Simple Parking Brake Question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 101
Likes: 17
From: Las Vegas, Nevada
Simple Parking Brake Question
My parking brake does not work. I have replaced and reset shoes, and it still doesn't work. Did the back up and pull the lever 3 times, still doesn't work. The cables are ok, and when you pull the lever you can see it working the actuator at the wheels, but it doesn't see to be enough to engage the shoes. What's left? Where do I go from here?
Last edited by SteveBougon; Nov 8, 2021 at 09:59 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 101
Likes: 17
From: Las Vegas, Nevada
A I took the actuator apart, and cleaned and greased it, I started from zero and adjusted the shoes as per the gauge readout. The rotors went on as anticipated, minor resistance from the shoes and it seems ok. The only observation is that the cables do not pull on the actuator hard enough to engage the shoes. I have heard of a y bracket that splits the cables, but I'll be darned if I can find it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,392
Likes: 218
From: Merritt Island, FL
A I took the actuator apart, and cleaned and greased it, I started from zero and adjusted the shoes as per the gauge readout. The rotors went on as anticipated, minor resistance from the shoes and it seems ok. The only observation is that the cables do not pull on the actuator hard enough to engage the shoes. I have heard of a y bracket that splits the cables, but I'll be darned if I can find it.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
How much do the cables push out the shoe? You just might not have them tight enough yet. I typically set any drum brake so I can barely get the drum over the shoes to get them to work the best.
There is a cable slack adjuster in the handle assembly. You may have to remove it and clean it up and re-grease it.
Backing up and pulling the lever will do nothing no matter how many times you do it. There is no automatic adjusters in the assembly. Those hardly worked right anyways on drum brakes when they were there. All they do is adjust enough to keep the slave cylinder from over extending.
There is a cable slack adjuster in the handle assembly. You may have to remove it and clean it up and re-grease it.
Backing up and pulling the lever will do nothing no matter how many times you do it. There is no automatic adjusters in the assembly. Those hardly worked right anyways on drum brakes when they were there. All they do is adjust enough to keep the slave cylinder from over extending.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 101
Likes: 17
From: Las Vegas, Nevada
I've owned a lot of cars, and Corvettes seem to have a lot of unique problems. I have an '04 Grand Marquis with twice the miles an the parking brake works like new.
Last edited by SteveBougon; Nov 9, 2021 at 01:21 PM.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 627
Likes: 181
From: west coast of Canada
I got this from another post...
Remove passenger seat. Remove parking brake handle assembly. Soak ratchet assembly in solvent, prepare to use brush to remove stubborn hardened grease. Ensure that all plates in the ratchet are free moving.
Dry then apply good grade of grease.
Remove passenger seat. Remove parking brake handle assembly. Soak ratchet assembly in solvent, prepare to use brush to remove stubborn hardened grease. Ensure that all plates in the ratchet are free moving.
Dry then apply good grade of grease.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 101
Likes: 17
From: Las Vegas, Nevada
I got this from another post...
Remove passenger seat. Remove parking brake handle assembly. Soak ratchet assembly in solvent, prepare to use brush to remove stubborn hardened grease. Ensure that all plates in the ratchet are free moving.
Dry then apply good grade of grease.
Remove passenger seat. Remove parking brake handle assembly. Soak ratchet assembly in solvent, prepare to use brush to remove stubborn hardened grease. Ensure that all plates in the ratchet are free moving.
Dry then apply good grade of grease.
Thanks for the tip.
Last edited by SteveBougon; Nov 10, 2021 at 03:41 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 2,466
Likes: 700
From: Clark, NJ
The cable tension is not manually adjustable. The parking brake handle assembly has an automatic adjuster that can get gunked up from old grease. Cleaning and greasing it will make it work again. The parking brake on these cars is never that great no matter what you do imo.