How do you adjust the e-brake?

[LongBeach311]

I think my e-brake is not correct, because it is soo heavy to push the car out of the garage.

How do you adjust the e-brake? I look at the archive on this forum, but I dont quite understand. I seem cannot find the bolt to set the clicking. Sorry if my explanation is confusing.

Thanks guys!

[S Allen]

LongBeach,

Glad to see you are still with us. Before you adjust the emergency brake you need to make sure the rear brakes are not dragging by themselves. There is a little square adjuster on the top back of the rear brake dust shield. It is not real easy to get at but you should jack the back end of the car up first to get the wheels off of the ground. Please put it on jack stands! Assuming you have the E-brake released you should be able to spin the rear wheels. If not you need to back off of the square adjuster. A small crescent wrench works unless they are siezed up. I am not 100% sure but I believe righty is tighty and lefty is loosy. You will figure it out once you start turning on it. You want to back off of both wheels so you can turn them by hand. Then apply the E-brake to see if it is working. The adjustment for the E-brake is easily accessed from the passengers side. You should be able to see the E-brake linkage. Follow it towards the back until you see the threaded adjustment rod. It should be double nutted to secure it. Back off the locking nut and either tighten or loosen to reach your optimum setting. Good luck!

Steve

[Guest]

If the "clicking" you refer to is the one on the actual handle, I just disassembled mine and have it here if you wanna see what I mean, but actually you can move the part with the "teeth" so it doesn't travel to the point where you'll need to eat your Cheerio's in the morning to move it....there's a clip on the base of the chrome handle that holds a pin. Once u take those out, you can lift the handle and access the part I'm refering to....visually is better, so gimme an e-mail where I can send you the pics.

Jorge

[zippy67roadster]

LongBeach,

Glad to see you are still with us. Before you adjust the emergency brake you need to make sure the rear brakes are not dragging by themselves. There is a little square adjuster on the top back of the rear brake dust shield. It is not real easy to get at but you should jack the back end of the car up first to get the wheels off of the ground. Please put it on jack stands! Assuming you have the E-brake released you should be able to spin the rear wheels. If not you need to back off of the square adjuster. A small crescent wrench works unless they are siezed up. I am not 100% sure but I believe righty is tighty and lefty is loosy. You will figure it out once you start turning on it. You want to back off of both wheels so you can turn them by hand. Then apply the E-brake to see if it is working. The adjustment for the E-brake is easily accessed from the passengers side. You should be able to see the E-brake linkage. Follow it towards the back until you see the threaded adjustment rod. It should be double nutted to secure it. Back off the locking nut and either tighten or loosen to reach your optimum setting. Good luck!

Steve

I have adjusted the little square nut and the e brake adjustment to the max and my e brake barely engages. I already replaced the wheel cylinders. What else do I need to look at?

[K1200 GT]

zippy, Sounds like your cable has stretched. 40 years of pulling on the ebrake will do it. New cable maybe? Have you lubed the pivit in back so they pull equal at the wheels.

Richard

[zippy67roadster]

zippy, Sounds like your cable has stretched. 40 years of pulling on the ebrake will do it. New cable maybe? Have you lubed the pivit in back so they pull equal at the wheels.

Richard

Everything is lubed and moving smoothly. I had thought about a new cable as well. I was even thinking about having it made and making it an inch or so shorter for more adjustment as the cable started to stretch over time.

[notoptoy]

zippy, Sounds like your cable has stretched. 40 years of pulling on the ebrake will do it. New cable maybe? Have you lubed the pivit in back so they pull equal at the wheels.

Richard

Everything is lubed and moving smoothly. I had thought about a new cable as well. I was even thinking about having it made and making it an inch or so shorter for more adjustment as the cable started to stretch over time.

If it took about 40 years to stretch this much, I'd just replace with stock! Let the next owner sort it out in 2050 or so.

[spl310]

If it took about 40 years to stretch this much, I'd just replace with stock! Let the next owner sort it out in 2050 or so.

That is my point on the gm alternators, volvo calipers and a bunch of the other "upgrades" that folks do...

[zippy67roadster]

zippy, Sounds like your cable has stretched. 40 years of pulling on the ebrake will do it. New cable maybe? Have you lubed the pivit in back so they pull equal at the wheels.

Richard

Everything is lubed and moving smoothly. I had thought about a new cable as well. I was even thinking about having it made and making it an inch or so shorter for more adjustment as the cable started to stretch over time.

If it took about 40 years to stretch this much, I'd just replace with stock! Let the next owner sort it out in 2050 or so.

The next owner will be my 4 year old daughter! LOL!

[George H]

Make sure the rear shoes are adjusted first, cables last.