Adjust parking brake cable - help needed

[kocho]

On a '00 LE.

How do I get access to the parking brake cable adjusting nuts? I can't remove the plastic around the parking brake lever area...

I removed the two screws holding down the storage compartment bottom under the arm rest in the center console. But it is attached to the front by two more screws under the front center console plastic cover (where the shift lever is).

How do I take this cover off? My Heynes mayal says "pry it out with a screwdriver" but it does not want to come off - I'm afraid I'd break something if i pull too hard...

Thanks for any suggestions or a better digram if you have one from a factory manual...

[Camry9294]

There sould be two srews visable in back by the back of the front seats, Two bolts under the armrest(remove the bottom false floor, then the shift coloum cover there should be two more screws. This is from a gen3, Hopefully the gen4 will be the same.

[kocho]

Originally posted by Camry9294
There sould be two srews visable in back by the back of the front seats, Two bolts under the armrest(remove the bottom false floor, then the shift coloum cover there should be two more screws. This is from a gen3, Hopefully the gen4 will be the same.

Problem is I can't remove the shift knob area plastic cover, under there should be two more screws - I'm afraid I'll brake it if I pull harder... Any ideas of how to safely remove it?

I also read today that I could access the adjusting screw using a deep #10 socket and hold the retaining screw with a "crow foor" wrench without removing the console at all. If PepBoys or Sears sells such wrench, I think it will do it...

[Camry9294]

Originally posted by kocho


Problem is I can't remove the shift knob area plastic cover, under there should be two more screws - I'm afraid I'll brake it if I pull harder... Any ideas of how to safely remove it?

I also read today that I could access the adjusting screw using a deep #10 socket and hold the retaining screw with a "crow foor" wrench without removing the console at all. If PepBoys or Sears sells such wrench, I think it will do it...

That panel should pop right off. Try one side @ a time. If the other option works for you, go at it. Don't drop the tools in there otherwise back to square one!

[arcasmachineracing]

So does your ebrake feel "OVERLY 'SQUISHY'/LOOSE" I dunno but I think I might do this tonight...

[kocho]

Originally posted by Camry9294


That panel should pop right off. Try one side @ a time. If the other option works for you, go at it. Don't drop the tools in there otherwise back to square one!

I got the craw foot wrench and a deep 10mm socket and these did the job. Of course, I dropped the wrench in there, but luckily I had a magnetic pick-up tool that saved my @ss

Now it's all good and tight

[Camry9294]

Good Job!!

[BenG]

When you tighten the e-brake cable, you are just reducing the slack that the cable has, correct? Is this slack caused by the cable stretching due to usage, or is it due to an actual mechanical misalignment like when you curb your car and the steering gets pushed in the wrong direction?

[kocho]

Originally posted by BenG
When you tighten the e-brake cable, you are just reducing the slack that the cable has, correct? Is this slack caused by the cable stretching due to usage, or is it due to an actual mechanical misalignment like when you curb your car and the steering gets pushed in the wrong direction?

Yes, but I don't think the slack was due to the cables stretching or a mechanical problem.

It was a very small adjustment for me (only a few turns of the adjusting nut). There are tolerances b/w the actual cable length and what's needed in every car. The cable felt like it was a couple of mm longer than needed before the adjustment - when I was installing the shoes it pused them to the side just a little bit. This is before even attaching the cable ends to the puller (there is a spring at the end of the cable which I felt should be slightly compressed to have the brakes centered. I think this adjustment did just that and brought them back in the center.

There are two ways to adjsut the brake - through the adjuster in the brake, which I have done according to the Heynes manual (tighten it till it locks the brakes, then release 5-8 clicks). The other way is through the brake cable. I think both are necessary to have a good balance. After adjusting the brake from the brake adjuster, there was still some looseness and I had to pull the lever too much to compensate. So by tightening the cable, I'm actually applying some pre-tension on the brakes so that with less movement they will engage.

[haa21]

kocho- where did you get the craw foot wrench and how much did it cost??

[kocho]

Originally Posted by haa21

kocho- where did you get the craw foot wrench and how much did it cost??

Most auto parts stores should carry them. I think I got mine from Pep Boys near Princeton NJ, where I was on travel at the time. They had full sets or individual wrenches. I think they range anywhere from a couple of bucks a piece to about $10 each depending on how fancy they are. What i got was a cheap set of just the "foot" of the craw foot, which you use with your regular square drive for the socket wrench as if it were a socket, just it is a flat wrench that goes sideways perpendicular to the socket extension....

[TonyD]

On my 1992, say when parked on a hill, the ebrake doesnt hold the car like it should, It clicks 6-8 times but my brake should hold the car better. Is that an adjustment near the lever or near the shoes to make it secure?

[kocho]

Originally Posted by TonyD

On my 1992, say when parked on a hill, the ebrake doesnt hold the car like it should, It clicks 6-8 times but my brake should hold the car better. Is that an adjustment near the lever or near the shoes to make it secure?

It also depends how har you pull to get these 6-8 clicks. I'm not sure the exact ponds you are supposed to pull to get 8 clicks, but the average male should be able to get to about 10 clicks with relative ease and at that point the brake should hold pretty well.

You need to check the drum adjustment first and only adjust the brake cable at the handle after that if needed.

[mrastudent]

Parking brakes are not very strong, certainly not strong enough to hold the car on much of a hill unless you REALLY pull on it. Use the curb with a turned wheel to prevent the car from rolling in addition to the parking brake.