Ls1 e braking system.
02-25-2014, 07:25 PM
#4
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 514
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lol!!dumb move on my part....well here goes.
After putting the rear end I noticed the parking brake would not catch. I did searching on tech and followed the instruction on how to adjust the e brake shoes. Well it did not work the shoes did not seem to expand. Well after I had a fresh pair of eyes take a look we were able to adjust the e brake shoes. Well while testing parking brake I had the handle lifted all the way up and the car still rolled back on my friend's inclined driveway. So the shoes were adjusted again.
This is where the problem comes in...after about two clicks up on the e brake handle it sounded like a snap and the handle went all the way up. We checked it and the ebrake did not catch at all nor was there any movement on the wires to the rotors.
Console was taken apart and notice a piece broke off the e brake handle.
So after realizing that the e brake assembly was discontinued by gm. I checked the local dealer and gmpartsdirect.com. I emailed their customer service to confirm. So I ordered a used one off of ebay. It came in Saturday and I swapped it out yesterday.
But no luck still does not catch. I lifted the car and looked under it and noticed the wire/cable that goes from inside the car to the y that connects to the rear rotors had about 1/2 inch or less to that bracket. It has some play.
I'm am trying to figure out and hoping someone can guide me that has experienced this before if I should change that cable from inside the car to the y. I have read over time the wires/cable get worn out and well in my case I may have caused it to give out. Any info would be appreciated.
And I apologize for the novel..
After putting the rear end I noticed the parking brake would not catch. I did searching on tech and followed the instruction on how to adjust the e brake shoes. Well it did not work the shoes did not seem to expand. Well after I had a fresh pair of eyes take a look we were able to adjust the e brake shoes. Well while testing parking brake I had the handle lifted all the way up and the car still rolled back on my friend's inclined driveway. So the shoes were adjusted again.
This is where the problem comes in...after about two clicks up on the e brake handle it sounded like a snap and the handle went all the way up. We checked it and the ebrake did not catch at all nor was there any movement on the wires to the rotors.
Console was taken apart and notice a piece broke off the e brake handle.
So after realizing that the e brake assembly was discontinued by gm. I checked the local dealer and gmpartsdirect.com. I emailed their customer service to confirm. So I ordered a used one off of ebay. It came in Saturday and I swapped it out yesterday.
But no luck still does not catch. I lifted the car and looked under it and noticed the wire/cable that goes from inside the car to the y that connects to the rear rotors had about 1/2 inch or less to that bracket. It has some play.
I'm am trying to figure out and hoping someone can guide me that has experienced this before if I should change that cable from inside the car to the y. I have read over time the wires/cable get worn out and well in my case I may have caused it to give out. Any info would be appreciated.
And I apologize for the novel..
02-25-2014, 09:13 PM
#6
for a working parking brake in the center console, there's that shiny metal piece that the heavy spring connects to which you push down with a screw driver to release the handle from the spring mechanism. then you can pull the handle all the way up without pulling on the cable in your drawing, and then you can remove the center console up and over the parking brake handle.
from there without center console on so you can see everything, you put the parking brake handle down. there should be that 1/2" of play in your drawing because you've released the cable from the ratchet mechanism. if your parking brake shoes are adjusted properly on the rear axle, then you would pull the parking brake handle up then down and keep doing that till it takes up that 1/2" slack and eventually tightens the cable against the springs at the rear axle brake backing plates. if you're just pulling the handle up once and then think it's not working, that might be your problem, you need to go up and down with the handle a few times and it should eventually take up that slack as in your picture. if it doesn't then you have a problem with that mechanism.
regardless of whether the rear parking brake shoes are adjusted properly, you should be able to ratchet the parking brake handle and pull tension on the cables against the springs at the brake backing plates on the rear axle.
once you get that working, then you can observe how you only get 1/2 to 3/4 inch of travel on the lever at the backing plate which moves the shoes. then you turn the adjuster expanding the shoes to take up that slack in the lever so you only move the lever 1/4" before it starts really pushing the shoes into the rear rotors.
from there without center console on so you can see everything, you put the parking brake handle down. there should be that 1/2" of play in your drawing because you've released the cable from the ratchet mechanism. if your parking brake shoes are adjusted properly on the rear axle, then you would pull the parking brake handle up then down and keep doing that till it takes up that 1/2" slack and eventually tightens the cable against the springs at the rear axle brake backing plates. if you're just pulling the handle up once and then think it's not working, that might be your problem, you need to go up and down with the handle a few times and it should eventually take up that slack as in your picture. if it doesn't then you have a problem with that mechanism.
regardless of whether the rear parking brake shoes are adjusted properly, you should be able to ratchet the parking brake handle and pull tension on the cables against the springs at the brake backing plates on the rear axle.
once you get that working, then you can observe how you only get 1/2 to 3/4 inch of travel on the lever at the backing plate which moves the shoes. then you turn the adjuster expanding the shoes to take up that slack in the lever so you only move the lever 1/4" before it starts really pushing the shoes into the rear rotors.
Trending Topics
02-25-2014, 09:42 PM
#8
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 514
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
photo one shows the piece that broke off
photo three is where the cable/wire goes but I tried what you recommended and this part is not moving the handle just goes straight up and does not catch...the spring is on and so is the cable.
photo three is where the cable/wire goes but I tried what you recommended and this part is not moving the handle just goes straight up and does not catch...the spring is on and so is the cable.
02-25-2014, 09:49 PM
#9
never really looked at how it worked and never had mine off the car.
but i remember when releasing the mechanism- when you push the lever down and it takes some strength to do to release the handle from pulling the cable. generally that lever would stay down and the mechanism is released. when you put the parking brake handle back down (in parking brake off position) that lever having that heavy spring connected to it would go back up and make a good thungg noise. if it doesn't for you for whatever reason then the mechanism is still released and would not work. but i thought that lever always sprung back up once you put the handle back down, engaging the mechanism. if yours does spring back up then my guess is you have a broken metal tang or something, which maybe could be welded back on.
but i remember when releasing the mechanism- when you push the lever down and it takes some strength to do to release the handle from pulling the cable. generally that lever would stay down and the mechanism is released. when you put the parking brake handle back down (in parking brake off position) that lever having that heavy spring connected to it would go back up and make a good thungg noise. if it doesn't for you for whatever reason then the mechanism is still released and would not work. but i thought that lever always sprung back up once you put the handle back down, engaging the mechanism. if yours does spring back up then my guess is you have a broken metal tang or something, which maybe could be welded back on.
02-26-2014, 01:24 AM
#11
I can't even tell what is broke...
I can tell you however if it's a problem with the handle or not most likely since you saw me retrofit a billet handle on mine. You know the handle/latch mechanism is working if it ratchets when you pull it up and holds. When you pull up slightly and hold the button, it should go down. It's as simple as that. If you take the handle assembly out of the car, it should work exactly as I described as if it was in the car. Since its stock and never been messed with, I'm sure it works fine.
I can tell you however if it's a problem with the handle or not most likely since you saw me retrofit a billet handle on mine. You know the handle/latch mechanism is working if it ratchets when you pull it up and holds. When you pull up slightly and hold the button, it should go down. It's as simple as that. If you take the handle assembly out of the car, it should work exactly as I described as if it was in the car. Since its stock and never been messed with, I'm sure it works fine.
02-26-2014, 06:41 PM
#13
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 514
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
About an hour ago I took it off and reassembled it and you are right Spartan 7...I reassembled it like the bottom picture and after three pulls it adjusted and eureka!!! Problem solved. Thank you for everyone's help my last resort was the dealer and really couldn't afford it.
