Parking Brake / E brake question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,896
Likes: 26
From: Manchester - Political correctness is tyranny with manners.
Parking Brake / E brake question
Today, I replaced my rear rotors and pads, and painted the calipers...I had great expectations of renewing the use of my E brake, but it does not work even after adjusting the shoes out to what I thought might be enough drag to indicate the shoes were just starting to drag on the drum. I put it all together and went out and seasoned the pads to the rotors, but the E brake is usless. Any ideas on what I can do to make this POS brake functional again? 
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
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I trust the shoes looked ok....
I adjusted mine over 2 years ago and it still works well...not fantastic but well....others have never seemed to get it to last very long..I don't know of any secret fix
I adjusted mine over 2 years ago and it still works well...not fantastic but well....others have never seemed to get it to last very long..I don't know of any secret fix
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach Virginia
I found adjusting the e-brake to be a major PITA. With the rotor off, I could not adjust the e-brake properly. When I adjusted the e-brake out as far as I could and still replace the rotor...that wasn't sufficient, essentially no e-brake operation. When trying to remove the rotor it would catch and hang up on the e-brake "donut".
I was able to adjust the e-brake to an acceptable level by removing the rotor only enough (about 1/2 inch) to get a flat blade screw driver onto the adjusting wheel. Then I would use a hammer on the end of the screwdriver to get the adjusting wheel to turn. It got pretty tight...so I stopped out of fear of breaking something. BTW, you must do both rear wheels.
I still leave the car in gear when I apply the e-brake...but it holds pretty well...at least better than before I adjusted it.
I saw a post a while ago where someone drilled an access hole in the rotor directly above the adjusting wheel and could adjust the e-brake without removing the wheel. I got advice from a respected CF member not to drill the hole, so I didn't. If my e-brake acts up again...I may just drill the hole.
I was able to adjust the e-brake to an acceptable level by removing the rotor only enough (about 1/2 inch) to get a flat blade screw driver onto the adjusting wheel. Then I would use a hammer on the end of the screwdriver to get the adjusting wheel to turn. It got pretty tight...so I stopped out of fear of breaking something. BTW, you must do both rear wheels.
I still leave the car in gear when I apply the e-brake...but it holds pretty well...at least better than before I adjusted it.
I saw a post a while ago where someone drilled an access hole in the rotor directly above the adjusting wheel and could adjust the e-brake without removing the wheel. I got advice from a respected CF member not to drill the hole, so I didn't. If my e-brake acts up again...I may just drill the hole.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,613
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From: Spring Tx
Most of the e-brake problems stem from pawl at the base of the handle not catching the teeth and actually applying the e-brake. I get mine to work by working the handle up and down 8-10 times. Believe me you will be able to feel it engage.I do it once a year at inspection time and it always works long enough to pass inspection.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento CA
I had the same problem with the parking brake in my 2000 hardtop (and this was after only 10,000 miles!). I removed the drums and expanded the so called "self adjusters" with a screw driver until I could just barely get the drums back on. Since this time the parking brake has held up pretty well but I still ocassionally have to engage and disengage the brake repeatedly (like 8 to 10 times) to keep it from falling out of adjustment. Unfortunately the parking brake design on the C5 is **** poor! 
Last edited by Jiver67; Apr 1, 2005 at 02:34 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
I found removing the adjuster from the backing plate and unscrewing it completly apart , cleaning it and putting a little tiny bit of white grease back on the threads then reinstalling the adjuster to backing plate and turning it out until rotors drag, worked great. My handel feels the best its ever felt.This is the best part.... The pads were still like new and the dealer tried to tell me its from driving with the e brake left on and it would cost $250 in parts alone to make it work again.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,015
Likes: 508
From: Hilton NY
The parking brake handle assembly is supposed to compensate for slight drum to shoe clearance. If the entire handle assembly is removed, degreased and new grease applied it should work as designed. The dried old grease combined with dirt binds the internal parts so they cannot function; some have very tight tolerences.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,896
Likes: 26
From: Manchester - Political correctness is tyranny with manners.
Originally Posted by Fast one
The parking brake handle assembly is supposed to compensate for slight drum to shoe clearance. If the entire handle assembly is removed, degreased and new grease applied it should work as designed. The dried old grease combined with dirt binds the internal parts so they cannot function; some have very tight tolerences.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,896
Likes: 26
From: Manchester - Political correctness is tyranny with manners.
Originally Posted by eRiCdWoNg
I really hate the ebrake of this car. I remember I was adjusting mine and those shoe retainer springs kept coming off and they are a major PITA to put back on.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Manchester - Political correctness is tyranny with manners.
Well, upon further inspection, it appears that working the E brake handle, produces little or NO movment what-so-ever in the cables at the wheels, so it looks like I have a problem in the handle assembly. Oh boy! I get to take the console apart!
Thanks to all who posted.
Thanks to all who posted.