E-brake adjusting?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 17,786
Likes: 4
From: Redsox, Pats, Celts & Bruins !!! Redsox Nation !!!
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12
E-brake adjusting?
What involved? Pull mine all the way back and the car slows, but does not come to a stop. When stopped and the brake is on it will stay put. Is this normal.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,112
Likes: 2
From: Sindelfingen Germany
It´s in the TOP TEN of C5 bad design items.
Two things to check:
1. Adjustment of brake shoes, manually
2. Adjusting of cable slak, automatically
For 1. you have to take off the rear rotors and turn the star wheel untill the shoes are so wide, that the rotor will not fit back. Then turn the star wheel back again untill the rotor just slips over the shoes.
For 2. you can check if the automatic slak reducer inside the lever works as it should. It was reported here that due to hardened grease it may not function. Cleaning everything with WD40 should help.
Maybe someone chimes in with a better explenation and pics.
Frederik
Two things to check:
1. Adjustment of brake shoes, manually
2. Adjusting of cable slak, automatically
For 1. you have to take off the rear rotors and turn the star wheel untill the shoes are so wide, that the rotor will not fit back. Then turn the star wheel back again untill the rotor just slips over the shoes.
For 2. you can check if the automatic slak reducer inside the lever works as it should. It was reported here that due to hardened grease it may not function. Cleaning everything with WD40 should help.
Maybe someone chimes in with a better explenation and pics.
Frederik
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 28,753
Likes: 9
From: San Jose/Bear Valley CA
CA Events Coordinator
Mine has been prone to needing adjustment behind the rotors far too many times for me to remember.. 
In the next few weeks, I will be installing my big brake system. When I do I will cut a small window in the backing plate just behind the star wheel adjuster. When I need an adjustment again, it will be just like adjusting my old GM cars brake shoes without having to remove anything.
VR
In the next few weeks, I will be installing my big brake system. When I do I will cut a small window in the backing plate just behind the star wheel adjuster. When I need an adjustment again, it will be just like adjusting my old GM cars brake shoes without having to remove anything. VR
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,333
Likes: 1
From: VA
St. Jude Donor '03-'11
I had my car roll away from me once... that was enough to make me adjust the brakes 
The only things hard about it are:
1- taking off the caliper bolts... make sure you have a breaker bar. With a breaker bar it's not too bad.
2- When you adjust the star wheel, be careful with test fitting the drum over it. If you try to pull it off and the shoe tries to come with it, it's a pain to get the shoes to release again.
I did mine over a year ago, and the brakes are still holding nicely.
The only things hard about it are:
1- taking off the caliper bolts... make sure you have a breaker bar. With a breaker bar it's not too bad.
2- When you adjust the star wheel, be careful with test fitting the drum over it. If you try to pull it off and the shoe tries to come with it, it's a pain to get the shoes to release again.
I did mine over a year ago, and the brakes are still holding nicely.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,405
Likes: 26
From: Whippany NJ
CI 6-7-8-9 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Originally Posted by 99C5Vert
I had my car roll away from me once... that was enough to make me adjust the brakes
The only things hard about it are:
1- taking off the caliper bolts... make sure you have a breaker bar. With a breaker bar it's not too bad.
2- When you adjust the star wheel, be careful with test fitting the drum over it. If you try to pull it off and the shoe tries to come with it, it's a pain to get the shoes to release again.
I did mine over a year ago, and the brakes are still holding nicely.
The only things hard about it are:
1- taking off the caliper bolts... make sure you have a breaker bar. With a breaker bar it's not too bad.
2- When you adjust the star wheel, be careful with test fitting the drum over it. If you try to pull it off and the shoe tries to come with it, it's a pain to get the shoes to release again.
I did mine over a year ago, and the brakes are still holding nicely.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,631
Likes: 2
From: Clever, MO aka SOMO
Originally Posted by jrose7004
I'am with you, my C5 doesn't!
The e-brake uses a small drum inside the hat of the rear rotors on all C5's. That's the drum everyone is referring to.
Have fun!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 8
From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
Originally Posted by Patches
Try yanking up hard on your ebrake handle three times to try and tighten the cable . If it's too far out of adjustment, you'll probably need to take the gloves off and go in swingin'.
you need to do this while the car is backing up, put it in reverse and while your backing up pull up on the e-brake handle this should do the trick, if not then you'll need to get at the star wheels to adjust it.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,649
Likes: 15
From: My Garage. Upstate, SC
Very intersting. I haven't seen the E brake before. Thanks for the pic Patches and the info guys.
I was just admiring Patches cut-out install again. http://redshift.homestead.com/cutouts.html Mine will get the same treatment this year.
I also keep looking at the pic of Runamuk's FRC AE. What a same GM didn't make a Z06 50th AE.
I was just admiring Patches cut-out install again. http://redshift.homestead.com/cutouts.html Mine will get the same treatment this year.
I also keep looking at the pic of Runamuk's FRC AE. What a same GM didn't make a Z06 50th AE.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,333
Likes: 1
From: VA
St. Jude Donor '03-'11
Originally Posted by eamador11
Wow, I didnt think Vettes had drums in the rear!
Drifting
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,804
Likes: 0
From: Marietta GA
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'08-'09
Here is an idea from the Peach State Posse web site, Tech Tips section posted by a Posse member who is a very knowledgable and helpful dealership vette tech.
The easiest way to adjust the parking brake is to actually drill a hole in the rotor so you can make the adjustment with the rotor on the shoes. This allows you to get a much snugger fit.
A lot of people still just pull the rotor off, adjust the shoes, put the rotor on, feel how snug it is, take the rotor off, adjust the shoes and so on and so on. I just drill a hole between two stud holes and about 1/2" higher than the stud holes. This allows you to use a screwdriver to adjust the shoes till they hold the rotor. Then back the adjust back off about 5-7 clicks.
Once that is done there is some thing else. The cable tabs on the back of the hub assembly. They get bent down due to people yanking on the parking brake handle to make it hold better. That actually makes it hold worse because it bends the tab. I take a pry bar and bent the tab back up after I have finished adjusting the parking brake. Once you are done, when you need to set the parking brake, DONT YANK It. Just pull up nice and easy. You can put muscle into it, just dont yank.
The easiest way to adjust the parking brake is to actually drill a hole in the rotor so you can make the adjustment with the rotor on the shoes. This allows you to get a much snugger fit.
A lot of people still just pull the rotor off, adjust the shoes, put the rotor on, feel how snug it is, take the rotor off, adjust the shoes and so on and so on. I just drill a hole between two stud holes and about 1/2" higher than the stud holes. This allows you to use a screwdriver to adjust the shoes till they hold the rotor. Then back the adjust back off about 5-7 clicks.
Once that is done there is some thing else. The cable tabs on the back of the hub assembly. They get bent down due to people yanking on the parking brake handle to make it hold better. That actually makes it hold worse because it bends the tab. I take a pry bar and bent the tab back up after I have finished adjusting the parking brake. Once you are done, when you need to set the parking brake, DONT YANK It. Just pull up nice and easy. You can put muscle into it, just dont yank.
Last edited by Kudzu; Nov 25, 2004 at 06:34 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,846
Likes: 5
From: Sandy Ego CA
I was at an autocross a while back and was told by one of the Corvette tech's that if you pull up on the break handle 4 of 5 clicks and then back up at resonable speed and push on the brakes this will activate the E shoe adjuster, you have to do this 3 or 4 times, I had done this procedure a week before I changed my rear rotors and had a hell of a time getting the rotors off so i'm assuming that the procedure is working because I seem to have a goof e brake, If noting else it's worth a try
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 0
From: Troy MI
Originally Posted by 99C5Vert
I had my car roll away from me once... that was enough to make me adjust the brakes
The only things hard about it are:
1- taking off the caliper bolts... make sure you have a breaker bar. With a breaker bar it's not too bad.
2- When you adjust the star wheel, be careful with test fitting the drum over it. If you try to pull it off and the shoe tries to come with it, it's a pain to get the shoes to release again.
I did mine over a year ago, and the brakes are still holding nicely.
The only things hard about it are:
1- taking off the caliper bolts... make sure you have a breaker bar. With a breaker bar it's not too bad.
2- When you adjust the star wheel, be careful with test fitting the drum over it. If you try to pull it off and the shoe tries to come with it, it's a pain to get the shoes to release again.
I did mine over a year ago, and the brakes are still holding nicely.
