I took (and then labelled) this photo from underneath my 84 Z28 today with the driveshaft out.

Bolt A is scraping on the driveshaft when I go over big bumps or carry 3 or 4 passengers. Everything looks kind of how I remember it, but then I noticed Hole B. Is there possibly supposed to be another piece bolted in there that holds up the end of Bolt A out of the way?

I know my E-brake is out of adjustment (the lever goes up too high, and doesn't hold the car completely) but it doesn't seem like adjusting the nut has any effect on the angle of Bolt A, thus it will still continue to scrape my driveshaft (which is the real problem I'm trying to solve here).

If there isn't anything that's supposed to be holding that bolt up at the other end, then I think it may just come down to my suspension (which is probably original) is just sagging too much these days. I'll probably just end up cutting an inch or so off the end of the bolt and hope that solves it (unless anyone advises against that or has a better solution).

Thanks.

 

Not sure what an "E-brake" is? The pic is the parking brake. These cars have only 2 kinds of brakes; the "service brakes", which are the ones you get when you step on that pedal between the throttle pedal and the clutch pedal, and the "parking brake", which is the one you're supposed to use when you park the car, that the handle in the console works. No "E-brake", whatever that would be, that I've ever seen.

Anyway:

If you put the cables up inside those cool little welded-on tunnel looking cable brackets right dead-center in the pic (there's another on the other side obscured by the torque arm in the pic) that the cable is now running over the top of and holding the whole shebang out flapping in the breeze, the whole adjuster mechanism will be held up against the tunnel.

Next, down at the end of the tunnel near where the floor pan turns upwards to make the side-to-side tunnel for the axle, there is a little place on each side where S-hooks should go, which hold the rest of the parking brake cables up out of harm's way. I'm guessing those aren't there either?

Don't cut ANYTHING. Just like wires. Resist the temptation. It all works fine when completely assembled in the right place.

 

"E-brake" is a commonly abbreviated way of saying "emergency brake". An emergency brake is a separate mechanical (e.g. cable) brake system in a vehicle for use in case of failure of the regular (e.g. hydraulic or air) brakes and commonly used as a parking brake in automobiles.

Thanks for the info. Although I've already put my car back together, I did manage to resist the temptation to cut that bolt in hope of finding a better solution. I'll put it back up on jack stands tomorrow and see if I can get everything hooked back up where it's supposed to be.

I am glad we could help each other out!

 

Wow... I guess I learn something new every day. Never would have thought of that, in spite of all my decades of driving, most of a half-century now.



Do this before the next time you use that name for it though:

Drive down the road. I want you to just RIP on through there; really tear-a$$ on down that road, let's say, 5 mph if you're REALLY brave. But if you go THAT FAST, make sure there's nothing really important or hard in front of you (just in case of course). Now pull on that thing. Does it stop your car?

I thought so.

Get out of the habit of even PRETENDING that it's any good for any kind of "emergency". Banish that word from your vocabulary beacause THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS. Consider yourself lucky that it'll even keep your car sitting still on a 5% grade when it's not moving to begin with.

And if you have a manual transmission, always park your car with the wheels turned toward the curb, and leave the car in the lowest gear possible (either 1st or reverse). Because that parking brake can't be depended on for normal situations with the car not even moving, let alone emergencies.

Glad to be able to help you out!!! (and to learn something too, thanks!!)

 

wow feel big giving I believe 13 yr old kid a hard time , I've been driving for 16 yrs now and have heard it called emergency brake , parking brake , import guy's call it a hand brake cause they use it for drifting . I've even used it when my master cylinder went out while driving kinda like an emergency situation . Good luck kid hope you get it fixed right.

 

Yeah, I know one thing - if my brakes go out I'd rather have the "parking brake" to at the very least - SLOW down the momentum of my car - than nothing at all. I mean what else would you suggest if your brakes did happen to go out - opening the door and dragging your foot out, Fred Flintstone style?

 

Wow this is funny. It is both by the DMV/DOL. I can tell you first hand what it does buy pulling/pushing. Have done it forward at 70mph and about 55mph in reverse. Reverse you flip over and going forward just depends on how hard u pull. Flipping A car like that I learned to hold your thomb on the botton or pull latch by your leg,and what a ride at 12. The old foot p-break is a pain cause you have to learn forward to grab handle. Growing up on old logging roads you get bored.Might even still have pic's.Even my old man at 74 called them both.