Does your e brake work properly ?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Does your e brake work properly ?
Does your e brake work properly ? Mine didnt work from the day I bought it.
let see how you received your C5 and how the e brake functioned. This can be fixed with little effort.. see tech tips C5.. or instant message me
let see how you received your C5 and how the e brake functioned. This can be fixed with little effort.. see tech tips C5.. or instant message me
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,755
Likes: 97
From: Sandy Utah
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Evil-Twin)
My E-brake (P-brake) works properly with seven clicks to stop the car either forward or backward. I would like to know if there is an automatic adjustment feature like backing up and applying the brake forcefully that will cause a blade to rotate the star wheel adjuster. I have heard that there IS and also that there IS NOT an auto adjuster for this brake. Who has the definitive answer?? :confused: :confused:
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Cirrus8)
Cirrus8 I originally posted that there was a blade to adjust the ebrake... I posted that based on information from the service manuel.. but I am here to tell you that there is no blade adjuster ....I have made the adjustment twice in five years... the first time I did it... the car had less than 1000 miles... and I made forty clicks of the ajuster before it was right .. it was never adjusted properly at the factory.. after 45,000 miles I did it again... took about an hour... and made 25 click to make it right again... so two adjustment in 45 000 miles is not too bad
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,607
Likes: 1
From: San Francisco CA
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Evil-Twin)
You can take up the slack in the cables by cycling the parking brake handle up and down a few times until the slack disappears. To adjust the brake shoes themselves you must pull the rear rotors in order to access the star wheel adjuster and adjust it manually to bring the shoes closer to the drum.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (SFVetteman)
I posted a tech tip on the adjustment proceedure a few years back you can access this by going to tech tips C5 and look for the topic.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,369
Likes: 843
From: Naples Florida
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Evil-Twin)
I never use mine. I always put my car in first gear to park it. Sometimes when I do use the parking brake I make sure that baby is all the way up. Even then I dont trust that parking brake.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 993
Likes: 5
From: Cincinnati Ohio
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Evil-Twin)
The parking brake on my 1999 C5 coupe did not work properly the day I took delivery of the new car. I was told it took time "to adjust". I had to return the car twice to the dealer to have it repaired under the new car warranty.
It is obviously a bad design if the brake does not work on new cars delivered from the factory.
It is obviously a bad design if the brake does not work on new cars delivered from the factory.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Evil-Twin)
The key is routine adjustments. When I installed my new brake package I adjusted the e-brake. About once a week I allow the car to roll backward while pull up on the e-brake handle a few times. My e-brake has remained functional since I did the brakes 18 months ago.
Tom
Tom
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (speedjohnson)
Mine stops the car from rolling backwards, but doesnt do much to keep it from rolling forwards. Any advise?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 28,753
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From: San Jose/Bear Valley CA
CA Events Coordinator
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Evil-Twin)
Mine works when it is adjusted properly... but the only way to adjust it properly is to remove the rear wheels, brake system and rotors. Over a period of time, it goes out of adjustment all by itself. :bs :bs :bs
None of my other Chevrolet vehicles do that...
:rolleyes:
VR :cheers:
None of my other Chevrolet vehicles do that...
:rolleyes:
VR :cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 1,884
From: Hot Springs AR
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Evil-Twin)
E brake has to be the weakest system on the C5. :U Ditto on the no adjuster on the shoes. Even once you get it adjusted, it still won't hold the car on anything other than a slight incline.
OTOH, 1st or Reverse work just fine keeping her where she needs to be.
Have a good one,
Mike
OTOH, 1st or Reverse work just fine keeping her where she needs to be.
Have a good one,
Mike
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 199
Likes: 0
Yes (Evil-Twin)
My '00 FRC 6spd parking brake will hold on my sloped driveway, and amazingly even when I roll my car onto my Rhino Ramps (to install the reinforcements to keep my front rubber "spoilers" from dragging).
I don't have to pull the brake all the way, but do put the car into gear and chock the rear wheels prior to getting under the car--not that stupid! :)
Karl
I don't have to pull the brake all the way, but do put the car into gear and chock the rear wheels prior to getting under the car--not that stupid! :)
Karl
Race Director
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From: Vancouver
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St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (SFVetteman)
You can take up the slack in the cables by cycling the parking brake handle up and down a few times until the slack disappears. To adjust the brake shoes themselves you must pull the rear rotors in order to access the star wheel adjuster and adjust it manually to bring the shoes closer to the drum.
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Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Evil-Twin)
It does now, but in the past no. Had it adjusted twice then the third time they replaced all the parts by the console. Since then it has done pretty good.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 775
Likes: 36
From: Nashville, TN
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Cirrus8)
Almost smashed my car into a pole when I just set the damn brake! Thank GOD my wheels were turned to the left when I parked it. (harder to have it towed away) I set mine in first gear now.
Good to know that this is a common problem. I thought I was the idiot who broke it after I drove half a block with the parking brake engaged. :D
Good to know that this is a common problem. I thought I was the idiot who broke it after I drove half a block with the parking brake engaged. :D
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Manhattan Beach CA
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (DrValidus)
I live up in a hill, and the brake wasnt working. Car popped out of gear, car rolled down the hill having a close encounter of the $10,000 kind against a brand new explorer. Ouch!
A new paint job and muffler later, things are fine...but....
wish it wasn't necessary....
A new paint job and muffler later, things are fine...but....
wish it wasn't necessary....
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 182
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From: TARZANA CA
Re: Does your e brake work properly ? (Evil-Twin)
99FRC has never worked properly. Bought the car new. Had to pay dealer in Ca. to adjust it and it was no better. Attempted to adjust myself using your tips but couldn't get the bolt loose on the bracket, didn't have much room to work. Will try again later. :mad