'71 Parking Brake

[Bwmurph]

Am I just getting old or is the parking brake on the early C-3's the biggest piece of crap ever designed by a so called engineer. I don't care if Zora himself designed it, they should have to work on the thing all day every day until they blow their brains out.

All I wanted to do was replace the parking brake hardware with the stainless steel kit from Corvette Central and maybe adjust it (doesn't really grip as it should). Getting it apart was no picnic, but eventually I figured it out with the help of a Chiltons manual and some pics in the CC catalog.

Getting it back together is a whole other story. I've been out there since 1:00 o'clock this afternoon (it's now 7:00 pm) and I don't even have one side done yet ! I've spent the last 1.5 hours (or more) trying to get the the little pins to go through the retainer springs and cups on either side of the brake pads by sticking a needle nose through the hole in the axle flange (you have GOT to be kidding me, what genius thought that little gem up) . Is there a trick to getting this done or is it jsut perseverance and luck ? I can't believe you're supposed to pull the axles to do this (no WAY I'm doing that !), but it sure looks like it would make it easier. Again, piss poor engineering (even for 1971) if you ask me.

I'm out of perseverance for tonight and I haven't had any luck all day, so the car is sitting on jackstands in the driveway and I've put the cover on it for the night.

If anyone has any hints as to how to make this job easier I am all ears.

Thanks (done venting for now),

Bernie O.

 

[TimAT]

I have to agree- it's not the best engineering to come out of Detroit.

Tie a piece of fishing line to the end of the pin that goes thru the shoes. feed it thru the shoe and then thru the retainer. that will guide it on.

The real good news is that some guys I've heard of have found the full stainless kit (stainless shoes) have found the arc of the shoe is incorrect for the ID of the rotor.. I'd check that before I got it all back together. If the arc is wrong then shoe to rotor contact won't be right and you'll need to carry a brick.

 

[Bwmurph]

Thanks for the idea Tim, I'll give that a try when I get home tonight.

Luckily, I did not get the stainless steel shoes, so that shouldn't be a problem. My shoes were in pretty good shape, I just couldn't get the star wheels to move to adjust the brakes so I thought I would just replace the hard ware. I mean how hard could that be, right ? What a nightmare !

Anyway... thanks for the tip, I'll let you know how I make out.

Bernie O.

 

[6880 Mike]

Ya can't blame Zora for it.

 

[Bwmurph]

Mike,

I doubt if it was his design, but wasn't he "Chief Eng - Corvette" at that time, or had he retired by then ? Are the mid-years the same way ? If he's Chief Eng, the buck has to stop with him.

I know that's just about heresy punishable by banishment from the Corvette brotherhood, but this really is a poor design that should have been corrected over the years. I guess they figured that the Parking Brake wouldn't really wear out and wouldn't need that much attention over the years.

I was just really frustrated with a job that I figured was going to be 2 - 3 (4 at the most)hours to complete and I was on one side ALL day and it still isn't done. I'll try again after work and see what happens.

Bernie O.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Did you use the installation tool ('modified' screw driver)? Turns a nightmare into a 5 minute job.

 

[Bwmurph]

Vettehead,

Please enlighten me with description of the "modified screwdriver" ! Or better yet let me know where I can buy one (preferably NOT from GM, they'll probably want US$ 150 for it).

THanks,

Bernie O.

 

[JohnZ]

All the usual vendors have the "tool". It also helps to tie down (shorten) the coil springs with dental floss, insert them, install the retainers, then snip the dental floss to let the spring expand into place.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Vettehead,

Please enlighten me with description of the "modified screwdriver" ! Or better yet let me know where I can buy one (preferably NOT from GM, they'll probably want US$ 150 for it).

THanks,

Bernie O.

This might be too late, but will help others

Corvette Parking Brake Rebuild | Corvette Magazine

 

[Bwmurph]

John,

Thought of tying them down with "picture hanging" wire, but then wondered if I would be able to get to it to get it cut. I'll try the dental floss thing, should be easier to cut and would always be able to get a thin knife in there to slice them open.

Was that in the original Service Manual ?

Thanks,

Bernie O.

 

[Bwmurph]

Vettehead,

That will definitely help me. And will make me want to kick my own butt eventhat much more - I'm sure I have that article at home and probably have it cataloged in my " C- 3 Info File". I cant' believe I didn't look it up. But, again, I thought it would be very similar to doing the brakes on my C-1 - may take a littel bit of time, but pretty straightforward.

I don't suppose I could get one of those tools at a local Advance Auto Parts or Pep Boys could I ?

Thanks again,

Bernie O.

 

[TimAT]

Vettehead,

I don't suppose I could get one of those tools at a local Advance Auto Parts or Pep Boys could I ?

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Pretty unlikely an auto parts store would have one.

 

[Bwmurph]

Tim,

Just thought I would ask; I mean, I have a regular Brake Tool that I've used over the years to re-build the ones on my C-1. Nobody saw fit to market one of these "special tools" for C-2 (I assume C-2's are the same set up) and C-3 owners ? Or is it only available through Corvette Central, Pazragon, Ecklers, etc.... ?

Bernie O.

 

[TimAT]

I hate to say this: I used a plain old screwdriver to adjust mine. No special tool. It might help if I had bent it a little bit, but it worked pretty good for me. I've got 3 or 4 different brake adjusting tools, all too wide to fit the hole in the hub.
No way I could see to use any tool other than needle nose to install the retainers.



I think I figured the tool thing out- screwdriver with a hook to install the return spring. I used needle nose vise grips. OOPS again.

 

[Bwmurph]

Adjusting the Parking Brake is easy. It's getting those damn retainer springs and cups back on that is giving me grief.

I've thrown in the towel for tonight - I started at 6:00 and it's now almost 9:30 and I'm no better than I was yesterday. I got the front retainer and cup on using the string technique, but that side is a little easier as you can get to it without having to go through the hole in the flange and you can press against the pin in the back with your finger to keep it tight and straight. I could not for the life of me get the rear one on no matter what I tried so I decided to take it back apart to see if maybe it's easier to get the back one if the front one is not complete yet. No dice; I don't see how it can be done. The hole in the flange is not big enough to get the needle nose through and grap the pin AND get the spring and retainer on at the same time. ANd there is no way to get to the back of the pin like you can the front one. Lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Very frustrating - I'm not a master mechanic, but I like to think that I can hold my own and do a lot of work on all my cars (I have six) myself. But this one looks like it's gong to get farmed out to somebody who will (deservedly) charge me a fortune.

Again, if I ever run into the idiot who designed this system I will strangle him !

Bernie O.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

On the other hand, could you have designed a better parking brake given the space constrictions, and understanding that it was to be assembled and field serviced with the axle removed?

No, I didn't think so.

 

[Bwmurph]

Yeah, I would have made the access hole in the flange a little larger, I would have made the hold down spring and cup in a different manner, possibly a C-clip type arrangement, I would have made the backing plate a little larger and provided better access to all these springs and clips. I don't claim to be an engineer, but given the resources they had at their disposal I can't believe a better sytem couldn't have been designed. (Wonder what the Japanese parking brake sytems of the '70's looked like ?)

Let's also not forget that this was GM of the '70's - not exactly known for their quallity vehicles. Mass production and the American Green Dollar was the highest priority.

I love my Corvettes, but I can tell you that my '59 just "feels" like a much more solid and better built car than the '71 does.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I don't think any affordable car chassis designed in the 60s had four wheel disk brakes and four wheel independent suspension, Japanese, US or wherever.

 

[Bwmurph]

Well, you're probably right about the "affordable" part (hell, I couldn't "afford" anything more than a piece of crap VW at that time). I'm just ticked that this thing is beating me down to the point that I'm questioning my own manhood, become a blithering idiot, and am considering selling my tools, cars, and dog.

 

[TimAT]

Those pins are a PITA with the axle removed. As you pointed out, you can't get to the head to hold it in place.

Try putting a .030 or bigger piece of feeler gauge stock over the head and holdng it in that way. I did the 69 a couple years ago- had the axles out and still fought that one pin. Wedged it in with a small screwdriver I think.

I almost forgot. The synonym for "C-3 Corvette" is "Frustration"