E-Brake not catching.

So yesterday I was on a hill and pulled ebrake up about to '11 oclock' if you are looking at it from drivers side and i was still rolling forward. So I had to pull the brake up to '12 oclock' for it to engage. Is there a way to make it more so I can pull it up to like 10-11 oclock and it works? Is there a wire I can tighten?

On most hand brakes there is some room for adjustment on the bracket where it splits to the rear wheels.

Lol. A bit more in english and i might help.

What!?!

Rofl thats what I feel. I thought there was some cable attached to the actual hand brake itself that you can tighten without having to go under the car etc. Are you familiar with that?

"Rofl thats what I feel" WHAT !?!?!

No, there are normally two adjustment points, and GMs usually only use the one as descirbed prior. Some do have an adjustment towards the front of the car but also underneath. Haven't been under mine nor adjusted, damn things probably all rusty anyways.

Meh alright. Wonder if you have or anyone has any pics to point it out.

From waht I understand if you (holding the button) yank it all the way up and back down 3-4 times it automatically will tighten it, or somethign like that

Yank? Eh I'm not The Hulk but I'd be really uncomfortable doing that cause I'd probably break it. (I think)

Yank? Eh I'm not The Hulk but I'd be really uncomfortable doing that cause I'd probably break it. (I think)

I don't think he was referring to using all your might when doing so. Try doing it gently, as if you were normally lifting it.

I don't think he was referring to using all your might when doing so. Try doing it gently, as if you were normally lifting it.

Ahhh.. I was thinking like feet on the dash, leaning back and holding with both hands and really giving it all my go... HEhe...

Blindx... Awesome sig-pic! :rock:

Thanks, I thought so as well. Good luck with fixing your e-bake man. I know mines a little loose and sometimes just jerks right up as if the cable fell off. Hopefully this weekend I'll get a chance to fix it.

sounds like your parking brake shoes are shot. Put new ones on. The arm is adjustable, but youre supposed to do that when you install new shoes. Its not supposed to be a fix for worn out brakes. If you can pull the handle all the way up then youve got a problem. either completely worn out shoes, or a streched brake cable. I couldnt get my ebrake past (from the drivers perspective) 45 degrees. Id pop off the wheels and check your brakes for wear. After that i guess its kinda a guessing game to see if you just need to adjust it, or if you need a new ebrake cable.

*Question of the century* How do I check if the cable is stretched, do I buy a new cable if it is?
Parking shoes are diff then drum brake pads or same thing? How do I check if they are gone?

sorry, i was thinking in terms of disk brakes that have seperate ebrake shoes. If you have drum brakes, its just your brake shoes in general. As far as i know of there isnt a real easy way to measure the brake cable, other than buying a new one and laying them side by side.

Like i said, its very unlikely that its a bad cable. I would check your rear brakes first, if they are well within spec, then go to adjust the arm down. I would worry about the cable as the last resort.

Hmm the front disc brakes were about down to 20% and the rotors were already turned once. How likely is it that the previous owner didn't even bother to put in new drum brake pads? (Car wasn't in uh best well kept condition when I got it. Both engine mounts and tranny mount was broken among a few other things)

That can explain why with the drums I could pull it up all the way basically, and the car could still roll, and why with the new rear it only goes up... maybe 5-6 clicks... i guess 45 degrees at most.. hahaha

id say its very likely that you just have no rear brakes and thats the problem.

Have a linkie for me to change out my rear drums as a weekend project?

from all my burnouts i sure as hell had none left :D id ask john for what he thoght since hes seen them too... but...

Dont really need a link, its pretty easy. My suggestion is to put the rear up on jackstands, take the wheels and tires off and work one side at a time. The two sides are set up as mirror images. So if you get confused on one side, you can walk around to the other side and get an idea of how things are supposed to go together. The only thing to worry about is the brake cylender. Dont let the two pistons pop out or let the seals come off or youll let air in the system and loose brake fluid. Also make sure no one steps on the brakes when the drum is off. I even leave the drum on the other side when im working to avoid any problems like that. Also, you can do the job without brake tools, but they would probly be a worthwhile purchase. Ive done it with only a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. But only after i knew what i was doing. Just go slow, and im sure youll be able to handle it in an afternoon.

Hmm I have a lack of tools asides a few hammers, duct tape and some luck... Kiddin.. but I don't have a set of big pliars, just some small ones only to get maybe 1" bolts at best. I probably could borrow my fathers huge ones. What else will I need?

Um, you dont need big ones. the little ones you have will work just fine. I think i used the pair out of a emergency roadside kit. As far as what youll need, its what i already said, screwdriver, pliers, perhaps a few cans of brake cleaner. some sandpaper to rough the pads and drum after installation and youre good to go. Although thats if youre gonna do it my way. I do suggest buying a brake tool set, its not expencive, and the tools do make it easier.

How much does a tool set run? same with brake cleaner stuff?

brake cleaner comes in aerosol cans, at maybe a few bucks a pop. the tool set may be like 30 bucks, probly less. its only like two or three peices.

Hmm thats like 40$.... That may not be alot to you but I'm penny pinching and eating alot of Rice right now.. I just dropped 1g on my A/C and some wiring. (and yes it A/C is worth its weight in gold where I live)

like i said, you can do it without the tools, they just make it easier. Its really not that hard, im sure youll be fine once you get started.

If I lose a limb or an eye... I'll be complaining to you.... Forever.... and ever... Ask Kaotik... I complain alot.

Well I actually had my brakes done not to long ago and I had the exact same problem, I had to get not pads and rotors. I looked up the procedure to adjust the e-brake on mitchell and I swear I have seen diagrams to S/C units that are less complex. If you really want I can print it out, scan it, and send it to you by monday or tuesday.

Overall im with 89IROC on this, sounds just like my problem. lemme look at the cost here for a sec

Rear rotors were 260
pads were 130
maching an edge on them was 30
(this is all with labor of course)

Lucking I got a 20% whole sale discount and they didnt charge tax (friend of a friend). Overall it would have costed like $800 cause I got the front brakes done too but after discounts I got it down to 580.... still a lot though

Uhm Connor, I have DRUM brakes in the back bro, not DISC.

yeah 89.. you definately do not want Xeno to start complaining to you... i let him complain to me one day... big mistake.. he never shuts up :lol: jk dude.

*on a side note, quit clogging the front page with tech questions (who needs to be workin on cars at a time like this).. we gotta get somethin done about john. i dont care if my threads get shut down or if 89 bans me because he hates me.. i'd just like to have fun on the forum again...

holy crap.
for me to get all my pads/shoes replaced cost me less than 30 bux, and i also turned my rear rotors for free (and i learned how to do it)

Drum brakes, well the the shoes or what not are still probably shot.

Well my rear rotars were beyond turning and the pads were practically none existant. Brakes for my camaro are particulary expensive and not only that but I had a complete brake job, new everything... I really want to find out if/when they changed the brakes on the 4th gens... I believe mine are the same ones that are on that new GTO but not sure, they looked the same but I am not brake expert

Brakes changed in 98.

yeah 89.. you definately do not want Xeno to start complaining to you... i let him complain to me one day... big mistake.. he never shuts up :lol: jk dude.

Haha damn straight. :icon16:

*on a side note, quit clogging the front page with tech questions (who needs to be workin on cars at a time like this).. we gotta get somethin done about john. i dont care if my threads get shut down or if 89 bans me because he hates me.. i'd just like to have fun on the forum again...

:nono: Thats what the forums are here for. :chair: Its not clogging. Its questioning. =P
Kaotik = :loser:

thats a personal attack... :banhim: lol

me(left) vs Kaotik(right) :slap:

i retain my previous statement.. ban the mother fakker.. lol

i had the same problem, id pull the brake lever up, and nothing would happen unless i pulled it up way way far. so what i did was take tires off, take off drum, adjust the star thing and tighten up the brake cable under the car, its in the driveshaft housing area. u gotta get 2 wrenches one to hold the nut in place, and one to tighten, after that it worked for me, but then again u might need pads so i dunno dude

laters

if you tighten the nut on the ebrake cable under the car it will tighten you brake, since you have drum brakes the ebreak work off of your break shoes, tighten the cable witch has probley never been tightened and it will tighten up the brake, there is no adjustment in the car, is a minor adjustment in the drum. if your parts aren't frozen up you can just back up real fast slam on your breakes and the auto ajuster is supposed to tighten the shoes, thats if the parts arn't frozen

:nono: Thats what the forums are here for. :chair: Its not clogging. Its questioning. =P
Kaotik = :loser:

Actually, that's not what the front page is for. This should be under the "prblem diagnosis" section at the top of the page.

if you tighten the nut on the ebrake cable under the car it will tighten you brake, since you have drum brakes the ebreak work off of your break shoes, tighten the cable witch has probley never been tightened and it will tighten up the brake, there is no adjustment in the car, is a minor adjustment in the drum. if your parts aren't frozen up you can just back up real fast slam on your breakes and the auto ajuster is supposed to tighten the shoes, thats if the parts arn't frozen

Frozen? Its 90 - 120 degrees here, or you mean stuck?

And can anyone verify this?

Do I slam on my disc brakes going backwards? (I have drums in the rear)

Do I grab the e-brake and yank it up going 30? =)

Xeno, I'm having the same problem too. I can lift my brake all the up, but I also don't have any rear brake shoes either( i got drum back there too ) well i mean there completely worn out. Squeaking like a mofo. Also wanna thank 89 for that statement about the rear brakes being worn out is the cause of the ebrake no working, cuz i was thinking that i might need a new cable.

drums are adjusted by driving backwards around 20-25mph, and then pressing firmly on the brakes. the brakes will self adjust. Pulling the ebrake does not adjust the brakes.