Well my local Inspection station failed me for my e-brake. They say its not tight enough. In other words i need it all the way up to stop the car from rolling. Is there a diagram or a link or detail instructions someone could give on doing this?? Do i need to do this under the car or from the interior? Thanks

 

Theres a small latch/lever on the E-BRAKE MECHANISM that is suppose to keep the cable tight but, the grease that GM uses gets hard with age and wont let that can/lever work correctly. Its under the boot and you will need to rempove the cennter console to get to it correctly. Start there and clean/ grease that lever. release the handle and make sure that its not applied.
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Next,,you will need to remove the rear wheels, brake caliper, brake caliper mount and the rotor. When you remove the rotor, it helps if you rotate the rotor while you removing it.

With the rotor OFF, you will see a toothed wheel that if rotated will either expand the shoes or retract them. Look behind the shoes and see if you see a "W" shaped spring attached to the backing plate that holds the shoes against the backing plate . Note how it is installed for now.

You will need to expand the shoes so that you get a very slight drag on the rotors when you put the rotor back on the hub! WARNING!! The shoes dont have very much lining material on them even when their new. If there not worn down to nothing, their most likely still good.

Dont get over zellous on the shoe adjustment!!!!!!!!! If you expand them too much at one time and try to force the rotor on the shoes, it will get stuck and you will play hell getting it back off or on all the way.

If it gets stuck and you try to muscle it off, you will most likely dislodge that "W" shaped spring attached to the backing plate. If that happens you will be there HOURS trying to figure out how it goes back on and figuring out where it goes! Ask me how I know! :leav ing:

While you have the calipers apart, its a very good time to replace the rear brake pads if they need it. You should also grease the sliding pins in the caliper. remove the black rubber boot and pull the sliding pin out. It should easily slide out and have grease on the pin. Remove the old grease from the pin and caliper socket. You MUST replace the grease with special synthetic caliper pin grease . Autozone / Advance, Pepboys all sell it in small tubes or pouches. Make sure its the correct grease for caliper sliding Pins.

Once you have the rotors back on, and both sides adjusted, go try your e-brake lever! Ahhhhhhhhhhh, isnt that better!!

BC

 

If it's working but just needs tightened up a tad you can roll in reverse at 6 MPH and slam the E-Brake handle up. This should adjust the shoes a little bit. I had to do this about 6 times to get mine to hold TIGHT.

IF this adjustment procedure DOE NOT work for you, then dive into Bill's fix...

 

 

NOPE,,,NADA, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There isnt an adjuster mechansim on the E brake shoe. NOTHING to adjust it! PERIOD! So,,that old theory does NOT apply.... Sorry..

BC

 

I did that and the lever was almost useless. I removed the center console, took the seat out and cleaned and greased that badboy. Now I park on hills with no worries. Bill Curlee's advice as always is good stuff - follow it and you should be fine

 

look at this forum members web page...
2 separate possibilities... the pawl and the drums...

http://www.ronjpics.com/Corvettestuff.htm