Rocket Man's 02 Denali Build Thread AKA "THE BEAST"

[Rocket Man]

You really need a tool to set the brake shoe? When I did my rear brakes(parking brake shoe) it didn't seem like a special tool was needed.

I'm not sure but i thought that was the best way so they work and don't drag. I have never adjusted them. With this you measure the ID of the drum and then adjust the OD of the shoes to .026 less than that. That's the method shown in the SM. You do this with the pedal adjustment slack and then afterwards you adjust the pedal. I just don't want to reinstall everything and then either have them making noise or not working. They've never worked. Have you ever adjusted yours?

 

[Fless]

I'm a bit curious about this. The shop that did my rear brakes said that my cables are too stretched for the parking brake to work and that they should be replaced. But I see that the replacement cables don't have the adjustment screw/nut, so how does one make the cable adjustment? Is there some kind of adjustment on the pedal? Or is it just what it is?

 

[Rocket Man]

I'm a bit curious about this. The shop that did my rear brakes said that my cables are too stretched for the parking brake to work and that they should be replaced. But I see that the replacement cables don't have the adjustment screw/nut, so how does one make the cable adjustment? Is there some kind of adjustment on the pedal? Or is it just what it is?

The SM says to make sure the self-adjuster lockout pin has been removed which is discussed in the part about "disabling the parking brake automatic adjuster" pic enclosed. Then push the pedal to the floor 3x and release each time.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I'm not sure but i thought that was the best way so they work and don't drag. I have never adjusted them. With this you measure the ID of the drum and then adjust the OD of the shoes to .026 less than that. That's the method shown in the SM. You do this with the pedal adjustment slack and then afterwards you adjust the pedal. I just don't want to reinstall everything and then either have them making noise or not working. They've never worked. Have you ever adjusted yours?

Nope, mine doesn't even work. I did my rear brakes about 5 yrs ago, along with the rear parking shoe. I broke a bolt that holds the shoe in--because this is NJ--and I said Eff it! I don't need no stinkin' parking brake!

 

[George B]

@Rocket Man
I would have responded but didn’t have time. Both times I did parking brake service on one of these. I set the rear shoes to be just static rubbing as I rotated the rotor. Both worked well and the ones on my current burb hold it on an incline by themselves in gear. They don’t drag or rub.

 

[Rocket Man]

@Rocket Man
I would have responded but didn’t have time. Both times I did parking brake service on one of these. I set the rear shoes to be just static rubbing as I rotated the rotor. Both worked well and the ones on my current burb hold it on an incline by themselves in gear. They don’t drag or rub.

Did you release the cable like they show before adjusting them?

 

[George B]

Did you release the cable like they show before adjusting them?

Honestly I don't recall but I don't think I did. Can you post the rest of the procedure outlining what to do when your done?
I had no issues with mine and was sure the actuator levers were resting on the stops when I had the shoes out. my cables are taught and my self adjuster works good. Maybe they do that for safety since the cables are under spring tension.

All I know is my parking brakes work well.

 

[Rocket Man]

Honestly I don't recall but I don't think I did. Can you post the rest of the procedure outlining what to do when your done?
I had no issues with mine and was sure the actuator levers were resting on the stops when I had the shoes out. my cables are taught and my self adjuster works good. Maybe they do that for safety since the cables are under spring tension.

All I know is my parking brakes work well.

All it says is to release the lockout on the cable and then step on and release the pedal 3 times.

 

[George B]

All it says is to release the lockout on the cable and then step on and release the pedal 3 times.

I assume that process is to help ensure the cables and levers all get set back to zero so the levers are at rest when the shoes are adjusted and then the cables slack is removed. I believe I did that on mu 03 because I replaced the backing plates too so I had everything apart. on the 13 I just did shoes and cleaned/lubed the adjusters.

 

[Rocket Man]

I assume that process is to help ensure the cables and levers all get set back to zero so the levers are at rest when the shoes are adjusted and then the cables slack is removed. I believe I did that on mu 03 because I replaced the backing plates too so I had everything apart. on the 13 I just did shoes and cleaned/lubed the adjusters.

It says it has a parking brake pedal self-adjuster, that’s why you have to lock it out when serving the cable or shoes. That supposedly is how you get it to self-adjust.

 

[George B]

It says it has a parking brake pedal self-adjuster, that’s why you have to lock it out when serving the cable or shoes. That supposedly is how you get it to self-adjust.

Right, it pulls the cable tight rather than having the rusted up threaded rod adjuster. That spring in the cable pully at the pedal is not strong enough to overcome the springs at the ends of the cables by the levers. There doesn't appear to be any self adjusting mechanism related to the shoe tension within the rotor/drum.

It can't hurt to do what those instructions call for. It ensures all is well and properly adjusted.

Maybe I got lucky...

 

[Tonyrodz]

Wow, I'm glad mine doesn't work too much trouble!

 

[George B]

Wow, I'm glad mine doesn't work too much trouble!

It’s not really much trouble. However, given your luck it may be a different story.

 

[Rocket Man]

There needs to be a separate set of instructions for these trucks that's for the rust belt!

 

[George B]

There needs to be a separate set of instructions for these trucks that's for the rust belt!

When your well versed in rust belt mechanics there is a certain set of steps that become so natural se don’t even notice we do them. Kind of like our midwest accent… Ope!

 

[Rocket Man]

I did some repair on the grill. It had a few cracks in the honeycomb part so I super glued them and touched up the gloss black that was chipping with some Testers paint. I’ll get a pic in a bit, all I have is The Beast with no grill. Looks mean. I have to say the body color paint isn’t looking too great. I think next I’ll order another aftermarket grill and paint it myself.

 

[Rocket Man]

The cowl and wipers were looking bad. It’s been a few years since I painted them so I decided to Cerakote the plastic and paint the wiper arms like I just did on The Machine. Before pics.

 

[Rocket Man]

After. I have to say so far I’m really liking the Cerakote.

 

[Tonyrodz]

After. I have to say so far I’m really liking the Cerakote.

That's some good sheet!

 

[Rocket Man]

That's some good sheet!

Especially considering how bad it looked before, it had some areas that were turning whiteish/ greyish.