[Z06] Handbreak?
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: CA
Handbreak?
My driveway is up hill and i have a problem with the vettes handbreak. i have to force it as high as possible so it can hold the car from skidding down the hill. i always remember to put in gear. but i just wanted to know if this is normal?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 0
From: Simi Valley CA
Re: Handbreak? (brobopop)
Ummm... Yes and no. Let me explain since you are new here (although you should do a search as this is a common topic). The parking brake should engage with only a few degrees of pulling upward, but they are notorious for not working well. On my coupe, the parking brake was useless and I was too lazy to adjust it (it is a bit of a headache as you have to remove the rear calipers). On my Z, it works great.
If your brake still works at all, you can try to automatically adjust it by letting the car roll backward while pulling up on the handle. If you are not too far out of whack, it will click and take up some slack. Do this a couple of times and consider yourself one of the lucky ones.
If this doesn't work, its off with the rear wheels. I think there are instructions for doing this in the tech tips section.
Good luck. :cheers:
If your brake still works at all, you can try to automatically adjust it by letting the car roll backward while pulling up on the handle. If you are not too far out of whack, it will click and take up some slack. Do this a couple of times and consider yourself one of the lucky ones.
If this doesn't work, its off with the rear wheels. I think there are instructions for doing this in the tech tips section.
Good luck. :cheers:
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 0
From: Coral Springs FL
Re: Handbreak? (brobopop)
On mine you have to burst a blood vessel in your right arm to stop the car from rolling down a South Florida (read flat) driveway. My Lexus daily drivers put it to shame on this front...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 78
From: Sammamish WA
WA Events Coordinator
Depends on the type of parking brake it is. I don't on the vette, but my M3's rear discs have a inner drum surface for the parking brakes on each side.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 10
From: Charleston, SC
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 78
From: Sammamish WA
WA Events Coordinator
Hmmm...On my M3 the E-Brake handle under the boot has a cable to each side, with small nuts to allow adjustment on each side. Reading above, I guess the Vette is supposed to "auto" adjust by rolling backwards? Interesting....Have to try it, mine is pretty sucky. I have a sloped driveway as well...
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The parking brake in the Vette is a small drum brake inside the rear disc rotor, which is similar to most cars nowadays. Even my S-10 pickup uses the same type of brake, which also works like cr-p. Adjusting these brakes is a pain because you have to remove the rotor to adjust them. I got the brake in my Z to work great but in my previous C5 coupe it never worked as well. I haven't fixed my truck yet because I'm waiting until I buy new rear rotors.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 887
Likes: 8
From: North Plainfield New Jersey
the rolling backwards and pulling the hand brake adjustment didn't do anything for me. I was changing to DBA Rotors so I had them off anyway and adjusted it manually. Works fine now.