get to max... and you do four clicks.. it will only adjust the star two clicks.. Also remember to use loctite on the brackets and caliper bolts..If you have any questions on this repair .. feel free to e mail me or instant message me.. Good Luck.. Many people have emailed me with their positive results from this fix... Bill ( Evil-Twin )
The ebrake also has an auto adjust feature.. but it will only work if your e brake lever is between 45 degrees and 55 degrees..if your ebrake is out further than that the e brake will not auto adjust..... ( AUTO ADJUST feature ) roll the car back wards on a hill.. or in reverse @ 5 mph..pull up on the e brake lever... this will slam your car to an abrupt stop.. the engagement of the shoes to the drum while the car is moving back wards will cause the shoe assembly to flex.. it is the flex that causes the blade to click the adjusting star one click... Do this three or four times and it will expand your shoes.. you can not over tighten these shoes... if it needs two clicks to get to max... and you do four clicks.. it will only adjust the star two clicks.. Also remember to use loctite on the brackets and caliper bolts..If you have any questions on this repair .. feel free to e mail me or instant message me.. Good Luck.. Many people have emailed me with their positive results from this fix... Bill ( Evil-Twin )
I tired to have the modified five years ago , but the tech tips section has no one to over see it.. Ive tried to have this removed several times:
This post makes it appear that the shoe adjuster has a ratchet mechanism, when in fact it does not... only the lever has a ratchet to take out only the slack in the cable, which has little or no effect on the shoe adjustment.
I have posted up dates several times as to the proper procedure:
Check out my post # 4 in this thread
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1483124
Last edited by Evil-Twin; Aug 31, 2006 at 08:19 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 11,070
Likes: 1,293
From: Central Ma
Originally Posted by Evil-Twin
THIS IS AN INCORRECT QUOTE!!!!
I tired to have the modified five years ago , but the tech tips section has no one to over see it.. Ive tried to have this removed several times:
This post makes it appear that the shoe adjuster has a ratchet mechanism, when in fact it does not... only the lever has a ratchet to take out only the slack in the cable, which has little or no effect on the shoe adjustment.
I have posted up dates several times as to the proper procedure:
Check out my post # 4 in this thread
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1483124
I tired to have the modified five years ago , but the tech tips section has no one to over see it.. Ive tried to have this removed several times:
This post makes it appear that the shoe adjuster has a ratchet mechanism, when in fact it does not... only the lever has a ratchet to take out only the slack in the cable, which has little or no effect on the shoe adjustment.
I have posted up dates several times as to the proper procedure:
Check out my post # 4 in this thread
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1483124
