Parking Brake Adjustment

[Sam Caccamo]

I Work for a shoring company and am the sole Mechanic. I have a small fleet of trucks and 3 of them are 2006/2005 Chevy Silverado 3500's.

The park brakes do don't hold the trucks from moving while in gear. I know about the star adjustment that I can get to behind the backing plate. However, it is a pain to turn the star. I have been using a flat head screw driver, but it is a pain. Is there a special tool I can use. I Just changed the wheel seal, rotors and pads... and I don't want to have to pull it all back off to adjust the break.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Respectfully,

Sam C

[William11]

Does these adjustment tips also apply to a 1997 Suburban K1500?

[tsbrewers]

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.!!

 

 

 

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!

 

 

Just wanted to bump this again since this also is why I came here, and Dan's post helped me. I could not find the adjusting info, even directly from identifix. All I could find was how to measure the disks where the shoes sit. Which doesn't help at all.

 

My pedal also goes pretty much all the way to the floor to get it to hold, but at least it does work. I might try it again tomorrow when the sun comes up, but at least it works now.

 

I have an '06 Express 3500. (and a silverado, and two impalas)

[screamingbuick]

OK, I've put all new brake hardware on and adjusted so the pads are just hitting the inside of the rotor hat, all new cables are installed from intermediate to wheels because intermediate was broken. How do I reset the auto brake pedal mechanism, so that when i pump it 3-5 times it ratchets and self adjusts? Picture would be really helpful :-)

 

when i get home i'm going to try what w3jn suggested,

 

Thanks,

Bob

[Mandalorian gmc]

If the parking break cable is loose and out of adjustment will this cause the brake light on the dash to come on?

[Supreme Pizza]

The cable adjustment procedure described earlier in this thread works very well to adjust the automatic cable tensioner located in the peddle. I would not use vice grips as described, because it would smash the braided cable and cause damage, which would result in rust or binding. I did mine a little differently. I applied the parking brake, and then used a long thin brass rod (coat hanger would work) to secure the equalizer in place. Essentially the wire wraps around the equalizer, and then runs along the frame two ward the front of the vehicle. Then I secured the other end of the wire to one of the holes that the brake cable passes through. When you release the brake, they cable wont retract as far as it should, and that causes the automatic peddle adjuster to "take a better bit" of the cable. Then release the brake, and press the peddle down again. The peddle instantly has a way better feel. Much firmer peddle, and the brakes grab much better. Removing the wire seemed to "un-do" the adjustment, so I suggest leaving the wire on there. Obviously you want to have the rear end off the ground, so you can spin the tires and make sure there is no drag when the brake is off.

 

Does the wire make the brakes drag? No, but if it does on yours, loosen up wire a little.

Does the wire come off when the brake is applied? Make the wire is real long, and secure both ends well, the center will flex/bend as the brake is applied.

 

The wire acts like a rope would. It prevents the equalizer from moving too far toward the back of the rig when he brake is released, but doesn't effect the movement of the equalizer when the equalizer is moving toward the front of the vehicle. Similar to the way suspension straps work. Same concept anyway:

 

 

 

[Marcus2]

I realize this topic goes way back to 2009, but JBlakeney's comment about replacing everything is, for me, the best solution. I am refurbishing my 1999 GMC Sierra 1500 and my parking brake pedal has always gone to floor without holding the truck.  Since I am replacing everything with new components, I might as well replace all of the parking brake system as well.  I have a new pedal assembly on the way from Rock Auto and need to measure my cables to make sure I order the correct ones. Thanks for everyone's advice!

[Ken fer]

You might want to first pull the the e brake lever out while holding it out pump the e brake ten times or so it tighten my e brake cables and it set the brake.

[jamo]

The star wheel only turns one way (inward) on my 99 gmc sierra. It won't turn the other way that pushes the shoes outward.

[LouP]

MOn 10/22/2014 at 7:14 AM, w3jn said:

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

 

2007 GMC Yukon Denali here, just did this procedure in 5 minutes wirh Success! Full park brake apply, vice grips hold the cable when it comes out of sheath under driver door at a body mount, cycle the pedal a few times and all fixed!. Next time I have rear wheels off, I will adjust park brake shoes properly, and then reset the cable and auto adjuster to the new setting on the brake shoes. Old threads rock! Lou