cmanns

On my ebrake if I pull it all the way up while slowly moving it'll only make me stop very slowly, in other cars I've driven it's not like that

So how do I fix it, my friend would pull my ebrake up really hard all the time, and it was left like that so I'm assuming the cable stretched a tad.

I was reading, theres a screw in the plastic part, turn it and there will be clicks, jack the rear and see if wheels spin freely, if the ebrake engaged after tighting it works good, and disengaged it doesnt hold the wheels, I got it?

ty

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Adjusting the ebrake is pretty simple but if you've never serviced the system, it can be a little more time consuming and dirty than it looks.

I'll assume that the rear calipers are in good working order.
If they're not- or you're not sure- now's the time to find out. Rebuilding them is cake- it'll take more time to bleed them than it does to rebuild 'em. Pay special attention to the pivot actuator that the ebrake cable connects to.
At any rate, disconnect the cable from the calipers.

In the cabin, remove the screw that holds the plastic around the brake handle, separate the two shroud halves and you can see the cable end/adjustment point.
Loosen the adjustment till you can remove the cable from the lever.
Now you have the cable(s) totally free- slide them and see that they move easily.

Since the cables run under the car and have probably never been touched, now's the time to service them.
The hard way would be to completely remove them, hang them up from one end and force a solvent (like WD-40) through the casing followed by a good dose of lubricant.

Much easier is to leave them in place and toddle down to your local motorcycle shop and get a cable luber. For a couple of bucks you get a device that clamps around the cable where it enters the sheath and has a port for the plastic tube on your aerosol can. You spray the cleaner which is forced through the cable, till it comes out the opposite end. Follow this with the lube of choice. Motorcycle cable lube will work just fine.

Now you have a cable system that works smoothly.
Reconnect the cables at the caliper and the lever and follow the FSM for the adjustment.

"OK" you say, "this sounds like a total pain in the ***" and I agree, it can be.
However, it was sticky cables and / or caliper levers that caused my driver side rear to drag after I originally adjusted my ebrake.
IIRC, the FSM wants the brake fully applied after three clicks of the handle.
Mine was and when released, the wheel spun freely.

BUT, one day soon thereafter I saw smoke pouring from the rear of the car and saw a blued rotor and cooked pads...the caliper had not released and had dragged for who knows how many miles. It wasn't locked- surely I would have felt that- but it doesn't take much undue drag to generate a lot of heat and cook the system.

So, better safe than sorry IMO, and you should only have to do this once in while- but it's certainly worth the effort if only for the peace of mind.
Assume that if you think it's too much trouble, so did every other PO and it's probably never been done.

cmanns

thanks man I'll take a look at the FSM on it too.

I'm sure my calipers are fine my dad would service the brakes often only thing he was too lazy to fix was the o ring on the brake fluid resivor leaks slowly.

FC_ken

so what is sticking isn't the problem
i think i have stretched cables cuz i tightened it and i only got 8-9 click on it before it maxed out before that it was around 12-15 clicks

my friends car is like 4-6 clicks...i want that D:



should i just go about buying new cables or is there an adjustment im missing here
i only turned the nut under the plastic handle cover...

g14novak

iTrader: (1)

As stated by clokker, you need to adjust if not lube the wire going to the rear brakes. Before I changed my brake pads, they were almost at the metal, but I still only had 3 clicks till lock because I adjusted the wire right. Now I barely have to pull up on my e-brake for it to fully lock.

I think its personal preference where you have it lock at. I can lock my rear wheels while driving with 2 clicks...

FC_ken

luckky so how to i go about doing that cuz the adjustment nut i messed with was at it's limit....

FC_ken

oh and what the heck is "FSM"


something to do with factory specs???

im lost on that one....

cuz i had acces to ALLDATA and it just said to tighten that nut
it didnt get me to where i want it but allitle tighter...

g14novak

iTrader: (1)

http://www.teamfc3s.org/main/factory...ual/1989_1991/

That has the entire FSM (Factory Service Manual) for the vehicle.

Go go the "Braking System" section and go to pages "P-49 to P-51" and read everything on the pages. If necessary, go out to your car and perform it so you can understand what the manual is talking about.

FC_ken

sweet good lookn' out!!!