Parking Brake control module

[Larryjb]

I replaced the parking brake module last night and tightened the equalizer nut properly, or as properly as I can. The pedal still goes to the floor easily. Is this normal for the pedal to go to the floor with the pedal autoadjuster mechanism?

I'll revisit the parking brake shoes when it comes time to swap out the winter tires.

 

[OR VietVet]

I replaced the parking brake module last night and tightened the equalizer nut properly, or as properly as I can. The pedal still goes to the floor easily. Is this normal for the pedal to go to the floor with the pedal autoadjuster mechanism?

I'll revisit the parking brake shoes when it comes time to swap out the winter tires.

The parking brake system is just that, a system, and all working parts need to be up to *****. Who knows what is wrong till you inspect the entire system.

 

[Larryjb]

The parking brake system is just that, a system, and all working parts need to be up to *****. Who knows what is wrong till you inspect the entire system.

I thought I had adjusted the parking brakes at the wheel in the fall. I did note that on one side the shoe was showing signs of cracking. I knew I'd have to change it soon. I guess soon is now.

 

[OR VietVet]

I thought I had adjusted the parking brakes at the wheel in the fall. I did note that on one side the shoe was showing signs of cracking. I knew I'd have to change it soon. I guess soon is now.

Yes, check it all and leave no stone left unturned.

Did you ever get your passenger side back hood gap problem fixed?

 

[swathdiver]

I thought I had adjusted the parking brakes at the wheel in the fall. I did note that on one side the shoe was showing signs of cracking. I knew I'd have to change it soon. I guess soon is now.

I changed my shoes and it still goes near to the floor. Going to replace the actuator and cables on of these days. It still works, just not as I'd like.

 

[OR VietVet]

Undo the cables and tie them in a knot to shorten them. "That'll fix it"!

 

[Larryjb]

Yes, check it all and leave no stone left unturned.

Did you ever get your passenger side back hood gap problem fixed?

That one is pretty low on my priority list!

 

[Larryjb]

I much better understand the auto adjust on the parking brake pedal. It's function seems to be to take up the slack. If you have a decent sized pin, it is very useful to remove the slack to do any parking brake work. I used the lever from my hydraulic jack to pull down on the parking brake cable. This "unwinds" the auto-adjust mechanism so you can place the pin back into the pedal module. Now the slack remains in the cable and you can release the cable from the rear wheels if you have to replace any parking brake hardware. This is easier than undoing the equalizer nut.

However, I'm reading from other sources that the pedal is supposed to go the floor. We will see if my truck holds on a slope now or not, but I will be changing the shoes anyway this spring.

 

[OR VietVet]

My pedal works fine and does NOT go to the floor.

 

[Larryjb]

Thanks Ron. I just tested mine and it won't hold on a slope. I know the pedal module is good, the intermediate cable is new from 2 years ago so it is highly unlikely to be stretched. The equalizer is tightened up properly now. I doubt the issue would be cable stretch anyway as I've never had an issue with cable stretch on any of my vehicles, and I've kept one of them until it was 27 years old. That pretty much leaves parking brake shoes, adjustments, and discs.

1) I do suspect I have an issue with one shoe which could be causing this problem.

2) I may not have removed enough of the rust ridge on the parking brake drum. This may have prevented me from getting the shoes adjusted out enough to seat within specification. I'll take my dremel to that ridge as well.

3) One thing to note is the parking brake actuator at the wheel. When servicing this, make sure it remains engaged with the adjuster. I will have to check for this, but I know the first time I installed it, the actuator slipped out and I had to back everything off again and reinstall.

 

[OR VietVet]

All good thoughts. That lip is likely causing the misadjustment at the shoes. Cable stretch too much, while does happen sometimes, is highly unlikely.

Yes, do the pads and shoes while in there and clean lube it all up. If you are going that far you could buy 2 rotors and get a new drum surface and skip the dremel tool work.

 

[Larryjb]

I may have to get new rotors. If I can hold off, that money can go towards gas money. The equivalent US$/gal in Vancouver BC is $4.30/gal.

 

[OR VietVet]

If you put new pads, should be quality AC Delco ceramic IMO but your call, then the old rotors should be resurfaced providing they are thick enough and then they can machine that lip off the drum section of them. If not then get the new rotors and no machining is needed. If you put new shoes on, then while you are installing them or doing other work before you slide the drum over them, put masking tape on them to keep them clean on the surface before you are ready to slide the drums on. You should also use clean shop towels or other cloth towels and spray brake clean on the drum and rotor surfaces and wipe clean because there will be metal grit there that can embed in the pads and shoes and cause noises. If you have the rotors and drums machined and reuse them, this cleaning step is especially important. When you put the shoes on clean the backing plate surface off with a wire brush or circular disc on a power tool and completely clean and lube spots where the back/edge of the shoes make contact at the backing plate. Same with the pad mount areas. Wire brush and clean and apply high heat lube jsu at the contact and sliding spots. Get new pad hardware as well. Withe the shoes, make sure the adjuster wheel is unthreaded and threads cleaned and lubed as well.

I am a firm believer that a great quality brake job of any sort is a lot of prep and "cleanliness is next to godliness".

 

[Larryjb]

Maybe the Tahoe's are different, but I learned from my Grand Marquis to not bother with resurfacing rotors. Even though they were still within the specified thickness, they warped within months. I found that, as long as the rotors were within the specified thickness and there were no pre-existing issues with them, it was best to leave them alone and replace pads only. I'd give them a good clean with BrakeKleen, then reinstall. Specifically on my Mercury, I found that I had to replace the calipers with pads though, otherwise within months one of the calipers would seize.

A friend got me Raybestos ceramic pads once. They worked okay, but I had to apply the brake pedal more firmly to get the same stopping power. Once warm, they performed only as well as the semimetalics I had used previously. Maybe they've improved the composition of ceramic pads now, but I'm not eager to try semi-metallics again. I read varying stories about ceramics and towing. The biggest advantage to ceramics seems to remain lower noise and longer pad life. Some sites claim rotor life is improved with ceramics, other sites say the opposite. Some sites say ceramics are good for towing, other say the opposite. I'm sure it depends on the composition of the ceramics, so I'm sure that's why Ron recommended the ACDelco ceramics.

I used to use the anti-squeal compound on the backs of the pads. I stopped using it and used the recommended brake grease or high temperature grease instead. I found that I got better brake feel without the anti-squeal compound. They sometimes make more noise, but the feel is generally better.

 

[OR VietVet]

The reason you apply more pressure is that you have a new pad surface and an old rotor surface trying to mate. Rotors are less and less thick now so weight is saved and adds more MPG for the manufacturer. They save weight anywhere they can. Using the old rotor surface is NEVER recommended. You are going to do what you feel good with. I get it.

You damn Canucks are set in your ways. I get it but that is flawed thinking. New quality rotors are better than machining them, especially with the cost of machining them compared to new cost. New pads, best is ceramic, and new rotor surface is best to burnish them and have a great pedal. I know that your thoughts about ceramic pads is because of your use of old rotor surface.

Plus, semi metallic were a much worse choice at the time and that is why ceramic was developed. Give new tech a chance. Hell, at 67, I am old but I learn new tricks everyday.

 

[Larryjb]

When I installed those ceramics, I did replace the rotors that time with ACDelco Professional rotors. That experience was on my 99 Lesabre.

On my Grand Marquis, I never noticed any difference in pedal effort when I did pads and calipers alone versus pads, calipers, and rotors.

 

[Larryjb]

The reason you apply more pressure is that you have a new pad surface and an old rotor surface trying to mate. Rotors are less and less thick now so weight is saved and adds more MPG for the manufacturer. They save weight anywhere they can. Using the old rotor surface is NEVER recommended. You are going to do what you feel good with. I get it.

You damn Canucks are set in your ways. I get it but that is flawed thinking. New quality rotors are better than machining them, especially with the cost of machining them compared to new cost. New pads, best is ceramic, and new rotor surface is best to burnish them and have a great pedal. I know that your thoughts about ceramic pads is because of your use of old rotor surface.

Plus, semi metallic were a much worse choice at the time and that is why ceramic was developed. Give new tech a chance. Hell, at 67, I am old but I learn new tricks everyday.

Speaking of us damn Canucks being set in our ways...
I used to always have rotors and drums machined before the 92 Grand Marquis. Then when I had my first set of Marquis rotors machine and got run-out a few months later, that's when I learned to inspect the rotor, clean it up, and re-install if no previous run-out was present. So, I started reusing rotors because I was not stuck in my ways! As long as the rotor surface is not badly grooved, it made little difference to the pedal feel whether I installed a new rotor or kept the old one. I would check the thickness and if it was approaching the minimum thickness I'd replace it. With semi-metallics I could get 2-3 pad changes on one rotor. The ceramic pads ate up the new rotors I had on the Buick.

Now, as for the Canucks themselves, yeah, they are stuck in their ways. They always seem to find a good goalie and rely on the goalie to win games. It got us to the play-offs a few times, but doesn't win playoffs.

 

[OR VietVet]

LOL. I guarantee you that each used or older rotor has runout. You may not see it or feel it but it is there. Friction builds heat and that is what stops you and that heat transfers in to the rotor surface and over time it will warp a little. The thinner the rotor the easier and more it will warp. You are always going to do what you feel comfortable with. If you reuse the rotors without machining or replacement, then keep on keeping on. I have my ways and you have yours and neither is wrong, in my book.

 

[Larryjb]

Back to the parking brake again...

My parking brake has frozen a few times up here in the winter. While is is generally mild in my region (no we don't live in igloos), we get spells of winter air just below 32F. So, I felt it would be a good time to change the rubber grommets in the backing plates. Well, I discovered that the only way to change those rubber grommets is to remove the 4 bolts that secure the backing plate, pull back the caliper mounting bracket, then you can replace the grommet. I'll get some picture in the next day or two, but I've never seen any description of how to replace these grommets. Now I know.

 

[OR VietVet]

Frozen park brake is usually because of age and crud in the outer cable casings or a kink or punch. Or hardware sticking.