How do i adjust the handbrake??
VildeBill
11-20-2009, 05:25 AM
Hey,
As the title say, how do i adjust(tighten) the handbrake on my -95 Windstar??
/ VildeBill
As the title say, how do i adjust(tighten) the handbrake on my -95 Windstar??
/ VildeBill
OhSoFLY
12-02-2009, 01:56 AM
Adjusting park brake on a vehicle with drum brakes is fairly simple. Tools you will be in need of - Jack and some kind of saftey stands or wood blocks, brake spoon or flat screwdriver, possibly a tire wrench.
Jack up rear of van so you can spin the rear wheels by hand. Get down under the van behind the wheels. You will see a little oval shaped rubber plug that is about 4cm wide by 1cm tall in the backside of the brake assembly, pop that out. Spin the rear wheel and listen, you will probably hear nothing because the brakes are out of adjustment. Put your screwdriver in that hole about an inch or two and feel around for the adjuster, it is a little cog style wheel, you may be able to look in the hole with a flashlight to see what i am talking about. It is only going to spin one way and it will make a clicking sound when you are turning it the right way. give it a few clicks and spin the wheel with your hand again, no sound, give a few more clicks... You are going to keep clicking that wheel around until you can hear the brake shoes begin to drag on the drum slightly, then it is enough. Will sound like "Shhh Shhh Shhh" quietly when they are adjusted far enough. Put the rubber plug back in and do the same thing on the other side. Now go into the cab and apply your handbrake and it should be much better for you. If you cannot get that little cog with a screwdriver, you can take off the wheels and brake drums and adjust it that way. A few clicks, then put the drum back on and spin it. Careful not to adjust too far or you may have trouble putting the drum back on, in that case, hole the tang that prevents the cog from going the other way out and spin it the wrong way to loosen the shoes. Take a look at your shoe condition while you are there. If they are rusty then your van hasnt been using the back brakes cause they are too far out of adjustment. You should have more than 1/16th inch of material on the brake shoes or else you will want new brake shoes. Check for leaks on both sides of the wheel cylinder at the top between the shoes. Peel back the rubber end caps, it should be bone dry in there. Make sure there is no cracking on the brake material itself, and that they are fairly flat, no deep grooves in the shoes.
Hope that helps you out.
Jack up rear of van so you can spin the rear wheels by hand. Get down under the van behind the wheels. You will see a little oval shaped rubber plug that is about 4cm wide by 1cm tall in the backside of the brake assembly, pop that out. Spin the rear wheel and listen, you will probably hear nothing because the brakes are out of adjustment. Put your screwdriver in that hole about an inch or two and feel around for the adjuster, it is a little cog style wheel, you may be able to look in the hole with a flashlight to see what i am talking about. It is only going to spin one way and it will make a clicking sound when you are turning it the right way. give it a few clicks and spin the wheel with your hand again, no sound, give a few more clicks... You are going to keep clicking that wheel around until you can hear the brake shoes begin to drag on the drum slightly, then it is enough. Will sound like "Shhh Shhh Shhh" quietly when they are adjusted far enough. Put the rubber plug back in and do the same thing on the other side. Now go into the cab and apply your handbrake and it should be much better for you. If you cannot get that little cog with a screwdriver, you can take off the wheels and brake drums and adjust it that way. A few clicks, then put the drum back on and spin it. Careful not to adjust too far or you may have trouble putting the drum back on, in that case, hole the tang that prevents the cog from going the other way out and spin it the wrong way to loosen the shoes. Take a look at your shoe condition while you are there. If they are rusty then your van hasnt been using the back brakes cause they are too far out of adjustment. You should have more than 1/16th inch of material on the brake shoes or else you will want new brake shoes. Check for leaks on both sides of the wheel cylinder at the top between the shoes. Peel back the rubber end caps, it should be bone dry in there. Make sure there is no cracking on the brake material itself, and that they are fairly flat, no deep grooves in the shoes.
Hope that helps you out.
OhSoFLY
12-02-2009, 01:57 AM
Adjusting park brake on a vehicle with drum brakes is fairly simple. Tools you will be in need of - Jack and some kind of saftey stands or wood blocks, brake spoon or flat screwdriver, possibly a tire wrench.
Jack up rear of van so you can spin the rear wheels by hand. Get down under the van behind the wheels. You will see a little oval shaped rubber plug that is about 4cm wide by 1cm tall in the backside of the brake assembly, pop that out. Spin the rear wheel and listen, you will probably hear nothing because the brakes are out of adjustment. Put your screwdriver in that hole about an inch or two and feel around for the adjuster, it is a little cog style wheel, you may be able to look in the hole with a flashlight to see what i am talking about. It is only going to spin one way and it will make a clicking sound when you are turning it the right way. give it a few clicks and spin the wheel with your hand again, no sound, give a few more clicks... You are going to keep clicking that wheel around until you can hear the brake shoes begin to drag on the drum slightly, then it is enough. Will sound like "Shhh Shhh Shhh" quietly when they are adjusted far enough. Put the rubber plug back in and do the same thing on the other side. Now go into the cab and apply your handbrake and it should be much better for you. If you cannot get that little cog with a screwdriver, you can take off the wheels and brake drums and adjust it that way. A few clicks, then put the drum back on and spin it. Careful not to adjust too far or you may have trouble putting the drum back on, in that case, hole the tang that prevents the cog from going the other way out and spin it the wrong way to loosen the shoes. Take a look at your shoe condition while you are there. If they are rusty then your van hasnt been using the back brakes cause they are too far out of adjustment. You should have more than 1/16th inch of material on the brake shoes or else you will want new brake shoes. Check for leaks on both sides of the wheel cylinder at the top between the shoes. Peel back the rubber end caps, it should be bone dry in there. Make sure there is no cracking on the brake material itself, and that they are fairly flat, no deep grooves in the shoes.
Hope that helps you out.
Jack up rear of van so you can spin the rear wheels by hand. Get down under the van behind the wheels. You will see a little oval shaped rubber plug that is about 4cm wide by 1cm tall in the backside of the brake assembly, pop that out. Spin the rear wheel and listen, you will probably hear nothing because the brakes are out of adjustment. Put your screwdriver in that hole about an inch or two and feel around for the adjuster, it is a little cog style wheel, you may be able to look in the hole with a flashlight to see what i am talking about. It is only going to spin one way and it will make a clicking sound when you are turning it the right way. give it a few clicks and spin the wheel with your hand again, no sound, give a few more clicks... You are going to keep clicking that wheel around until you can hear the brake shoes begin to drag on the drum slightly, then it is enough. Will sound like "Shhh Shhh Shhh" quietly when they are adjusted far enough. Put the rubber plug back in and do the same thing on the other side. Now go into the cab and apply your handbrake and it should be much better for you. If you cannot get that little cog with a screwdriver, you can take off the wheels and brake drums and adjust it that way. A few clicks, then put the drum back on and spin it. Careful not to adjust too far or you may have trouble putting the drum back on, in that case, hole the tang that prevents the cog from going the other way out and spin it the wrong way to loosen the shoes. Take a look at your shoe condition while you are there. If they are rusty then your van hasnt been using the back brakes cause they are too far out of adjustment. You should have more than 1/16th inch of material on the brake shoes or else you will want new brake shoes. Check for leaks on both sides of the wheel cylinder at the top between the shoes. Peel back the rubber end caps, it should be bone dry in there. Make sure there is no cracking on the brake material itself, and that they are fairly flat, no deep grooves in the shoes.
Hope that helps you out.
serge_saati
12-02-2009, 11:31 AM
When you apply the handbrake, push to the brake pedal fully, then apply the parking brake lever fully. The more the brake shoes are worn, the more you should press the pedal hardly.
A weak handbrake can indicate worn brake shoes. Inspect the shoes before working on the handbrake. Also, inspect the handbrake cable, it should be tighten correctly; it must not be hanged.
A weak handbrake can indicate worn brake shoes. Inspect the shoes before working on the handbrake. Also, inspect the handbrake cable, it should be tighten correctly; it must not be hanged.
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