Parking brake cables not fully releasing

[citori1]

2001 Siverado 2500 HD, 387K miles-

Just replaced the rotors/calipers/pads on all 4 corners. Also, replaced parking brake shoes/bell cranks/cables to both sides). Parking brakes seem to grab fine- problem is I can't fully disengage them when the foot pedal is released. Pedal goes all the way up to the top, but I need to grab the front cable and pull on it to release enough tension in the rear brake cables to allow full disengagement of the parking brakes.

 

Dealership says there's no auto-adjuster on my foot pedal assembly. (Can't confirm at this point).

Front and intermediate cables are original. Any suggestions on what I need to do to get these parking brakes to release (short of incorporating a heavy spring to take tension off of the new brake cables)?

 

Thanks. Gary, SE Wisconsin.

[davester]

Did someone else do the work? The brake pedal mechanism in the cab has a hole for a pin that you put in to release the tension on the parking brake cable, someone may have left a pin in it.

[citori1]

No one has done the work but me. I haven't used the parking brake in the last 2 years as the left cable snapped and both jackets were rusted. Now that I've replaced both rear cables and all of the P/B hardware, they won't fully disengage when the foot pedal has been released (and the pedal does come all the way back up to the top). Looking at the pedal assembly, I noticed a gray disk approx. located in the center of the assembly- I marked it with a marker and observed where it lines up with the pedal down (brakes on), with the pedal released and, after pulling on the cable from down below after releasing the pedal- that disk does move ~1/16 to 1/8 of a revolution more after pulling on the front cable below- suggesting to me that the cable is not fully being released.

 

I'm going to pull the pedal assembly and have a closer look. My local dealership said there isn't supposed to be any auto-adjuster on the pedal assembly (have to see it for myself). Is something just gummed up after 2 years of non-use (and a chit-load of dog hair)? Let me know if you have any other ideas. Thanks.

[davester]

the pedal assembly itself is an auto-adjuster, in that it's spring loaded. when you take it off, you can see the coiled spring inside.

[ran1957]

same problem w/ 04 silverado 2500hd- replaced parking brake assembly due to pedal return spring breaking- replaced both rear cables due to rusted/ inoperative- all new parking brake shoes and all hardware- cannot get cable to release fully and keeps shoes from resting in the normal position.

Can you let me know if you solve this.

Thanks

Roger

[sahls01gmc]

Hmm, I've never used the parking brake in the 10 years I've owned this truck.

 

I think the problem is in the release mechanism. I saw something on this a couple years ago.....I'll keep digging.