Parking brake (?) squeaking and getting REALLY hot

[JHZR2]

Hi,

 

For a long while my parking brake pedal on my 98 ZR2 has been quite slow to rise up. Pressing it, the pedal goes all the way to the floor quite easily, but will take in excess of 10 seconds to rise up and allow the pbrake light to turn off. For about the last year, when idling in drive, or especially when moving in reverse, I get a squeak, squeak, squeak noise. A few squeaks per wheel rotation. Once in a while we'll start from being parked or from a stoplight and not get the squeak, but that is rare. And, usually if that happens, the squeak will show after stopping the next time or after going slow around a sharp curve.

 

Tonight I drove a bit and it was really bad. I had my girlfriend drive it back and forth in a parking lot while I investigated. Passenger side rear disc brake protecting plate and wheel cylinder was cool... Drivers side plate was warm and wheel cylinder was really hot. Then we drove home and I felt around. On the driver's side, the protecting plate for the rear disc was warm, and the area inside of that (Wheel cylinder, I suppose, where the back of the parking brake was) was hot to the touch. Like burning hot. I always figured something was getting hot, because once in a while I smelled a burning smell (But it was new as of this winter, and I thought maybe it was the new ceramic brake pds I put on... BTW, the pad replacement has not changed the squeak at all). The passenger side areas were totally cool. So thats my problem.

 

How is the best way to solve this? Is there anything I should consider replacing because that area has gotten so hot, and perhaps damaged bearings, etc? I have driven it on the highway, etc. with this problem.

 

Thanks,

 

JMH

 

P.S. When the parking brake is released, should the cable sag a bit in the middle, or should there still be some tightness to it? Mine sags some and feels loose.

[blue2kzr2]

We're following each other around! Seen your posts here, at zr2.com, on the newsgroups and on s-series.org. Good luck with your problem. If the cable sags as you say it does, I'd start with trying to lube it or replace it, then try and lube the attachment points for the parking brake shoes inside the rear discs. Sounds like something is sticking in the back end...

[JHZR2]

Hi,

 

haha, yeah, I like to get as much info as I can... I worry about lubing the cables and parts, as I have read that it can really gunk stuff up. And Im kind of at my wit's end figurng how else to adjust the brake...

 

Ive never been on this forum before, hopefully there will be some good info... Ive heard rumors of an updated PB mechanism, or something like that.

 

Regards,

 

JMH