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Is there an easy was to adjust the parking brake? I know way back when just driving in reverse would do it........
Must be as old as me that's Old
Parking brake is NOT self adjusting, Their is adjustment for handle assembly wont due much good with the shoes though.
I looked at corvette manual on how to change Parking brake shoe but its as clear as mud as how to adjust the adjuster. or removing the adjuster lock so you can adjust the shoe.
The only ‘easy’ way to adjust the parking brake is to pay someone else to do it. I have not checked, but imagine it would cost around 1.5 hours. I know it would take me three hours or so, and a pro with a lift should be much more efficient.
From a service point of view, the parking brake is a very poor design. The lever adjustment can only offset some level of shoe-to-drum clearance, and once that has been used further adjustment absolutely requires removal of the drums for access to the adjuster screws. There are no slots in the backing plates. Since you have to adjust with the drums off, it can take more than a couple of iterations to get it right.
I think it's self adjusting. Had mine replaced a few weeks ago and it was rather loose at first, barely holding the car on my driveway. Now it seems back to normal.
Last edited by Dads2kconvertible; Jan 2, 2023 at 10:16 AM.
The lever is supposed to be self adjusting, though many have noted the pawl as being bound up by twenty year old grease.
On some cars the lever can offset for shoe wear and cable stretch. On many cars it can’t. My ‘99 is representative of many cars here, where GM left the adjusters completely seated, and the lever adjuster was unable to cope.
The lever is supposed to be self adjusting, though many have noted the pawl as being bound up by twenty year old grease.
On some cars the lever can offset for shoe wear and cable stretch. On many cars it can’t. My ‘99 is representative of many cars here, where GM left the adjusters completely seated, and the lever adjuster was unable to cope.
Ya I got that part out of manual about Handle being self adjustable.
Its the Part that says if the gap between adjuster nut and screw exceeds .250 that part I did not understand it was not pointed out in the available images in the manual.
I think they are speaking of the actual adjuster for the Shoe is this correct? If so it did not explain how to unlock it to make adjustments.
I figured leave it alone till I spoke with some one who had done it before.
Its not fun or quick. I used a large HF digital caliper and it helped as noted in the manual. IIRC (about five years ago), trial and error took about two or three tries on each side to get her dialed in correctly.
It’s the Part that says if the gap between adjuster nut and screw exceeds .250 that part I did not understand it was not pointed out in the available images in the manual.
I think they are speaking of the actual adjuster for the Shoe is this correct? If so it did not explain how to unlock it to make adjustments.
On this brake the star wheel is basically a threaded bushing. If you google up ‘c5 corvette parking brake diagram’ a plethora of descriptive images are available. There may be a detent spring to help keep the star wheel from turning on its own - mine does not. The bushing portion of the star wheel nests into the actuator block, with the adjuster screw threaded into the star wheel and the screw slot seated on the edge of the shoe. Turning the star wheel one direction exposes more of the screw thread and expands the shoe. Turning it the opposite direction exposes less thread and contracts the shoe. If you have to expose.25 or more of the thread (very unlikely) the shoe is overly worn, and should be replaced.
On this brake the star wheel is basically a threaded bushing. If you google up ‘c5 corvette parking brake diagram’ a plethora of descriptive images are available. There may be a detent spring to help keep the star wheel from turning on its own - mine does not. The bushing portion of the star wheel nests into the actuator block, with the adjuster screw threaded into the star wheel and the screw slot seated on the edge of the shoe. Turning the star wheel one direction exposes more of the screw thread and expands the shoe. Turning it the opposite direction exposes less thread and contracts the shoe. If you have to expose.25 or more of the thread (very unlikely) the shoe is overly worn, and should be replaced.
Mine has a Lock on the Star nut Its not really like a Self adjuster on regular Drum brakes but definitely a lock and I couldnt figure out how to release it without taking it apart thats why I stopped.
Reading the Book made me wanna ask some one else to be sure.
.250 is a lot when the current gap is like .030 wanted to be sure thanks
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