Parking Brake Adjustment Tips?

[The73vetteman]

I've been trying to adjust my parking brake so that it actually stops the car rolling down my driveway.

I have the rear in the air, wheels off, and turned the adjusters downwards so as to expand the shoes. Pulling the brake on about 12 clicks tightened the drums enough that I couldn't turn them by hand, so I put the right wheel on. Then found, with the brake released, that I couldn't turn the wheel at all.

Is there a trick to setting the adjustment so that the brake will work but doesn't bind when it's off?

'73

 

[68Roadster]

YEAH!!!

Me too!

I know they'll squawk that during safety inspection.......never have been quite able to get it to hold.

 

[Bob_K]

I'm also interested in hearing about this.

 

[GTR1999]

You have to play with them,as you found out. You might have a streched cable too. When I rebuild rear bearings and T arms I install new SS hrdw and steel shoes. I adjust theshoes to just touch them back off a knotch. I've had problems with ss shoes not being made correct and had to machine the slots open more, this isn't your problem if you can get them loose so the rotor doesn't have any drag. I would check the cable or replace it if it's old and start slowing to get to a point where they will lock about 3/4 of the handle travel. I had my car set so it would lock and hold the car on a ramp,the problem was they were too tight and driving a short distance caused them to get pretty hot. It's not the best brake design out there but should hold the car in neutral while idling.

 

[The73vetteman]

coupeman, thanks for the tips. I agree with all you say, particularly about fitting ss hardware, which is what I've done. The whole system is new. I haven't yet got the PB working to my satisfaction but I do have one very important tip to share.....

Make sure you have the cable hooked up over the levers on both wheels!!

After several hours of adjusting and trying to figure out why I wasn't getting anywhere I finally thought to check that the cable was hooked up properly. I was just a little upset when I found out that one end was free.
:cry
Hope to finish the job off tomorrow, and when I do I'll post a note on the PB lessons I've learned. With luck this will save others some of the agravation I've been through!

'73

 

[Vette/Berlina-coupe]

-best carry a throw-out anchor for those emergencies...

-Diddo here, oem-Pk.Brake about as effective as sticking out your leg to drag to a stop! However, recently had some metal-spray work done to revive an old badly-pitted '35AuburnSpeedster-bumper prior to replating, and SanDiego FlameSpray-Inc.(owner: Larry- 619/283-2007) said they have significantly improved effectiveness of the C3's tiny-drum Pk.Brake with a substrate metal-spray finish of coarse-alum.oxide(hardness-index="9", ref.diamond="10") upon the drums-surface; -so plan to try this out one of these days as the oem-PB is indeed deficiently dangerous...
~Bob vH

 

[brusso]

I'd check the cable that goes from wheel to wheel. Make sure that it is good and free. I checked mine by disconnecting each end from the parking brake levers and from the equalizer. You should be able to pull the cable, by hand, from the center. Both ends should pull in and when you let go they should extend back on their own. If that cable binds up you'll never get good response from the e-brake.

As far as adjusting goes, I found it best to adjust the star wheels first, with the cable connected at the wheels and hanging free from the equalizer. After you get a moderate drag, connect up the cable to the equalizer and adjust equalizer according to your preference of how far you want to pull the handle to lock the wheels.

 

[ness5353]

parking brake

The shop that I have do the stuff to my cars that I can't, (he deals with corvettes only), told me to take all the parts right off the car. He said they don't work worth a darn, and can cause problems ,so it's better to take em off. He said to carry a piece of 2x4, it will work better than the brakes!

 

[GTR1999]

Ness, no offense but if a guy I was paying told me to use a 2x4 for a repair I'd get another guy. These brake systems weren't the best out but they can be made to work. As long as they are installed and adjusted correctly that is. Sounds like he doesn't know how or want to fix it right.

 

[Robin7TFour]

Hello, sound like the mechanic just doesn't like vettes. i know they are tricky to work on lots of interesting items. sure aint like work on grandpa's nova six-banger.
the Disney garage had one guy that did all our corvette work. i would help him every chance i got ,to pick up tips and tricks.he forgot more than i'll ever learn

 

[ness5353]

parking brake

that 2x4 thing was just to get a chuckle out of youse guys...i chose to remove the parking brake hardware because of the problems the brakes can have.
smile now!!

 

[GTR1999]

Ok I hear you, in fact I was out today in one of my cars and forgot that I didn't adjust the PB cable after installing all new parts last Fall!!!! Hey maybe the 2x4 isn't a bad idea afterall

 

[Hib Halverson]

The P-brake adjust on a 65-82 is a three step process

1) Inspect all P-brake parts for condition and proper operation. Replace parts as necessary. If your P-brake parts are rusted tight (a common problem) replace them with stainless steel pieces. I got mine from Vette Brakes and Products but there are a number of sources.

2) With the rear wheels off and, if the OE, disc-to-axle rivets have previously been removed, put three lug nuts on to hold the disc to the axle. Back off the P-brake cable adjustment until the P-brake levers are fully released. Adj. the shoes out until the adjuster will no longer turn with modest force and the discs are locked. Back off the adjustment 6-10 notches. The actual amt. of notches will depend on a) how tightly you locked the adjuster when expanding the shoes and b) the condition of the shoes and drum surface inside the disc. Repeat this procedure for the other rear wheel.

3) Pull the P-brake lever up 13 notches. Tighten the P-brake cable adjustment until an 80lb pull is necessary to make it to the 14th notch. Understandably, few DIYs are going to have a pull gauge--nor do I--so I use this rule of thumb: adj. the cable so you have to pull pretty hard but not really, really hard to get to notch 14. Then, tighten the P-brake cable lock nut.

For safe parking-brake operation, the adjustment process must be done as above.

 

[The73vetteman]

Hib,

Good tips. Thank you. The part I was missing was about using 3 lug nuts to hold the disc/drum in place. That trick has helped greatly.

Once I finish off the honeydo list tomorrow I might actually get to finish the PB job and finally park on my driveway without using the 2 by 4!