I've expended all my knowledge on my e-brake problems and looking for any and all help. The E-brake does not hold so I pulled the rotor off and adjusted the star nut as much as possible while still being able to slip the rotor back on over the shoe.

Still no e-brake, it just won't hold. So pull the front seat and check the cable and the hand brake lever. All ok, clean as a whistle. Cable and gears seem to work ok...though I must pull the lever up ALL the way, but brake still won't hold.

So what else can I do? Starting to think I'm going to have to break down and take it to a shop to get it fixed. All thoughts are welcome. At what point do I consider replacing the brake shoe? How thick is the business part of the shoe supposed to be? Mine is only about 1/8 inch thick.

Regards

 

My service manual states that if the gap between the adjuster nut and the adjuster screw is more than 0.25 inches then the park brake shoe needs replacement.

When you turn that star wheel (adjuster nut) it "pushes" the brake pad out by turning the screw (the head of the screw is slotted into the end of the brake pad. If that exposed screw is more than 0.25 inches in length, you need new pads.

Also, I haven't looked at mine in a while, but a 1/8 inch thick pad sounds like it is too thin.

HTH

 

It may not be the shoes...try this:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...026&forum_id=1

 

not much even on a new shoe. I can measure it tomorrow if you need it. I took them off and they were new.

 

 

I've tried all the cleaning of the brake lever and the gears still no e-brake....just can't seem to get enough tension on the cable. Even pulled the seat again just to check it all out. No luck

 

On my 98 I placed the car in neutral and allowed it to slowly roll backward. While moving I pulled up on the E brake handle stopping the car and repeated this about five times. Now the E brake holds the car firmly on any grade. Someone on the forum remarked about the E Brake having a self aduster built in similar to the old sedan type of self adjuster. Worked for Me-

 

I remember that a lot of cars had this method of adjusting the E-brake. Has anyone else tried this with success?

Clayton from Las Vegas

 

It looks like you can get to this pawl without removeing the pass seat.

If it's just a matter of "freeing up" this pawl then you can see it from above without removing the seat ... a few shots of lube should do it.

I just checked mine and it seems like it's working fine, I oiled it up a little.
My E-brake will hold the car but you have to pull it way up, which I think is a little too far, so I tried this fix, guess I need to look someplace else to tighten my e-brake up a bit.

 

I've tried all the suggestions so far and still no e-brake. In fact did most stuff twice just to make sure and give it another try.

If no other ideas then I guess I'll buy a new shoe and even the actuator (the thing that hold the star nut). Hate to do it because getting the shoe on with the PITA spring that hold the shoe on takes at least an hour or so plus lots of luck to get it sprung right.

 

If you have checked the pawl in the handle and it freely works, how much movement are you getting in the cable at the backing plates? (takes two people to check this...you should be the one watching while a friend works the brake handle) If the ratchet assembly in the handle is working, there should be considerable movement in the cable and loop assy that attaches to the Ebrake lever actuator that comes thru the backing plate. If there is not a lot of movement (3/4 to 1 inch) then the ratchet is still not working or you may have a broken cable. The shoes should be adjusted so there is a slight drag on the drum when installed. Be careful here...if you get it too tight, you'll never get tha sucka back off. ON the '98 that I had, the shoes were in terrible shape, but I still managed to get it to work. As I explained in the thread, they didn't hold like I would have liked, but they did work. My suggestion would be to replace the shoes (I would have the next time I had mine apart). I don't think they are that expensive. And as long as it is apart you can disassemble the star adjuster, clean and lube it and reassemble with new shoes. Yeah it's a PITA. But I suspect that your cable is still not getting enough movement to activate the shoes at the wheel. Jack her up and crawl under there and look up her skirt to physically check the cables too.

 

I don't think the park brake has a self adjuster, at least the parking brake on my 01 doesn't have one..

Strictly a manual adjustment and you have to pull the rotor to do it.

Expand the shoe enough that the rotor is snug to go on, it'll free up once you tighten the wheel nuts.

RonJ ...

 

This is what the stealerships like to tell the unsuspecting. The pads are MADE thin as they are by nature, for EMERGENCIES. They are not a high wear item as they hold (or in most cases on the C5, they DON'T) the car in place but do not rub unless you drive around with your e-brake on.

1/8 of an inch is plenty, they are thin to begin with.

 

I agree. I have had mine apart several times and there is nothing in the star adjuster assembly that would indicate "self adjustment". I don't think it was even mentioned in my shop manual either. What does need to be done is to pump the handle several times to set the ratchet/pawl assembly in the handle. If it is functioning properly, you'll feel it set immediately. It would have been nice if GM had cut a hole for an adjusting tool so you could adjust the shoes from outside the backing plate.

 

Thanks for all the feedback...I bought myself a little time. What was really pressing this issue was my annual vehicle state inspection. Well I took a gamble and went today (even w/out a functional e-brake); and don't tell anyone but I passed...mostly because I told them that I would drive and operate the vehicle during the inspection process, just tell me what you want, i.e., lights, blinkers, horn etc. So the e-brake issue never came up....now I have a year+ to get this e-brake figured out.

I went out last night and tried the non-existant self-adjusting technique...roll back and try the e-brake level & do this several times to adjust the cable...all I got was lots of sweaking...so I think the cable is ok & brake shoe is making contact with the inside of the rotor, just not enough contact to stop the car.

I'm out of town for a while and then I think its time to replace the e-brake shoe.

After this exercise, I'll either be an expert or a dumb-a@@ since my other course is to take it to a shop to fix...which I fundamentally hate and disagree with.

Thanks for all the input. After I return I will post my success or failure.

 

can the e-brake shoe ring be purchased seperately? does anyone have the part number?

 

Have you pulled the other side off and adjusted it?

 

I do not believe that you are really adjusting anything. On my car, the star wheel turned and turned and turned.... but it didn't get any longer...

You need to take the adjuster apart and break the threads loose.

<- Look at the photo in My Corvette Photos.

If thats not it, then you just need to adjust them out so that the rotor is snug.

 

which part is the adjuster you refer to on the schematic in your pictures? is it #6 or #7?

thanks.

 

Actually, 6 and 7 became one piece (siezed) on my car. 6 needs to thread easily in and out of 7, so when 7 is turned, 6 moves either in or out. I put anti-seize on the threads after separating.