My son just bought a 1990 IROC with 4-wheel disks, but the parking brake doesn't hold the car (won't pass inspection). I have tried adjusting the small allen screw to tighten them, but that doesn't seem to help any. With the car jacked up, the the parking brake seems to hold the car (can't turn the tires), but when the car is lowered, the brake won't hold the car when it's in gear.
The service manual isn't much help.
Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong?
Thanks in advance,
Kent in Flower Mound, TX

 

If they are the kind that dont use drum E-brakes (ie. they're the the old style rear disc) then it's likely a problem with the calipers being trashed. That occurs from not using the e-brake _all_ the time. The old style rear discs had to have the E-brake engaged in order to calibrate it. New calipers cost almost nothing.

If they're the new style then can't you just tighten the brakes themselves like you would a normal drum brake setup? I'm not talking about tightening the parking cable, but the actual drum pads.

 

These are rear disks, and since it's a 1990 model, I assume it's not the early model. I couldn't find any adjustment on the cable itself, and the manual only shows the adjusment at the rear caliper.

 

Welcome to the boards, you'll like it in here. You are correct in that the only adjustment on the 1990-1992 models is at the caliper, "free travel adjustment". The e-brake design should be enough to hold the car though. How many miles on the brakes? How far up does the e-brake handle come up in the cabin? Maybe you could have the rear discs turned and throw a new set of pads in it and see what that does, it'll have more bite that way.

Ed

 

Yeah, I'm heading to the auto parts house tomorrow to get a new set of pads and the caliper rebuild kit. One of the sheet-metal parts on the piston is bent from overtightening the free travel screw.
One other problem -- I can't seem to get the rotors off of the car. Is there some magic? I would think that after removing the caliper and the bracket that they should just come off, like the front rotors.

 

Give them a whack with a rubber mallet or a block of wood, etc.

JamesC