Parking brake issues - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

FFCam1991 · 05-03-2009, 01:37 PM

Hey,

Ever since I've owned the car the parking brake hasn't been working right. I never bothered to fix it because it did a decent job of holding the car on a slope, but it needs some work.

At times when I yank on the lever, it won't engage and just pulls up with no resistance. You just have to set it down and try again, and it usually will engage the second go around. I have the center console off right now but the mechanism is confusing to me and I cannot locate the problem.

In addition, the parking brake lacks any kind of power and is very stiff. I'll lubricate the rubbing points on the frame, but I remember driving slowly down my gravel driveway and pulling the brake as hard as I could, and the wheels did not lock up.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I hope to get the car put back together today!

JamesC · 05-03-2009, 01:50 PM

Drum or disc rear?

JamesC

FFCam1991 · 05-03-2009, 02:00 PM

Ah sorry,

Its a 91 formula so disc brakes all around. Overall my brake power is pretty poor, I'm going to clean off the rotors today. I think the calipers have been overhauled recently (last 2 or 3 years) but maybe I need new pads. Is there anyway to tell if the pads are contaminated? I have a feeling that may be the case.

Thanks

JamesC · 05-03-2009, 02:22 PM

[quote=FFCam1991;4144183I think the calipers have been overhauled recently (last 2 or 3 years)...[/QUOTE]

If that's true, the free travel may not have been adjusted.

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/su...ear-brake.html (please help..rear brake..)

JamesC

FFCam1991 · 05-03-2009, 03:44 PM

I'm totally lost under there.

I don't see any way to release the cable pressure at the equalizer. There are no nuts, just round metal stops. I'm trying to A) Remove the calipers so I can clean the rotors and B) Get my parking brake working right. I can't even find where the "stops" are that the levers are supposed to be resting on. Its my first time looking at brakes.

FFCam1991 · 05-03-2009, 03:56 PM

Ahhhh, after doing some more searches I have found out that the only adjustment for 90-92 models is at the caliper...my Haynes manual neglected to mention that!

With that being the case, how do I remove the e-brake cable from the lever so I can pull the caliper off? I don't think the free travel adjustment is meant for that?

JamesC · 05-03-2009, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FFCam1991

how do I remove the e-brake cable from the lever so I can pull the caliper off? I don't think the free travel adjustment is meant for that?

The lack of free travel adjustment may be the problem (too much and the pads won't adequately make contact with the rotor). You really don't need to remove the e-brake to remove the calipers. Check post #2 in the following link:

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/tr...ing-axles.html (Tips/Tricks for Installing Axles, Bearings, Seals)

I'd clean and relube the slide pins at any rate. BTW, I doubt that cleaning your rotors will accomplish much.

Oh, the stop is what figure "B" is resting against.

JamesC

FFCam1991 · 05-04-2009, 01:23 AM

Thank you for your help.

So I should just remove the entire assembly? I'm not sure how to do that. Just a couple of bolts?

What are slide pins and how do I clean them?

Any ideas on the difficult pull and lack of engagement on that parking brake lever?

Thanks again!

JamesC · 05-04-2009, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FFCam1991

So I should just remove the entire assembly? I'm not sure how to do that. Just a couple of bolts?

What are slide pins and how do I clean them?

Any ideas on the difficult pull and lack of engagement on that parking brake lever?

Yes, just a couple of bolts.

The rubber boots in the following pic protect the pins/guides:

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/at...s-89-lline.jpg

You'll need to remove the spring to reach one of the bolts:

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/br...-did-yall.html ({ED!!!}How did yall install the spring back onto a PBR?)

Remove the pins, clean the bores and pins with brake clean and relube using an appropriate brake grease.

I'm unsure if one problem is connected to another where the parking brake lever is concerned.

JamesC

FFCam1991 · 05-16-2009, 05:00 PM

OK,

I removed the assembly to carrier bolts and inspected the pads, etc. I noticed that on the left caliper, the inner brake pad is about half as thick as the outer. On the other wheel, the pads are closer to the same. Does this tell me that my parking brake is not releasing properly?

So besides checking the adjustment of the free travel (I'll need to get new pads before I reinstall the calipers to do the check), what else should I do to fix this problem? I'm not surprised my brake isn't fully releasing, the car dives after you let off the gas in lower gears.

I removed the big springs, but even with that out, I don't see how you can get at the bottom caliper bolt without removing the lever.

Besides the suggested cleaning of the pins/slides, which I will do, what else should I do to ensure my parking brake is performing correctly? Also, is there any way to do this with the hydraulic hose left on? I can't see it but I just bled the calipers so I really don't want to disconnect it.

Thanks!

FFCam1991 · 05-16-2009, 06:27 PM

Alright I have the upper slide pin completely off and I couldn't get at the lower one so I just pulled the caliper right off with the slide pin still in. Should be good enough to clean and grease it. Like I said earlier, I have the big return spring off and I just pulled the parking brake cable off the lever...where do I go now to make sure the parking brake will work?