Parking Brake Adjustment

xtmsports · June 8, 2009

Hi guys,

I have a 2002 Chevy 2500HD with 8.1L engine.

The parking brakes have not been holding the truck while parked at an angle in the driveway. Everytime I go to shift out of park, I get a loud CLUNK because the truck has been locked onto the tranny instead of the parking brakes holding the truck.

I know that has got to be bad on the tranny.

Anyways, I have always know that changing the brake pads to new ones usually will make the parking brakes "tight" again. But it did not work for this truck.

Can somebody please assist with advice on how to tighten the parking brakes?

Thanks.

georgecdisc · June 8, 2009

Hi guys,

I have a 2002 Chevy 2500HD with 8.1L engine.

The parking brakes have not been holding the truck while parked at an angle in the driveway. Everytime I go to shift out of park, I get a loud CLUNK because the truck has been locked onto the tranny instead of the parking brakes holding the truck.

I know that has got to be bad on the tranny.

Anyways, I have always know that changing the brake pads to new ones usually will make the parking brakes "tight" again. But it did not work for this truck.

Can somebody please assist with advice on how to tighten the parking brakes?

Thanks.

I think the brake is auto adjusting on the pedal itself. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

georgecdisc · June 8, 2009

Not sure if this pertains to your vehicle or not:

Parking Brake Cable Adjuster Enabling

If the park brake automatic adjuster has been disabled, the following two person procedure must be performed.

-Hold the park brake pedal in the FULL upward position.

-Pull rearward on the front park brake cable until the tension is released from the scribe or nail (1) installed through the holes in the pedal assembly.

-Remove the scribe or screwdriver (1).

-Slowly release the park brake cable until it returns to its original position.

-Release the park brake pedal.

-Lower the vehicle.

-Apply and release the park brake pedal to ensure that there is no binding or sticking.

gm4yrs · June 8, 2009

The parking brake adjustment is on the rear disc, inside. Remove the rear disc, look for a star cylinder adjusting screw. Use a 12 in. micrometer to measure drum, then measure drum pads. Difference should be .6604 mm or .02 in.

CapitalTruck · June 9, 2009

Just spin the star screw towards the "base" and it will move the ebrake shoes out. Just put them out a little. If you have trouble getting the disc/drum assembly back on you probably moved the shoes out too much!

xtmsports · June 11, 2009

The parking brake adjustment is on the rear disc, inside. Remove the rear disc, look for a star cylinder adjusting screw. Use a 12 in. micrometer to measure drum, then measure drum pads. Difference should be .6604 mm or .02 in.

When you say to remove the rear disc, do you mean remove the pads and the rotor as well?

gm4yrs · June 11, 2009

Yes. Remove the caliper with pads, and then remove the disc. The parking brake is inside the disc, on the back side. Do one side at a time.

splat10 · October 10, 2009

check the cables. I've had to replace both of them several times because i never use the brake and inspection then fails it. The cables freeze up then don't put enough force on the brakes

CapitalTruck · October 11, 2009

I have had to use the adjustment procedure mentioned above, it works fine (turning that little collar). Just a pain in the ass.

ss502gmc · November 17, 2009

Does anyone know if you can adjust the star from behind the backing plate so i dont have to remove rotors or some way to adjust the cable?

Bowler807 · November 17, 2009

Your parking brake may be OK.

I suggest you try this first before tearing off the brakes. Put the parking brake on before the transmission is shifted into park. If this is not done, the truck may move enough between park and the application of the parking brake to put pressure on the park mechanism in the transmission.

Most people shift into park with their foot on the brake. Then they use their brake foot to press the parking brake. That's one reason I like the hand parking brakes.

By putting the parking brake on first no movement should happen, providing of course that it is properly adjusted.

alvocado · November 18, 2009

It sounds like your only option is to adjust using the star wheel on the parking brake shoe. Pull the rotor, and adjust the star wheel so the shoe diameter increases. I adjust it out until the shoe just drags on the rotor then back it off slightly. You can set the rotor in place and spin to check clearance.

jblakeney · November 18, 2009

on my 99 1500nbs their is NO hole to get to the adjuster..... you have to take the rotor off..... same on my 01 2500nbs

I have had problems with my 99's ebrake since i got it up until last year..... I ended up buying the pedal assy, all cables, adjusters, rotors, pads, and new shoes.... it finally pissed me off last year... I changed everything...... it works great now.... When I purchased it the brake did NOT HOLD at all, service department adjusted the cable where it goes from 1 cable to 2 cables (didnt work)

jbo

Dan B. · August 9, 2014

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!

w3jn · October 22, 2014

I too know this is old, but this thread came up on a google search for this problem and the poster directly above helped my issue with my 02 Suburban. Hope my experience will help someone avoid hours of backbreaking work removing rusted on rear rotors to get to the star adjusters.

I couldn't get a vice grips on the cable inside the truck (not enough room) so I engaged the parking brake then clamped the parking brake cable with a vice grips just aft of the equalizer where it enters another sheath. I had to engage my pedal about 3/4 of the way before the autoadjuster would start to do its thing.

The truck now holds nice and steady, although the pedal does go almost all the way to the floor. Thanks, Dan B.!!

Edited October 22, 2014 by w3jn