C5 Emergency Brake Adjustment
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 10
From: Oakville ON "Real Corvettes have folding tops..."
C5 Emergency Brake Adjustment
How do you adjust the emergency brake? Mine's only funtion now is to keep the headlights off when aprked witj engine ideling.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 149
Likes: 5
From: Cincinnati Ohio
same problem here. i adjusted it and it worked for about a day...then i went to use it and heard a loud *POP*, and hasnt worked since. mines only function is to open the hatch when the car is running
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,904
Likes: 29
From: Vancouver Washington
Well, the manual says it has an automatic adjuster that is actuated by cycling the park brake handle three time. If that doesn't do it you may be looking at replacing a stretched cable. 
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
You must remove the rear tires, calipers,caliper brackets, and rotors.
Once this is done, you need to adjust the shoe style brakes by adjust the star adjuster. You need to open the outside diameter of the shoes, via this adjuster to the point were the shoe diameter is the same as the diameter of the internal drum on the rear rotors. Once this is accomplished you need to back off a click or two until the drum will slide over the shoe diameter, with some drag. If you can put on the rotors, and you feel alittle drag then they are adjusted properly... You can not adjust the shoes too tightly and still get the rotors on. Most people do not adjust the shoes tight enough.
The mention of pulling up the ebrake handle three times is only in reference to cable stretch....This will rarely fix the ebrake hold position.
Many people find their adjuster to be out by as much as 40 to 50 clicks.
I would go 10 clicks and retry the rotor, then another ten clicks etc, untill you cant get the rotor on..then back off until it goes on with some drag.
Once this is done, you need to adjust the shoe style brakes by adjust the star adjuster. You need to open the outside diameter of the shoes, via this adjuster to the point were the shoe diameter is the same as the diameter of the internal drum on the rear rotors. Once this is accomplished you need to back off a click or two until the drum will slide over the shoe diameter, with some drag. If you can put on the rotors, and you feel alittle drag then they are adjusted properly... You can not adjust the shoes too tightly and still get the rotors on. Most people do not adjust the shoes tight enough.
The mention of pulling up the ebrake handle three times is only in reference to cable stretch....This will rarely fix the ebrake hold position.
Many people find their adjuster to be out by as much as 40 to 50 clicks.
I would go 10 clicks and retry the rotor, then another ten clicks etc, untill you cant get the rotor on..then back off until it goes on with some drag.
Last edited by Evil-Twin; Oct 2, 2005 at 07:53 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 134
From: merritt island fl
C1 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
2016 C1 of the Year Finalist
2015 C2 of the Year Finalist
emergency brake adjustment
I'm having trouble too. I did all the adjusting at each rear wheel but there still seems to be excessive slack in the cables. What to check next?
Dave
Dave
Originally Posted by Evil-Twin
You must remove the rear tires, calipers,caliper brackets, and rotors.
Once this is done, you need to adjust the shoe style brakes by adjust the star adjuster. You need to open the outside diameter of the shoes, via this adjuster to the point were the shoe diameter is the same as the diameter of the internal drum on the rear rotors. Once this is accomplished you need to back off a click or two until the drum will slide over the shoe diameter, with some drag. If you can put on the rotors, and you feel alittle drag then they are adjusted properly... You can not adjust the shoes too tightly and still get the rotors on. Most people do not adjust the shoes tight enough.
The mention of pulling up the ebrake handle three times is only in reference to cable stretch....This will rarely fix the ebrake hold position.
Many people find their adjuster to be out by as much as 40 to 50 clicks.
I would go 10 clicks and retry the rotor, then another ten clicks etc, untill you cant get the rotor on..then back off until it goes on with some drag.
Once this is done, you need to adjust the shoe style brakes by adjust the star adjuster. You need to open the outside diameter of the shoes, via this adjuster to the point were the shoe diameter is the same as the diameter of the internal drum on the rear rotors. Once this is accomplished you need to back off a click or two until the drum will slide over the shoe diameter, with some drag. If you can put on the rotors, and you feel alittle drag then they are adjusted properly... You can not adjust the shoes too tightly and still get the rotors on. Most people do not adjust the shoes tight enough.
The mention of pulling up the ebrake handle three times is only in reference to cable stretch....This will rarely fix the ebrake hold position.
Many people find their adjuster to be out by as much as 40 to 50 clicks.
I would go 10 clicks and retry the rotor, then another ten clicks etc, untill you cant get the rotor on..then back off until it goes on with some drag.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach Virginia
Originally Posted by dave pawlowski
I'm having trouble too. I did all the adjusting at each rear wheel but there still seems to be excessive slack in the cables. What to check next?
Dave
Dave
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 134
From: merritt island fl
C1 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
2016 C1 of the Year Finalist
2015 C2 of the Year Finalist
Parking Brake Adjustment
Thanks for the tip but I've already done this. The ratchet seems free. There is just way too much slack in the calbe for the ratchet to take up. When the brake lever is lowered, the ratchet disengages and the slack retutns. Maybe the cable(s) are messed up?
Dave
Dave
Originally Posted by coast7
Try this Parking Brake Adjustment
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 10
From: Oakville ON "Real Corvettes have folding tops..."
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