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C5 Parking Brake / Ebrake fix / adjustment
#41
Drifting
I am assuming this is the same on Z06 models? This is such a stupid backwards way of creating an emergency brake system! I love my Vette but am a Ford man at heart. It was so much easier to adjust a Mustang's ebrake. I had my Cobra for 9 years and never had a weak ebrake. I have had this car two months and the ebrake will NOT hold the car at all on any non flat surface. Not looking forward to wasting my time adjusting this. Thanks for the write up tho!
#43
Safety Car
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: Walhalla South Carolina
Posts: 4,450
Received 845 Likes
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592 Posts
rotor drum clearance
However this may serve further interests, found it on another website...
Two issues here:
1) adjusting the slack in the cable can be done by rolling backward and pumping the e brake handle 5 or 6 times, this is designed in to adjust only the cable slack.
2 adjusting the shoe (ONE SHOE)... there is only "one'"shoe -- it's a Mono-shoe with a split.... this is the usual culprit. Before I left GM I tried to address this issue, but red tape made it impossible to get an adjustment check "On the line" at BG.
Adjusting the "Shoe is a simple matter of removing the wheel, caliper, caliper bracket, and rotor. (Note be sure the Ebrake is disengaged)
Once the rotor is off you can "click the star adjuster," rotating it in such a manner as to spread the Mono-shoe and increase the outside diameter.
The usual adjustment is around 20 to 40 clicks:
Adjust the star ten click and try to put the rotor back on.
It may be tight but if it goes on, it is not adjusted properly.
Adjust the star again ten more clicks, see if it goes on....
Do this at ten click and no more per each try.... somewhere between 20 and 40 clicks, the rotor will be impossible to put on.
Once you find this point, you then back off on the star 3 or 4 click until your can force the rotor over the shoe.
If you can force the rotor on by hand you are doing good...here is where most people fail in their attempt to adjust properly..,
Once the rotor sits flush on the hub boss, there will be alittle more clearance for the shoe, so forcing it on will not be a "too tight" issue.
You can not force the rotor over the shoe and have it too tight, it just wont happen.
Once you make this adjustment to both rear wheels, you should see that your e brake lever locks up the ebrake at about 45 degrees, 90 degrees being straight up...
Disengaging the ebrake will occur at about 35 degrees...
Once this is done properly, you will be able to stop your car with the ebrake doing 20 miles an hour and you will never feel the ebrake is inadequate.
Two issues here:
1) adjusting the slack in the cable can be done by rolling backward and pumping the e brake handle 5 or 6 times, this is designed in to adjust only the cable slack.
2 adjusting the shoe (ONE SHOE)... there is only "one'"shoe -- it's a Mono-shoe with a split.... this is the usual culprit. Before I left GM I tried to address this issue, but red tape made it impossible to get an adjustment check "On the line" at BG.
Adjusting the "Shoe is a simple matter of removing the wheel, caliper, caliper bracket, and rotor. (Note be sure the Ebrake is disengaged)
Once the rotor is off you can "click the star adjuster," rotating it in such a manner as to spread the Mono-shoe and increase the outside diameter.
The usual adjustment is around 20 to 40 clicks:
Adjust the star ten click and try to put the rotor back on.
It may be tight but if it goes on, it is not adjusted properly.
Adjust the star again ten more clicks, see if it goes on....
Do this at ten click and no more per each try.... somewhere between 20 and 40 clicks, the rotor will be impossible to put on.
Once you find this point, you then back off on the star 3 or 4 click until your can force the rotor over the shoe.
If you can force the rotor on by hand you are doing good...here is where most people fail in their attempt to adjust properly..,
Once the rotor sits flush on the hub boss, there will be alittle more clearance for the shoe, so forcing it on will not be a "too tight" issue.
You can not force the rotor over the shoe and have it too tight, it just wont happen.
Once you make this adjustment to both rear wheels, you should see that your e brake lever locks up the ebrake at about 45 degrees, 90 degrees being straight up...
Disengaging the ebrake will occur at about 35 degrees...
Once this is done properly, you will be able to stop your car with the ebrake doing 20 miles an hour and you will never feel the ebrake is inadequate.
#45
great reply very helpful unlike the first i received. thank you. i dont know that the ebrake shoe is worn out but i do know that the rotors dont want to come off and the lever goes to 90 degrees and holds sometimes. i may damage the shoes removing the rotors, which im replacing,so i want to be prepared to change them. Thank you again for responding and taking the time to do so
#46
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Mar 2009
Location: Odessa FL
Posts: 2,300
Received 113 Likes
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99 Posts
St. Jude Donor '10-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
great reply very helpful unlike the first i received. thank you. i dont know that the ebrake shoe is worn out but i do know that the rotors dont want to come off and the lever goes to 90 degrees and holds sometimes. i may damage the shoes removing the rotors, which im replacing,so i want to be prepared to change them. Thank you again for responding and taking the time to do so
#49
Drifting
However this may serve further interests, found it on another website...
Two issues here:
1) adjusting the slack in the cable can be done by rolling backward and pumping the e brake handle 5 or 6 times, this is designed in to adjust only the cable slack.
2 adjusting the shoe (ONE SHOE)... there is only "one'"shoe -- it's a Mono-shoe with a split.... this is the usual culprit. Before I left GM I tried to address this issue, but red tape made it impossible to get an adjustment check "On the line" at BG.
Adjusting the "Shoe is a simple matter of removing the wheel, caliper, caliper bracket, and rotor. (Note be sure the Ebrake is disengaged)
Once the rotor is off you can "click the star adjuster," rotating it in such a manner as to spread the Mono-shoe and increase the outside diameter.
The usual adjustment is around 20 to 40 clicks:
Adjust the star ten click and try to put the rotor back on.
It may be tight but if it goes on, it is not adjusted properly.
Adjust the star again ten more clicks, see if it goes on....
Do this at ten click and no more per each try.... somewhere between 20 and 40 clicks, the rotor will be impossible to put on.
Once you find this point, you then back off on the star 3 or 4 click until your can force the rotor over the shoe.
If you can force the rotor on by hand you are doing good...here is where most people fail in their attempt to adjust properly..,
Once the rotor sits flush on the hub boss, there will be alittle more clearance for the shoe, so forcing it on will not be a "too tight" issue.
You can not force the rotor over the shoe and have it too tight, it just wont happen.
Once you make this adjustment to both rear wheels, you should see that your e brake lever locks up the ebrake at about 45 degrees, 90 degrees being straight up...
Disengaging the ebrake will occur at about 35 degrees...
Once this is done properly, you will be able to stop your car with the ebrake doing 20 miles an hour and you will never feel the ebrake is inadequate.
Two issues here:
1) adjusting the slack in the cable can be done by rolling backward and pumping the e brake handle 5 or 6 times, this is designed in to adjust only the cable slack.
2 adjusting the shoe (ONE SHOE)... there is only "one'"shoe -- it's a Mono-shoe with a split.... this is the usual culprit. Before I left GM I tried to address this issue, but red tape made it impossible to get an adjustment check "On the line" at BG.
Adjusting the "Shoe is a simple matter of removing the wheel, caliper, caliper bracket, and rotor. (Note be sure the Ebrake is disengaged)
Once the rotor is off you can "click the star adjuster," rotating it in such a manner as to spread the Mono-shoe and increase the outside diameter.
The usual adjustment is around 20 to 40 clicks:
Adjust the star ten click and try to put the rotor back on.
It may be tight but if it goes on, it is not adjusted properly.
Adjust the star again ten more clicks, see if it goes on....
Do this at ten click and no more per each try.... somewhere between 20 and 40 clicks, the rotor will be impossible to put on.
Once you find this point, you then back off on the star 3 or 4 click until your can force the rotor over the shoe.
If you can force the rotor on by hand you are doing good...here is where most people fail in their attempt to adjust properly..,
Once the rotor sits flush on the hub boss, there will be alittle more clearance for the shoe, so forcing it on will not be a "too tight" issue.
You can not force the rotor over the shoe and have it too tight, it just wont happen.
Once you make this adjustment to both rear wheels, you should see that your e brake lever locks up the ebrake at about 45 degrees, 90 degrees being straight up...
Disengaging the ebrake will occur at about 35 degrees...
Once this is done properly, you will be able to stop your car with the ebrake doing 20 miles an hour and you will never feel the ebrake is inadequate.
#51
Instructor
Needed to inspect my 02 C5 and realized the hand brake wasn't working. The hand brake mechanism that automatically causes tension to the cable was rusted.
I didn't need to remove the drivers side seat to do this. I remove everything in the center console and the leather boot that covers the hand brake. It's just two 10mm bolts and some velcro. I can see the cable moving but no tension. Sprayed a lot of Pb blaster and yanked on the brake like a maniac, which did nothing. So I got my longest pair of needle nose pliers and grabbed the visible cable. While holding it, I lifted the handle a few times and that did it. Threw in some 3in1 oil and some lithium grease for added prevention.
I didn't need to remove the drivers side seat to do this. I remove everything in the center console and the leather boot that covers the hand brake. It's just two 10mm bolts and some velcro. I can see the cable moving but no tension. Sprayed a lot of Pb blaster and yanked on the brake like a maniac, which did nothing. So I got my longest pair of needle nose pliers and grabbed the visible cable. While holding it, I lifted the handle a few times and that did it. Threw in some 3in1 oil and some lithium grease for added prevention.
#52
Advanced
Just to add to the mix here, I know it has been a while since anyone posted here but if someone else is reading this and needs help getting the spring back in the parking brake shoe as I did, this will HELP. Type in New product parking brake tool 49.95. It is another link in this forum to help you get the spring back in without taking the hub off. There is no tool just using zip ties to place it back into the shoe. Also if you take some rough emery cloth and knock down the outer edge of the inner drum where the shoe rides it will allow you to get a much better adjustment on your shoes the first time. This is so the shoes do not get caught on false lip of the drum when trying to get them back on! Hope this helps someone as it is a pain in the #%(@&%@.
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ArmchairArchitect (06-18-2018)
#53
Really? I wont pass tech at nhra/ihra witout one? Im actually removing for weight savings and gonna use line lock for parking WHile running)..