Parking Brake SNAFU

[Steve Waddington]

When I bought my Tahoe a few years ago, the parking brake didn't work. Guy told me it just needed adjusting. I'm in L.A...relatively flat, but we do like to go to the beach, or up Mullholland...and it would be nice to have the parking brake. (I have wheel chocks in the back, just in case.) I tried the cable adjustment, but the pedal still goes easily to the floor with no resistance.

So I researched everything I could here on the forum, and watched ALL the YouTube videos pertaining to inspecting, adjusting and perhaps replacing the parking brake pads in my 03 Tahoe. Seemed simple enough...until...those two %#*&@$ 18mm bolts that hold the caliper carrier. I tired everything in my power to loosen those bolts...no luck! Soaked them with PB Blaster, brought out the hammer...nope...extra long breaker bar...nope. I even had my socket wrench on there...then added an extra length of pipe for leverage...I actually bent my socket wrench! It feels like they're welded on! I KNOW they must have used some sort of thread locker...but this is absolutely ridiculous! So I just put everything back together and said the hell with it...I guess I just don't have parking brakes.

 

[tom3]

Heat. New style propane torch with Mapp gas.

 

[Scottydoggs]

big air gun should get em off. my 350 tq electric impact gun took my rear brake brackets off pretty easy.

 

[Fless]

The install torque spec on the caliper bracket bolts is 148 lb-ft, and lots of folks use blue locktight on them. If the last person in there used red locktight, then heat is going to be necessary. As @tom3 suggested, heat 'em up.

And if adjustment of the shoes doesn't work, there's an adjustment for the pedal mechanism. Otherwise the cables could be stretched.

 

[wjburken]

Not trying to be a smart a$$ here, or show any disrespect, but you’re sure you’re trying to turn them the correct way, right?

I’ve seen a number of people get things turned around when dealing with bolts facing away from them.

I’ve never had that much of an issue getting caliper bracket bolts off and I deal with a lot of upper Midwest rust on cars I have worked on.

 

[Steve Waddington]

Not trying to be a smart a$$ here, or show any disrespect, but you’re sure you’re trying to turn them the correct way, right?

I’ve seen a number of people get things turned around when dealing with bolts facing away from them.

I’ve never had that much of an issue getting caliper bracket bolts off and I deal with a lot of upper Midwest rust on cars I have worked on.

LOL! I know what you mean, but I am positive I am trying to turn the bolt the correct way! I have been working on classic cars my entire life, mostly GM and 1968 or before. These days, whatever I need and don't know, I can usually find on the internet. And with videos too!

However, having said that, I have never seen a bolt so tight that I couldn't break it loose...or break it OFF...with my hammer or my custom-made breaker bar! (a re-purposed hydraulic jack handle) attached to a well-fitting socket! (I'm 6'5", about 235, and strong as an ox they tell me.) And I have a cordless, electric impact wrench, as well as my compressor-driven impact driver.
Nothing in my arsenal would budge those stubborn bolts!

I've never used a torch to apply heat (which probably explains the afore-mentioned broken bolts! LOL!)
I guess I'll have to try a flame thrower! LOL!

 

[Scottydoggs]

LOL! I know what you mean, but I am positive I am trying to turn the bolt the correct way! I have been working on classic cars my entire life, mostly GM and 1968 or before. These days, whatever I need and don't know, I can usually find on the internet. And with videos too!

However, having said that, I have never seen a bolt so tight that I couldn't break it loose...or break it OFF...with my hammer or my custom-made breaker bar! (a re-purposed hydraulic jack handle) attached to a well-fitting socket! (I'm 6'5", about 235, and strong as an ox they tell me.) And I have a cordless, electric impact wrench, as well as my compressor-driven impact driver.
Nothing in my arsenal would budge those stubborn bolts!

I've never used a torch to apply heat (which probably explains the afore-mentioned broken bolts! LOL!)
I guess I'll have to try a flame thrower! LOL!

im one of them lanks too, 6'6 265 ish, ive busted 1/2 inch breaker bars torn through the pipes on the ratchets and breaker bars i was using on this damn bolt. broke a 1/2 drive ratchet too on this bolt. bought one of them harbor freight earthquake 1000 lb tq air guns. that took it off like butter with 120 psi max compressor. i was amazed. normally if im able to pull on a bolt with my feet braced up im gonna win lol

if you go heat, you want to heat up around the bolt's threads, and not the bolt so much, idea is the heat expands the metal, then the bolt is able to come out.

 

[89Suburban]

And not too much heat or kiss the axle seal goodbye.

 

[Steve Waddington]

Yep! That's why I've never bothered with torches. Don't want to fry an innocent part!

 

[JGM70]

Not trying to be a smart a$$ here, or show any disrespect, but you’re sure you’re trying to turn them the correct way, right?

I’ve seen a number of people get things turned around when dealing with bolts facing away from them.

I’ve never had that much of an issue getting caliper bracket bolts off and I deal with a lot of upper Midwest rust on cars I have worked on.

Don't think it's a stupid question. I'm 74 and still do brakes for 3 vehicles. Work on them
when I have to. But learned to take a ratchet and the socket, and ito check which way
I should be going. Caught myself last winter in a cold garage going the wrong way, Right
before the torch, I checked and was going the wrong way. Keep trucking !!

 

[JGM70]

The same goes for plumbing under the sink, etc.

 

[MassHoe04]

More than once, I have hit the FWD/REV button on my impact wrench! Usually happens when I am in an odd position and shifting from one hand to another.

But for caliper and hub bolts, I tend not to use impact wrench. Manual breaker bar only. I have used heat from a propane torch on a couple of different vehicles.

This may not be by-the-book, but...
I put anti-seize on caliper bracket and hub bolts, then get them "good'n tight" with a couple of light taps on the wrench with a hammer when attaching is usually tight enough for me.
Never had calipers or hubs fall off or come loose. Having to recently take calipers and rotors off and put them back on about 5 times in the last 3 days... It is nice to not have to heat them with a torch to get the bolts out each time to loosen up Loc-Tite.

 

[WestLinnYukon]

Mine were really in there is well and when I finally got them out there was some crazy pink thread locker, although I think they my have used JB weld instead... I used a 24 inch breaker bar and an impact socket, and applied a significant amount pressure. My Dewalt impact with 4amp battery is incredibly strong, often breaking loose things that even my breaker cant, if you need an excuse for a new tool

 

[MassHoe04]

Got a Dewalt XR three years ago at a pawn shop for $180 with battery and charger. I try doing things with wrenches or breaker bars first, if I am not sure if something will spin out without snapping.
Brakes... Since I have done them and put anti-seize, I can get calipers off and back on in a couple of minutes.

 

[PatDTN]

Just another point to consider. I was parking my Tahoe on a steep hill and really stood on the parking brake. Something went pop and my foot went to the floor. No parking brake. In East Tennessee!

Eventually I took the rear brakes apart and couldn't see anything. I looked at the pedal mechanism. Nothing. The cables were all intact. I thought. Finally started squeezing my way along the rubber sleeve that protects the cable directly under the driver seat area. There was a soft spot! I pulled on the cable and found out it had corroded inside the sleeve.

Parking brake still sucks because it's so hard to adjust.

 

[MassHoe04]

Just another point to consider. I was parking my Tahoe on a steep hill and really stood on the parking brake. Something went pop and my foot went to the floor. No parking brake. In East Tennessee!

Eventually I took the rear brakes apart and couldn't see anything. I looked at the pedal mechanism. Nothing. The cables were all intact. I thought. Finally started squeezing my way along the rubber sleeve that protects the cable directly under the driver seat area. There was a soft spot! I pulled on the cable and found out it had corroded inside the sleeve.

Parking brake still sucks because it's so hard to adjust.

I had already installed new e-brake adjusters, strung new rear and intermediate cables, tried multiple adjustments and made no progress before bring it over for the mechanic to deal with.

My mechanic buddy finally figured out that I wasn't losing my mind or doing anything wrong after all. He found the inside "hat" of the rotors had some variance in the clearance from the inside to the area the shoe is supposed to contact. When the shoes were set to barely scrape by the lip of the rotor as it goes on... All of a sudden there was too much clearance inside the hat to get a grip! New rotors solved the problem. He told me he loves how easy these rigs are to work on (as do I), but the e-brakes on this series of GM trucks (and certain Ford trucks) can be a "real pain" to get dialed in.