Dan B.

I realize this is way after the above conversation. I have a 2004 Chevy Express 3500 with a 12,000 lb. load rating, and it's loaded. The parking brake on this has held never satisfactorily, and I have never thought about it when the truck has been in the shop. I finally started looking for a solution and landed here. The second response about the automatic brake adjuster got me headed in the right direction. I tried the procedure but was not able to get enough tension off the parking brake cable to allow the cable pulley beside the parking brake pedal to re-engage in a more forward position. Instead I engaged the parking brake pedal a couple clicks and then clamped the parking brake cable where it emerged from the cable sheath near the floor with a pair of vise grips. Then I released the parking brake, this gave enough slack in the cable that the pulley re-engaged further forward on its catch. I repeated this procedure once more and now the parking brake pedal does not go to the floor and I have a very positive hold of my truck on a grade. Thank you to the person supplying the advice and the schematic!