parking brake adjustment

[mirrorfinishman]

What is the best way to adjust the parking brake on a 2001 Chevy Blazer?

It is 2wheel drive and has 4 disc brakes. The parking brake assemby is inside the rear rotors. The parking brake goes just about all the way to the floor and does not hold the vehicle stopped.

Thanks in advance.

[old_master]

The park brake cable must be adjusted also whenever the shoes are adjusted.

Remove the caliper, disconnect the parking brake cable from the park brake lever, turn the adjuster nut, (located next to the upper shoe anchor point), clockwise to tighten, or counter clockwise to loosen the shoes until the rotor drags while rotating the wheel in a forward direction. Connect the park brake cable to the lever, install the caliper. Loosen the equalizer nut, make sure the park brake pedal is fully released, tighten the equalizer nut until the brakes drag, loosen the equalizer nut until there is little or no drag on the rear wheels when rotated in a forward direction.

[muddog321]

98 up parking brake cable is adjusted at the assembly under the drivers door outside of frame - small open end wrench on the rear cable so that does not turn then the nut in the metal on the front cable rotates to change length - pull the rear cable once in awhile to self adjust the distro to the rears.

[old_master]

Originally Posted by muddog321

... pull the rear cable once in awhile to self adjust the distro to the rears.

The parking brake is not self adjusting. The adjustment for the shoes and the cable must be done manually.

[muddog321]

Have to pull that rear section a few times when you manually adjust the cable length to force it to distribute the tension equally between the 2 rear sides - at least thats what I have found- and yes they do not self adjust - my teminology use was incorrect.

[mirrorfinishman]

Thanks for the replies. Do you think the parking brake shoes should be replaced just because they are 5 yrs old? BTW, the parking brake has hardly ever been use during those 5 yrs. Do you think that could be part of the problem? or wouldn't that even matter?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[old_master]

The park brake should be used daily, or not at all. Using the park brake only on rare ocassion will cause the cables to rust. Check the shoes, if the lining is less than 1/8" thick, replace them. If not, clean and adjust them and they should be fine.

[BlazerLT]

I never use mine. Nor will I ever "try" to use it.

With a proper parking spot and not parking on a hill, you will never need it on an automatic.

[mirrorfinishman]

I don't use the parking brake much either. The problem is here in NJ my vehicle is coming up for state inspection and they usually test it. Pretty sure it is going to fail the way it is. Thanks for the replies.

[Eslhockey92g]

I use mine all the time i dont like the jerk u get sometimes u get when u toss it in park and the car is on a slight hill and rolls back or forward a bit. Im sure the tranny is fine to do it to but i dont like it an i put it doen on every car i drive




Side note this is for a 98+ style blazer, how do you adjust the 95-98 style? I have drums in the rear. on a 4 door 4x4 blazer

[Blue Bowtie]

I'm with Eslhockey92g. I use mine all the time. I've trained my wife and both daughters to do the same. On several later models (many makes) with rear drums (like the weenie 7¼" drums) the only rear shoe adjustment is done via the park brake actuation and release - not the lever attached to the secondary brake shoe like the older Morraine drums. You can back up all day long and not hook the brake adjuster toothed wheels. Rear discs can be a little different, and I've had to adjust the park brake shoes manually on mine more than once, as well as the cables.

I also don't like replacing transmission cases if the car gets a 2 MPH bump in a parking lot and bounces off he parking pawl and pivot bar. Ditto parking on inclines.

old_master is correct - Use it or lose it. If you don't use it for a long time, it may hang when engaged.

[mirrorfinishman]

For those who use the parking brake most of the time;

How often have you had to adjust the parking brake?

and what procedure did you use?

[BlazerLT]

I'm pretty sure it is auto adjusting.

[old_master]

Originally Posted by mirrorfinishman

For those who use the parking brake most of the time;

How often have you had to adjust the parking brake?

and what procedure did you use?

When the parking brake pedal travels more than half way down, it's time to service or adjust the parking brake. The procedure is in post #2, straight from the GM shop manual.

[Eslhockey92g]

mine goes all the way down and if im on a step enough hill it will slowly roll back. thats why ive been following this as soon as it gets a little warmer i will pop off the back wheels