Help! Parking brake way to tight.

[Bobsvette]

Hi everyone, haven't been on in a while but I need some help. Yesterday I put new pad's and rotors all around my LT-4 and had no problems until I went to put the rear caliper with new pads on the rear, kind of had to force them on, all the research that I have done keep's steering me to the e-brake. I have read alot of responses to this issue but it seems I get conflicting stories. Can anyone help me and tell me what the real deal is on this? thank's bobsvette.otfl

 

[Hib Halverson]

There are a couple of reasons you might have had trouble.

Did you retract the rear brake pistons per the Service Manual?

Did you check the positioning of the parking brake levers? They need to touch the stops on the caliper body.

There is information in the Service Manual on what to do if the levers are not correct.

 

[Bobsvette]

There are a couple of reasons you might have had trouble.

Did you retract the rear brake pistons per the Service Manual?

Did you check the positioning of the parking brake levers? They need to touch the stops on the caliper body.

There is information in the Service Manual on what to do if the levers are not correct.

Hib, thank's for getting back to me so quick. The two questions you asked me was one did i tetract the pistons the answer is believe I did using a c-clamp and one of the old pads. As for the parking brake levers I don't have a clue as to what the right position should be The only Service Manual I have is from Clymers and I don't think it's very good. Is it pretty easy to correct this problem? P.S. Which service manual are you refering to? Thank's Bob Y.

 

[ecss]

Hi everyone, haven't been on in a while but I need some help. Yesterday I put new pad's and rotors all around my LT-4 and had no problems until I went to put the rear caliper with new pads on the rear, kind of had to force them on, all the research that I have done keep's steering me to the e-brake. I have read alot of responses to this issue but it seems I get conflicting stories. Can anyone help me and tell me what the real deal is on this? thank's bobsvette.otfl

Could be you didn't retract the pistons in all the way.

Did you apply the brakes a couple of times after you installed the new pads to make sure they
were seated in the caliper?

Are you sure the parking brake is fully released?

Are both rear brakes dragging?

You can verify the parking brake is not causing a dragging problem by measuring the clearance
between the parking brake lever point B shown in the 2nd diagram and the brake caliper housing
while applying pressure to the parking brake lever at point A.

Clearance should be .024 - .028 inches. If not you adjust screw #23.

1st diagram shows how to disable the parking brake cable which you don't need to do.
2nd diagram shows the rear brake caliper.
3rd diagram explains how to measure the parking brake free travel which is what you need to verify.

 

[Bobsvette]

Could be you didn't retract the pistons in all the way.

Did you apply the brakes a couple of times after you installed the new pads to make sure they
were seated in the caliper?

Are you sure the parking brake is fully released?

Are both rear brakes dragging?

You can verify the parking brake is not causing a dragging problem by measuring the clearance
between the parking brake lever point B shown in the 2nd diagram and the brake caliper housing
while applying pressure to the parking brake lever at point A.

Clearance should be .024 - .028 inches. If not you adjust screw #23.

1st diagram shows how to disable the parking brake cable which you don't need to do.
2nd diagram shows the rear brake caliper.
3rd diagram explains how to measure the parking brake free travel which is what you need to verify.

Thank's so much for the info. I just got back from a local chevy dealer and had a talk with their corvette mech, and it seems like I did everything right but he did ask me if I had the pistons fully collasped in the calipers and I want to say yes because I used a large c-clamp with an old pad to buffer and I couldn't crank it any tighter than I did. then he asked me what kind of pads I had and I told him they were wagner ceramic . He said I should use AC-Delco that the wagners could be a little thicker, he said that he has seen it in after market pad's. also yes I'm positive that the E-Brake is completly off, also both sides were very hard to get on I'm almost positive that the pad's are seated correctly, they look like there sitting true where they should be in the housing that holds them. also he said that the E- Brake doesn't have anything to do with replacing pad's. I can get the whole caliper assembly with the new pads over the rotor, everything looks flush between the pads and rotor but I never had to tap the caliper back and forth on both ends with a rubber mallet to get it back on. I can get them back on in the right position to bolt everything back together but there just so damn tight. Maybe the thing to do first is see if I can check those measurements If that's ok then I'll try a set of AC-Delco's and see how that goes. If it's still to tight for for me I guess I'll have to put the old pad's back on(I know everything will fit then) and make an appointment to have it done at the dealership.(which would make me feel really stupid). ad

 

[ecss]

Did you install new rotors?

Really doesn't make sense for the pads to be to thick but you never know with everything being made
overseas. I've always had good luck with Wagner parts.
Does the box say made in the USA?

I would take my Harbor Freight dial calipers and measure the pad thickness and the metal backing plate and
go back to the auto part store and ask to measure the thickness of a different brand.

Or be done with it and install one used brake pad back into each rear caliper. Put some miles on the vehicle to wear the new pad down. Then install the removed new pads problem solved.

 

[Bobsvette]

Did you install new rotors?

Really doesn't make sense for the pads to be to thick but you never know with everything being made
overseas. I've always had good luck with Wagner parts.
Does the box say made in the USA?

I would take my Harbor Freight dial calipers and measure the pad thickness and the metal backing plate and
go back to the auto part store and ask to measure the thickness of a different brand.

Or be done with it and install one used brake pad back into each rear caliper. Put some miles on the vehicle to wear the new pad down. Then install the removed new pads problem solved.

Yes, I did put on new rotors and they do have a coating on them but really minimal.Here's the web site I bought them from Premium Cross-Drilled & Slotted Brake Rotors I like the two idea's you gave me. The box for the pads are out in the garage, had it for today, really hot and humid here. I'll look tomorrow to see where there made. Thank's Bob y.

 

[Danny boy]

Save yourself the trouble of looking at the box. They're made in the People's Republic of China.

 

[ecss]

Here's an interesting Youtube video. Wagner is owned by Federal Mogul. In the video they do mention they have brake pad manufacturing facilities in the US.

So post what the box says.

The rotor manufacturer says the parts are machined in the US but not made in the US.

Given the size of Federal Mogul, I'd bet the pads are made to spec. and the rotors are too fat.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rs4QRSLS9w

 

[Bobsvette]

Here's an interesting Youtube video. Wagner is owned by Federal Mogul. In the video they do mention they have brake pad manufacturing facilities in the US.

So post what the box says.

The rotor manufacturer says the parts are machined in the US but not made in the US.

Given the size of Federal Mogul, I'd bet the pads are made to spec. and the rotors are too fat.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rs4QRSLS9w

First off I want to thank you guy's for responding to my problem. Got it figured out yesterday, The pads that I had bought were from advance auto and they were wearever pad's not wagner's. I went up to the closest parts store that carried AC-Delco pad's, problem solved, the only difference is the outboard pad with the AC's is just a little bit thinner than the inboard pad. Like the mechanic I had talked to earlier the week was right and also the E-brake has nothing to do with doing rear brakes. First time I ever saw a set of pad's have different thickness to them. Again Live and Learn ! I don't know if this only pertains to 96's but I guess it's worth keeping on file the next time someone changes rear pads on a 96 Again, Thank's, Bob Y.