E-Brake adjustment on a 98

[wishuwerehere82]

Hi all,

I'm trying to figure out why my emergency brake is not working on my 98 C5.
I have replaced the rear disks and adjusted the shoes so they just barely touch the drums without dragging. The cables that go to the actuators seem to have some tension on them and the return springs are distended all the way. I can hear them moving when I pull the handle all the way up.
Does anybody know where the adjustment is for the brake handle?

Thanks in advance.

Pete.

 

[c4c5specialist]

Hi there,
If you installed new rotors, did the adjusters fall out of the backing plate by chance????
I have had instances where the adjuster falls out and the push dowel drops out. That dowel pin is the actual part that works off the lever that enters through the backing plate.
I have seen a few that people did not realize it was there, because of the grease around it, and didnt see it.
Let us know what you have and as long as the cables are attached, it should work.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Hi C4/C5,

I took one of the adjusters out just to see how it worked and the dowel pin is in place on both sides. The cables are hooked over the end of the lever on both sides.
The lever engages the actuator, but the tension on the brake cable is not enough to get the shoe spread apart enough to brake.
The adjustments are 1/2 half turn from the bottomed out position, so it's as small as it gets lengthwise.
If I adjust the actuator 1/2 turn more apart, the rotor doesn't fit over the shoe, so I think it's as far out as I can get it. The shoe looks like it has never contacted the old rotor. It looks brand new.

I took the brake lever out yesterday (along with the passenger seat and console) and the cable is OK.

So there's no cable adjustment to tighten up the tension?

Thanks.

Pete

 

[VETTEX2]

I thought the cable was self adjusting :confused

 

[Bioscache2]

I guess not.

I guess I will have to get used to the fact that I don't have an emergency brake in this car.
I mean, how often do you use it with an automatic anyway.
Well, never in my case. I hope I don't need it to pass inspection. I must not because it was inspected the day I bought it.

I have heard that it is self adjusting to a point. If your brake does not work at all as in engaging the brake produces no braking in the car then this will probably not work. However I heard that if you drive in reverse at low speeds and then use the e brake to stop yourself it will adjust it self. I have had some succes with this but it doesn't work miracles. Just an idea. Perhaps someone with more knowhow can comment.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Bioscache2,

The actutators in the rear parking brake assembly do not self adjust. There is a knurled wheel like you would see on any other self adjusting paking brake, but there is no ratchet and pawl piece to engage it. Also the wheel does not turn unless you pull the center pin out of the sleeve a good 3/4 inch. It is attached to the center pin of the adjuster.

It seems the best way to adjust it is to pry the brake shoe apart, then turn the top adjuster to lengthen the adjuster. Test fit the drum on until it doesn't fit over the shoe, then back off the adjuster until it fits inside the drum(1/2 turn).
That's what I did, and it still doesn't engage the brake when the handle is pulled up to the full up position.

The brake has never worked on this Vette, and I don't know if something has been removed from the assembly, but it doesn't look like it. From the looks of the shoe, it has never contacted the drum since it was built.

Thanks.

Pete.

 

[c4c5specialist]

Hi there,
Do both cables move when the Ebrake is pulled?????
c4c5

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Hi there,
Do both cables move when the Ebrake is pulled?????
c4c5

C4/C5,

Neither of the cables move! There's still a lot of slack in the cable ends with the handle at full up position.
I am going to assume that the cable is broken at the Y junction from the main cable to the two separate cables at this point.
Now that I have seen both ends of the cable in action, this is the most likely source of the problem.
Does anybody know where that separation point is?
I can't see anything from under the car on my back except the two cables running up over the rear end and tranny.

Thanks for the help.

Pete.

 

[c4c5specialist]

C4/C5,

Neither of the cables move! There's still a lot of slack in the cable ends with the handle at full up position.
I am going to assume that the cable is broken at the Y junction from the main cable to the two separate cables at this point.
Now that I have seen both ends of the cable in action, this is the most likely source of the problem.
Does anybody know where that separation point is?
I can't see anything from under the car on my back except the two cables running up over the rear end and tranny.

Thanks for the help.

Pete.

HI there,
Sorry for the brain lock. Take a look at the diagrams below.
First one is where the 2 cables meet the front cable that goes to the ebrake handle.
All the cables should be installed into the bracket as shown. If one cable is off, there will be NO tension when you pull up on the ebrake handle.

 

[c4c5specialist]

And just remember, that this bracket, that all 3 cables go into is riveted to the underside of the body, above the transmission.
If all 3 cables are installed, then the next thing to check is the ebrake handle assembly itself. There is a self adjuster, using a ratcheting type pawl to engage and keep high tension and adjust at the same time.
This diagram is below.

 

[c4c5specialist]

So, the basis of operation follows.
Once you access the ebrake handle, by removing the center console and the 2 10mm nuts that hold the boot over the handle, you will be able to see the adjuster work as you lift the handle.
You will have to slide the passenger seat all the way back and pull back the tunnel carpeting a little bit.
Once you pull the handle, you should be able to see the self adjusting mechanism work and see what you have to do next.
Please keep us posted and sorry for the delay.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[wishuwerehere82]

So, the basis of operation follows.
Once you access the ebrake handle, by removing the center console and the 2 10mm nuts that hold the boot over the handle, you will be able to see the adjuster work as you lift the handle.
You will have to slide the passenger seat all the way back and pull back the tunnel carpeting a little bit.
Once you pull the handle, you should be able to see the self adjusting mechanism work and see what you have to do next.
Please keep us posted and sorry for the delay.
Allthebest, c4c5

Great News!

The problem is fixed!
Now here's the tip I have for everyone that may have the same problem in the future. OIL!

The cables were all intact. The adjusters in the rear brakes were all adjusted properly. The bracket that holds the main cable to the two rear cables was good.
BUT... The lever has a ratchet and pawl system that self-adjusts the cable every time you pull the lever. The pawl disengages from the ratchet as you put the lever to the full down position.
Over time, the grease that is on that pawl gets gummy and causes the pawl to stick in the disengaged spot and keeps it from engaging the ratchet on the self-adjuster. This completely disengages the handle from the cable and there is no tension on the brake cable.

There are two small holes that hold the rotating plate in the fully disengaged position and I put a small screw through them to hold the plate.(Paul's diagram shows a cable tie) The tab that holds the cable in the track was pried out and the cable end was removed from the hole in the plate. Then the cable was removed from the lever assembly by prying in 3 tabs on the cable sheath collar to remove the cable.

I took the handle mechanism out of the console and put it on the bench to clean off the old grease and put a few drops of oil on the pawl pivot point and under the pawl where it slides and VOILA, the mechanism ratcheted to the first click and rotated the assembly.

I bolted everything back together and I now have emergency brakes at full power in 8 clicks of the lever and will go all the way to the full up position.

Since the old brakes had no wear marks on the inside of the drums or the outside of the shoes, I would have to say that the grease they used at the factory had been gumming up the works from day one.

Thanks for all the help and the diagrams.
I hope this link helps someone else in the future.

Pete.

 

[MsSchroder]

Pete,

Thanks for posting the final update and solution.

It is great to see a problem worked through from start to finish. And hopefully it will help out someone in the future.

Tammy

 

[wishuwerehere82]

I just love a happy ending.