How do you adjust the emergency brake?

hihosilver · August 29, 2003

My pedal goes to the floor. How do you adjust it on a 2001 silverado? Thanks for any replies.

100R1 · August 29, 2003

P.I.T.A. poor design

You have to remove the rear tires, rear brake caliper assembly, pull the rotors

Now you have access to the "STAR WHEEL" and adjust the "SHOE" out just like any old drum brake. GM Techs use a caliper/micrometer to measure the inside drum diameter & then adjust the shoe to maximum allowable distance.

The emergency brake shoe is "horse Shoe" shapped with 2 friction surfaces. You may have to replace yours. Usually due to improper adjustment in the past the bottom friction surface will be worn out while the top is hardly touched. Check for the "CLIPS" at the bottom and make sure they retain the shoe in place.

Why GM did not put a removeable plug to access the star wheel from the outside gets me....unless they hired a FORD engineer to do that.

GnatGoSplat · August 29, 2003

How difficult would it be to drill a hole in order to put an access plug?

I need to adjust (or replace) mine too, but I know it'll just do it again someday so if it's possible to put in a nice adjuster access hole, I'd do it.

100R1 · August 29, 2003

How difficult would it be to drill a hole in order to put an access plug?
I need to adjust (or replace) mine too, but I know it'll just do it again someday so if it's possible to put in a nice adjuster access hole, I'd do it.

I thought about that when I was doing my adjustment. Bur from the location on the star wheel in relation to the backer plate and other parts of the "E" brake connections it can not be done

GM should have a recall on this and replace the whole set-up with a exterior adjustable system.

But then 99% on the general public would not have to take their vehicle back to the dealer to adjust their brakes. $$$$$$$

GREGGO · August 29, 2003

Yep, they are a pain in the ass. But under the truck on the driver side, there is another adjustment thatt can be done. Where the cable splits and goes to each wheel, some adjustment can be made there. Your problem is probably the shoe dropped due to the retainer clip. GM has a TSB on this and went to a larger clip. Not a big deal to change yourself but the replacment shoe kit is over $50. The tricky part is rotating the shoe over and off the hub.

AZ-Z71 · August 29, 2003

I don't use the emergency brake. Here in flat land no real reason to. Anyway, I may be wrong here but I thought the new design was supposed to go to the floor. The e-brake is not like the old style that you can feel the tension on because like mentioned above it has it own shoe. From what I remember to check them, set parking brake and put the vehicle to drive and if it holds then they are ok. There is an adjustment under the drivers side on the cable it self.

100R1 · August 29, 2003

I don't use the emergency brake. Here in flat land no real reason to. Anyway, I may be wrong here but I thought the new design was supposed to go to the floor. The e-brake is not like the old style that you can feel the tension on because like mentioned above it has it own shoe. From what I remember to check them, set parking brake and put the vehicle to drive and if it holds then they are ok. There is an adjustment under the drivers side on the cable it self.

This is true to a degree as the "parking brake lever" is suppose to be "self adjusting"

With a properly adjusted E brake you will feel increased resistance on the pedal as you push down to ingage.

The cable adjustment under the truck near the driver door is only to take up "slack" in the cable and will virtually do nothing for shoe adjustment

The clips are a TSB, My '01 Yukon did not have the Clip TSB problems and the dealer would not repair under my 36/36 Warranty

>the dealer was correct on my Yukon when I pulled the drums the shoes were still held in place by the clips at the correct height. My problem is that the previous owner never adjusted the parking brake.

>when I was looking at used Yukons / Tahoes, every one I test drove the park / E brake did not hold and went to the floor with no resistance. Since Florida has no safety inspections no one ever worries about proper adjustment to pass a test. I tow a travel trailer and would not think about not having a working E brake.

If you have ever parked on a hill and put a vehicle in park without using a park brake you know the real need for PARK brake. 25 years ago while at School I had to get a buddy to hook a tow rope and pull me back to releave pressure on the transmission Pawl

Markeaux · September 7, 2003

Mr Goodwrench insists they go all the way to the floor by design, they call it something like EZjust. Mine has gone all the way to floor since new and it holds fine. I have heard some mention that if you hardly ever use it then the automatic adjust can become faulty.

kinisonfan · September 8, 2003

Question about the self-adjustment. I've read somewhere about the self-adusting parking brake: "Remove the lockout pin then set and release the parking brake three times". I saw this somewhere in a GM service manual. However, where is lockout pin?

My parking brake was worn down, so I replaced the shoes, adjusted them (with the star wheel) and they worked great-they held the truck in neutral on an incline (my driveway). Within a week, they quit holding on the driveway, although they will still hold the truck in Drive while on a level surface. But, I'd like them tight enough to hold on an incline.

If there is a way to adjust them without taking everything off to get to the star wheel I'd like to know what it is. I've already bottomed out the cable bracket.

So does anybody know where this lockout pin is?, or will it work just as well to put on ruby red shoes, click my heels and repeat three times "there's no place like a working parking brake..."

Thanks!

FlashJim · September 8, 2003

So does anybody know where this lockout pin is?

It doesn't exist on the truck. I went searching for it too.

The lock out pin is actually whatever you shove in there to hold it. Read my thread on the parking brakes

kinisonfan · September 9, 2003

Flash Jim,

Thanks for your reply and the links.

I am still confused though, I read the same info you refer to from the service manual-before you adjust the brake set the clearance, remove pin, and apply and release 3xs. That clearly sounds like it does adjust.

The other text refers to disabling the adjuster (with a screwdriver).

So what is actually self adjusting the parking brake pedal or the parking brake drum or shoes?

My pedal seems to be working fine, I guess I'll have to pull the whole assembly to get to the star nut before the state inspection each year.

Can any GM techs chime in and clarify? If the star nut is the only way to adust the parking brake, then why all the misleading BS info about them self-adjusting?

Thanks!

asepgrad98 · September 9, 2003

the star wheel is supposed to rotate tighter if possible when park brake is applied. (i think)

Park Brake Actuator/Adjuster

Uses multiplied input force from apply lever to expand park brake shoe toward the friction surface of the drum-in-hat portion of the rear brake rotor.

Threaded park brake actuators are also used to control clearance between the park brake shoe and the friction surface of the drum-in-hat portion of the rear brake rotor.

FlashJim · September 9, 2003

My parking brake lever hits the floor and holds the truck in drive on a flat surface. The truck idles at about 500rpm. When I rev it to about 800 rpm it'll start to move.

During state inspections, what do they look for exactly?