Parking Brake Adjustment under rear seat

[95c280]

Hi...

I've found the Parking Brake Adjustment under the rear seat, but I'm not sure how to adjust it. Can some please give me step-by-step instructions on how to adjust it? I see that there's an allen screw in the center of the circular piece of black plastic - do I have to loosen the allen screw to adjust?

Thanks in advance.

[1995c280]

the parking brake is self-adjusting as that piece is a ratcheting action which tightens itself when it feel slack. the only time you adjust that is when replacing/disconnecting the cables. if your parking brake pedal is soft or doesn't work good, then you probably have worn parking brake shoes or the shoes weren't adjusted after replacing the rear brake rotors.

[95c280]

Thanks for your reply. My Parking Brake is working too well - I believe it's slightly dragging even when it's fully released - I would like to loosen it up a bit so that it won't drag.

Is the only way to adjust it by using the star wheel at each rear wheel?

Thanks.

[kropsch]

I have the same problem in my '97 . I don't feel the brake shoes dragging, but the red light and sound alarm say that the brake is not fully released. I sprayed WD 40 in the release lever under the dash with no improvement. So far the solution has been to release the brake several times till the red light goes out. I also believed that the adjustment could be under the back seat, but never tried it. If you solve the problem , please let me know.

[1995c280]

Originally posted by 95c280
Thanks for your reply. My Parking Brake is working too well - I believe it's slightly dragging even when it's fully released - I would like to loosen it up a bit so that it won't drag.

Is the only way to adjust it by using the star wheel at each rear wheel?

Thanks.

yes the right way would be to adjust them slightly by the star wheel at each rear like you had mentioned or you could just keep driving until it wears down on the shoes, LOL!

[xvvvz]

You ought to post an email address in case anyone has diagrams they can send you.

[Captain - X]

If your handbrake doesnt releas fully, then it´s most likely the excenterarm on each rearwheel that needs to be lubed up.
I have had the same problem many times. Sometimes when i released the parkingbrake, the rearcables jumped of the hooks under the rearseat. I first thought it was the rear cables and replaced them, but the problem was still there. So i pulles everything appart and discovered that the excenterarms didn´t move at all. Replaced them and viola! it worked like a charm.

[chimchongdlight]

i kinda got a different but same kinda problem

for some reason my ebrake cable has come off the lever, and now i cant figure out how to put it back on, it looks to me that it wont give me anymore slack to hook the cylinder part of the cable to the lever...what do i do now? i been working my car with no ebrake for a month!!

[nhmercracer]

The "adjuster" under the rear seat is there to take up slack in the cable, not to adjust the parking/service brake. You can use it to relieve the tension in the cable system to allow you to remove the parking brake shoes, and remove/install the various cables in the system. Take a good look at it, and you should be able to figure out how it works.