Ebrake adjustment making me feel like an idiot

So I did rear brakes. Ebrake is fairly loose, but I'm hesitant to put them tighter on account of the trouble I had getting my last set off, which was adjusted very well. Worked fine until the rotors aged and the rust ring formed inboard of the parking brake shoes.

So seriously, am I missing something obvious or is there no way of turning the adjuster in or out without removing the rotor?

Most other vehicles have a rubber plug you can remove to gain access to the adjuster but I didn't see it here.

supposedly you can reach in there with a screw driver and turn the dial, I tried to do mine the normal way, but gave in and had the dealer do it wasn't worth my time to take it all apart and put it back together over and over. @swathdiver I think posted a picture of some kind of caliper measuring tool that could be used to measure the drum and calipers so it could be adjusted properly the first time.

I'm not sure about the GMT800 but there's definitely no access on the GMT900 without pulling the rotor. The factory manual lists the proper clearance as a 1/4 of a millimeter. Not sure I can see that anymore! Since fixing mine, I use it all the time and it's time for adjustment again, the pedal goes almost to the floor now. Bought a drum brake caliper to precisely measure the clearances needed this time and will do it at the end of winter when we do the front brakes.

Well at least I know I'm not crazy. I feared I was missing something obvious

Makes me wonder how you rust belt guys get the rotors off after a few years of use. Shoes sure as hell won't clear that rust ring

Hey Guys,
My parking brake pedal is going to the floor too and isn’t holding the vehicle in drive. They need to be able to do that to pass inspection here in NC. I saw on some other links that there was a brake pedal “auto-adjustment override” technique to tighten the parking brake cable for Silverado and Sierra trucks. The description also said this would apply to my 2001 Yukon. I’ve looked but my pedal is different and I see no way to increase the parking brake hold without pulling the rear drum/rotors to access the parking brake shoe adjustment wheel.

Does anyone know of a way the increase the pull on the parking brake cable (and thus improving the holding power of the parking brakes) by making an adjustment at the pedal?
Thanks


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Start a new thread please thanks

Whats the proper way to know its set

SnowDrifter said:

So I did rear brakes. Ebrake is fairly loose, but I'm hesitant to put them tighter on account of the trouble I had getting my last set off, which was adjusted very well. Worked fine until the rotors aged and the rust ring formed inboard of the parking brake shoes.

So seriously, am I missing something obvious or is there no way of turning the adjuster in or out without removing the rotor?

Most other vehicles have a rubber plug you can remove to gain access to the adjuster but I didn't see it here.

Click to expand...

Sadly when I did my rear end, I will admit I didn't bother with re adjusting it and now as a result I don't have a full bite if that makes sense. Can I do it through the hole and if so how would I even guess the clearance. Maybe adjust til its tight and dial like 1/2 to 1 turns back down? I've never messed with the parking brake. Having to take them off would a a painful chore.

Am asking because maybe by the time you come back you've found a genius way to tell me I dont need to take them off but who am I kidding, there is something always getting in the way.

I don't have any cheeky workarounds for this, unfortunately. Barring drilling an access hole in the rotor, which some vehicles have.

I'm not familiar enough with my metallurgy to feel comfortable doing this though. Not sure what it would effect or if it would open a point to potential cracks/fatigue

after 3 try's I said screw it and took it to the dealer, they fixed it and said I was WAY off, lol
I wasn't going to sit there and take it apart adjust it, put it back together, take it apart AGAIN, put it back, you get the point.....for me it was worth my money to just have it done and be on my merry little way.

Oh I can get the thing adjusted to where it holds on the hill after 3 clicks. Don't get me wrong. The issue comes when it's time to pull the rotors off for either a brake job or differential maintenance. That's a right pain in the ass after a rust ring develops on the inside of the hat and messes with the tolerances