Parking brake

Does your parking brake work ? How did you adjust it and did you use the SS brake kit ?

16 years ago, my corvette shop found out, on my car, that the SS SHOES are a NO GO item....the shoes, that is....the steel at the time apparently had a habit of distorting under the clamp load, and would deform enough to fail to release....car had to move either forward and back or some such before just driving forward....the drag was HORRENDOUS>.....

now that also included the stainless HARDWARE kit, and it's still in there fine, with the OEM style steel rusty shoes....

having said all the above, NEVER expect any brake with about 5" diameter in a silly drum to hold anything larger than a rider lawnmower....flat ain't happening, any more with my '87 vette then this '72.....

now to get it though inspections....rebuild with SSteel parts, and iron shoes....relax the adjustment and take it to the station.....let if fail....

take it back after it's tighter than Dick's hatband....they will not drive it far...just check the brake, of course it holds....

go around the corner again, and relax the adjustment.....

I have had to do that crap twice in order to sell the '87 and to get this '72 through the Maryland 'safety' inspection...bought the '87 from a stealership, so they took care of things their own way on the sale end....

I think almost every vette owner will say the same or similar for the E brakes....

:crap::shocking:

I'm not sure what Gene said above, but E-brake actually work on a C3? :lol::lol::lol:
Yeah and Santa will bring you a young rich blond girl who loves hot rods....

SS or not, the E-brake on a C3 is only a formality to pass safety inspection at best. It will stop a thief from pushing the car by himself down the street but it dam sure won't hold your car in place on anything but a level surface. If you can get it to quit squeeking like Hanna Montana on Saturday morning and still feel firm when you yank back on the handle, and your car doesn't roll back through the garage door when parked in your garage with a 1/4" per foot drainage slope, it is working just fine.

Really.

To adjust it, slide underneath and run up the nut where the cable loop from the rear wheels goes through the adjuster thingy and is connected to the single cable from the handle. You'll see what I mean. If that's not enough, back it off and take a screwdriver through one of the 1/2" holes in the disc brake 'hat' and adjust the star wheel of the shoes themselves. (See your shop manual for better explanation--you DO have a shop manual, don't you?)
But don't expect much......

All 3 of my C-3's are sticks, and you can bet my parking brakes work just fine, TYVM!

big_G said:

All 3 of my C-3's are sticks, and you can bet my parking brakes work just fine, TYVM!

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How did you do it? I have done mine by the book, and tightened the cable 10 times. They are still not worth a crap.

The parking brake mechanism and shoes were seized up and shot on the 65 when I got it. The cables were seized as well. I pulled all that stuff out. Shoes, linkage, cables and even the handle. I park on flat ground and leave the car in gear. Never had a problem.

I don't need no stinkin' parking brake!
:smash:

big2bird said:

big_G said:

All 3 of my C-3's are sticks, and you can bet my parking brakes work just fine, TYVM!

Click to expand...

How did you do it? I have done mine by the book, and tightened the cable 10 times. They are still not worth a crap.

Click to expand...

I will start out by saying that if a customer brings a 'Vette into my shop to fix/adjust the parking brake..it will work. My yellow '68 will even lock up a wheel if the handle is pulled at a slow (5 mph) roll. I know..I'll have to post a video just to prove it...prrtt:
Here's my way,,,YMMV:

1: You must have true p/b drums, with no wear step or over-sized diameter. Lug nuts tight to rotors for following adjustments.
2: The p/b cables/pulleys etc. must move freely. Lube the shoe to backing plate interface bumps (6 places), along with the expander levers.
3: Use only G.M. / Raybestos or other O.E.M. grade shoes (no s/s shoes).
4: I adjust the star adjusters for heavy drag in both directions. Reverse will always be tighter. Have the cable adjustment loose at this point.
5: Now tighten the cable until most all the slack is taken out of the shoe expander levers. Make sure the rotors still turn, with certain drag.
6: Wheels on and road test. Don't expect the p/b to work good just yet. You need to bed in the shoes by applying and releasing the handle several times at 40 mph then coast until it stops. Do this (with cool-down time allowed) until they grab better. If you have a new cable, it will stretch a lot initially. Adjust the cable if necessary to remove the slack.

It can cost some time and money to fix, but they can work.

big G, I BTDT, no luck, they are a mess.....and if you leave them dragging enough to actually get tight enough to work, they will burn out quickly enough to not work in 10 miles or so.....

Like I said, the vette shop and me both gave up and I just rigged the test....had that cable tighter than Dicks' hatband drove it a block into the station to pass the 'test' then went around the block to slack the cable off....

IMO, a 5" shoe will not stop/hold a 3400 lbs car, when a drum of 10" barely does that to a 4000 lbs car....

prrtt::beer:

OMG

This has to be THE best forum on this planet.
Currently I am working on my brakes and I think while I am working on that I should look at the parking brake too.

I am adding the stainless hardware to my list of parts to buy.
Thank you all for your time and willingness to help - be sure it is appreciated.

Guess I won't convince you Gene....but I have been around these 'Vettes a long time....and know my way around their inherent weaknesses. Usually if the p/b won't work, it's either because the customer didn't want to spend the money...or the wrong person was wrenching on them....Just my little ol' humble opinion.

P.S. I've never seen fully worn out parking brakes. I forgot to mention earlier...but for good performance, the p/b should be regularly used. Seems guys with auto transmissions don't use them as often.

Arthur,
this definitely IS the best forum for corvette enthusiasts.

Gene,
I have quiet a few parking brake left over parts here, I am sure we can make yours work. All these used parts look good, no signifficant wear...
I am 2 hrs south.
You bring your '72
I install parts at no charge
You talk slow so I can understand what you're sayin'
deal ?
:1st: :lol:

Snicker, in 16 years, 10 of them with automatic, I have yet to set that damn brake 3 times, I know it don't hold jack shit....

everyone got a opinion.....best of luck, my goal was pass the inspection to satisfy the Maryland safety mavens.....I have not had a parking brake on my truck since '92, when I bought it.....same thing, drums about 11" mopar....cables rusted up, cut them, hell with it....

:drink:

I am fearful of some Nobam law changes and Florida going to pass safety and emissions crap on account of federal laws....

THAT will really piss me off....

have to restamp the engine to the '72 vin # then ... talk about PIA....:crap:

I just rebuilt a set of TA's with the SS kit.... I guess I'll see how good (maybe) it works....

Anyways, Sniker, Gene....... I have a 5spd, no auto... I need a PB.... , hopefully this works.....

I have a lot of parts that might make your PB function.... PM me and the stuff is yours.... :1st:

MYBAD79 said:

I just rebuilt a set of TA's with the SS kit.... I guess I'll see how good (maybe) it works....

Anyways, Sniker, Gene....... I have a 5spd, no auto... I need a PB.... , hopefully this works.....

I have a lot of parts that might make your PB function.... PM me and the stuff is yours.... :1st:

Click to expand...

:1st: Thanks man, but who needs a PB in Florida with Mt. Dora being only 30' elevation???

:drink:

mrvette said:

:1st: Thanks man, but who needs a PB in Florida with Mt. Dora being only 30' elevation???

:drink:

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my driveway... I'm tired of using these orange AutoZone wedges to keep that 29 year old POS from moving....

When you get off on a decent work day, lemme know, and I"ll slide down just to say hello....doubt Linda would come along, she not a car person, rather stay home and make money......unless we hit the Flea markets nearby....

Mt, Dora comes to mind there too.....Hey, I climbed Mt. Dora some years ago...got the T to prove it....


:banghead::1st:

I still can't figure out what you said Gene, but one thing I think I did understand--- and my reaction is: WHAT THE FUCK does whoever the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is have to do with whether or not you can make the e-brake of your car work properly?????

I can make the clutch of a 50 year old 4-speed Harley-Davidson motorcycle transmission work like warm butter--something very few people in the world seem to be able to do. If big G says he can make a Corvette e-brake work, then I will By God listen to him & follow his words.
And there is good reason I call it an "Emergency Brake" rather than a "Parking Brake". Experience!! when I have needed a goddam fucking back-up braking system to avoid a crash and I thanked my lucky stars it was there! I will go step-by-step following big G's instructions to try to improve my e-brake performance because if he can do it then so can I. I don't give a DAMN about who my 'legislators' are if I can bring my car to a halt before I t-bone somebody at an intersection or go over the edge of a mountain pass if I have a mechanical failure.

I have set the rear star at tight minus 9 notches, and have burnished them many times on the freeway. I'll try a tighter setting on the star wheel. The rotors were brand new, so should be to spec inside.

JPhil said:

I still can't figure out what you said Gene, but one thing I think I did understand--- and my reaction is: WHAT THE FUCK does whoever the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is have to do with whether or not you can make the e-brake of your car work properly?????

I can make the clutch of a 50 year old 4-speed Harley-Davidson motorcycle transmission work like warm butter--something very few people in the world seem to be able to do. If big G says he can make a Corvette e-brake work, then I will By God listen to him & follow his words.
And there is good reason I call it an "Emergency Brake" rather than a "Parking Brake". Experience!! when I have needed a goddam fucking back-up braking system to avoid a crash and I thanked my lucky stars it was there! I will go step-by-step following big G's instructions to try to improve my e-brake performance because if he can do it then so can I. I don't give a DAMN about who my 'legislators' are if I can bring my car to a halt before I t-bone somebody at an intersection or go over the edge of a mountain pass if I have a mechanical failure.

Click to expand...

Simple, any bill mandating federal emissions checking in ALL states and uniform standards across the board, probably to even be tougher than Kalifornia, the safety maven/Naderites will jump on the back of that one in a microsecond, so every damn owner will have to pay a minimum charge of 100 bux/year for safety and emissions testing......bet on it....

Used to be that way in Faryland once upon a time years ago...but the charge then was like 40 bux.....then they dropped the safety crap and that went just for when you bought the car, unless ticketed for like a lightbulb...then they went nutz on a total inspection.....IF I didn't have a friend in the safety check business that winked/nodded and knew the shark brakes were no good from the factory, I would have been in a shit load of grief but Pete passed it on the second go round as the boss was distracted.....

Pardon ME, but these enviro/safety maven nazi's will not stop untill we all walking....hope I"m rong, but certainly the odds in vegas say I"m right.....

:trumpet:

All I know is that you can go through a sixpack real fast trying to get the little buggers on if you don't pull the shafts.