Parking Brake Adjustment (rear disc)

***Mopar1973Man*** · 02-12-2006, 06:09 PM

This is another common problem out there for manual trans trucks. You park on a slope or hill and the parking brake isn't holding. How do you fix this problem?

Easy...

Jack up the rear axle and block it (jack stands). Safety first!

Inside this little recess is a rubber plug. Your going to need a pair of needle nosed pliers to pull the rubber plug out.

Now believe it or not behind this little slot is a star wheel. But it doesn't have sharp points on it. They are more kind of rounded. If I remember right you turn the wheel upwards to tighten the shoes in the drum assembly. Now check your settings now and then by turning the wheel on the same side. If the shoes start to drag then turn the star wheel in the reverse direction till it stops dragging.

Now put the rubber plug back in. You can use a flat blade screwdriver to start the rubber plug back in place. Then use a blunt object to finish pushing into place.

Now do the other side the same way.

You will notice that the parking brake pedal will be much highier off the floor when used. But you will now know when the pedal gets close to the floor its time to re-adjust you parking brake again.

WARNING! - I've seen several other people make adjustment using the nut on the cable. This is not a adjustment point for the shoes! This is a cable slack adjustment DO NOT use for adjustment purposes. If you do you will short the pull length of the parking brake cable. This might cause the shoes to drag because the cable is too short now.

Another Tidbit From The Mopar1973Man...

Last edited by Mopar1973Man : 05-22-2006 at 08:29 PM.

02-12-2006, 06:17 PM

I never can remember the direction on the star wheel either but it will only go one way so that makes it easy, I check mine every 10k when I rotate tires and it usually only takes a few clicks till the shoes start to drag then I quit

Good writeup...thanks man

Monster Truck · 02-12-2006, 09:15 PM

good write up, its not so much the parking brake adjust though as it is just the brake adjustment its self.

__________________

Dads: 99 2500 Ext Cab Longbed 4X4 3.55s CTD, 5'', 47re, BHAF Outerwear Heat Sheild, Turnbuckle Wastgate, Fuel Pressure, Sucnoast Tripple Disk TC with custom vb work.
Mine: 95 Ext Cab SLT, Loaded, 5spd, 3.54s, Leveled 5'' Lift 35'' Toyos, 4'' Straight into a 5'' bed kit with 6'' Mitres, Super B 57/66/14, Stage 2 Sticks, 3GSK, #60 Valve Springs, Stage 2 clutch, Custom Intake, Plateless, Boost and EGT on the pillar.

***Mopar1973Man*** · 02-13-2006, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monster Truck

good write up, its not so much the parking brake adjust though as it is just the brake adjustment its self.

Thank you...

That depends on if your a rear disc brakes or rear drum brakes...

If you have rear drum your main shoes are your parking brake shoes...

If you have rear disc your main shoes are NOT your parking brake shoes. The parking brake shoes are a separate set inside the hub area of the rotor. There is a mini drum with the parking brake shoes inside.

Jakey's'01H.O. · 02-13-2006, 03:19 PM

ahh ive been looking for this!!! mine dont hold, and i dont know if theyre burnt up, or just need to be adjusted!!!!! so just adjust til the wheel drags a bit??? yes i have rear discs!!! ahhhh!!!

__________________
'01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE.
'04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

Jakey's'01H.O. · 02-13-2006, 03:21 PM

and a star bit? any idea what "T" size or whatever

__________________
'01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE.
'04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

***Mopar1973Man*** · 02-14-2006, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakey's'01H.O.

and a star bit? any idea what "T" size or whatever

Jakey you need two tools. Flat blade screwdriver and a pair of needle nose. You use the needle nose to pull the rubber plug out of the slot. The flat blade you use to pry up or down to spin the star wheel inside. Think of a doughnut with a lumpy outside ring.

There adjusted exactly the same as old style drum brakes...

Last edited by Mopar1973Man : 02-14-2006 at 05:55 AM.

02-14-2006, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakey's'01H.O.

ahh ive been looking for this!!! mine dont hold, and i dont know if theyre burnt up, or just need to be adjusted!!!!! so just adjust til the wheel drags a bit??? yes i have rear discs!!! ahhhh!!!

If you have disc brakes on the rear yer truck is a 01.5

The 01 will have drums on the back

Jakey's'01H.O. · 02-14-2006, 07:51 PM

ooooooo cool

__________________
'01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE.
'04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

Jakey's'01H.O. · 04-10-2006, 11:12 AM

ive tried two different times now, to get the damn rear discs off, hittin the hub of the rotor with a steel hammer, and the disc itslef with a rubber mallet...and it wont budge...ill try to adjust the ebrake, but i bought replacements two months ago, and would like to get fresh ones in...help me out!!!!!!!!!!!!

__________________
'01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE.
'04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

Jakey's'01H.O. · 04-10-2006, 11:39 AM

okay got them adjusted. they adjust to the BACK of the truck, so when ur adjusting them, rotate the adjuster counter clockwise...they are maxed out, and when i put two lugnuts on one stud, and try to turn the wheel, theyll still turn, more resistance than before, but i dont think itll hold on a hill...so again...i ask how do ya get the rear rotors off...grrr..so i can get these brand new ones in...i dont even know how many times ive seen people to back up the enclosed trailer just jump in not looking if the e-brake is even on already...the owner before me really burnt these up!!

__________________
'01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE.
'04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

***Mopar1973Man*** · 04-10-2006, 06:11 PM

Jake...

There should be a set of jam nuts in the hub area. You must remove the axle shaft. Then take out the two jam nuts. Then there is a set of cone bearings in there. Then it should come off... This is using the information from my older 1972 Dodge that I pulled the rear drums off of to do brake work on... But it should be simular to do...

I hope this helps...

02-12-2006, 06:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
*Mopar1973Man* Gone... Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,296 Mopar1973Man's Truck Pics	Parking Brake Adjustment (rear disc) This is another common problem out there for manual trans trucks. You park on a slope or hill and the parking brake isn't holding. How do you fix this problem? Easy... Jack up the rear axle and block it (jack stands). Safety first! Inside this little recess is a rubber plug. Your going to need a pair of needle nosed pliers to pull the rubber plug out. Now believe it or not behind this little slot is a star wheel. But it doesn't have sharp points on it. They are more kind of rounded. If I remember right you turn the wheel upwards to tighten the shoes in the drum assembly. Now check your settings now and then by turning the wheel on the same side. If the shoes start to drag then turn the star wheel in the reverse direction till it stops dragging. Now put the rubber plug back in. You can use a flat blade screwdriver to start the rubber plug back in place. Then use a blunt object to finish pushing into place. Now do the other side the same way. You will notice that the parking brake pedal will be much highier off the floor when used. But you will now know when the pedal gets close to the floor its time to re-adjust you parking brake again. WARNING! - I've seen several other people make adjustment using the nut on the cable. This is not a adjustment point for the shoes! This is a cable slack adjustment DO NOT use for adjustment purposes. If you do you will short the pull length of the parking brake cable. This might cause the shoes to drag because the cable is too short now. Another Tidbit From The Mopar1973Man... Last edited by Mopar1973Man : 05-22-2006 at 08:29 PM.

04-10-2006, 11:12 AM	#10 (permalink)
Jakey's'01H.O. Diesel Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gillette WY Posts: 1,991 Jakey's'01H.O.'s Truck Pics	THESE ARE KICKIN MY beepbeepbeep ive tried two different times now, to get the damn rear discs off, hittin the hub of the rotor with a steel hammer, and the disc itslef with a rubber mallet...and it wont budge...ill try to adjust the ebrake, but i bought replacements two months ago, and would like to get fresh ones in...help me out!!!!!!!!!!!! __________________ '01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE. '04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

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02-12-2006, 06:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	I never can remember the direction on the star wheel either but it will only go one way so that makes it easy, I check mine every 10k when I rotate tires and it usually only takes a few clicks till the shoes start to drag then I quit Good writeup...thanks man

02-12-2006, 09:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
Monster Truck Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Kingston, WA Posts: 1,966 Monster Truck's Truck Pics	good write up, its not so much the parking brake adjust though as it is just the brake adjustment its self. __________________ Dads: 99 2500 Ext Cab Longbed 4X4 3.55s CTD, 5'', 47re, BHAF Outerwear Heat Sheild, Turnbuckle Wastgate, Fuel Pressure, Sucnoast Tripple Disk TC with custom vb work. Mine: 95 Ext Cab SLT, Loaded, 5spd, 3.54s, Leveled 5'' Lift 35'' Toyos, 4'' Straight into a 5'' bed kit with 6'' Mitres, Super B 57/66/14, Stage 2 Sticks, 3GSK, #60 Valve Springs, Stage 2 clutch, Custom Intake, Plateless, Boost and EGT on the pillar.

02-13-2006, 03:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jakey's'01H.O. Diesel Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gillette WY Posts: 1,991 Jakey's'01H.O.'s Truck Pics	ahh ive been looking for this!!! mine dont hold, and i dont know if theyre burnt up, or just need to be adjusted!!!!! so just adjust til the wheel drags a bit??? yes i have rear discs!!! ahhhh!!! __________________ '01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE. '04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

02-13-2006, 03:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jakey's'01H.O. Diesel Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gillette WY Posts: 1,991 Jakey's'01H.O.'s Truck Pics	and a star bit? any idea what "T" size or whatever __________________ '01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE. '04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

02-14-2006, 07:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jakey's'01H.O. Diesel Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gillette WY Posts: 1,991 Jakey's'01H.O.'s Truck Pics	ooooooo cool __________________ '01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE. '04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

04-10-2006, 11:39 AM	#11 (permalink)
Jakey's'01H.O. Diesel Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gillette WY Posts: 1,991 Jakey's'01H.O.'s Truck Pics	okay got them adjusted. they adjust to the BACK of the truck, so when ur adjusting them, rotate the adjuster counter clockwise...they are maxed out, and when i put two lugnuts on one stud, and try to turn the wheel, theyll still turn, more resistance than before, but i dont think itll hold on a hill...so again...i ask how do ya get the rear rotors off...grrr..so i can get these brand new ones in...i dont even know how many times ive seen people to back up the enclosed trailer just jump in not looking if the e-brake is even on already...the owner before me really burnt these up!! __________________ '01 ETH/SO VP. FOR SALE. '04 silv quad SB AirDog. Arson 2. loaded. HOLLAND COURT DIESEL PERFORMANCE. WICKEDDIESEL. DIESELNUT COALTRAIN IS THE SH$T

04-10-2006, 06:11 PM	#12 (permalink)
*Mopar1973Man* Gone... Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,296 Mopar1973Man's Truck Pics	Jake... There should be a set of jam nuts in the hub area. You must remove the axle shaft. Then take out the two jam nuts. Then there is a set of cone bearings in there. Then it should come off... This is using the information from my older 1972 Dodge that I pulled the rear drums off of to do brake work on... But it should be simular to do... I hope this helps...