Emergency Brake

[yellow jacket]

Does anyone know how to adjust the emergency brake? Mine is down to the floor and barely holding.

Thanx

 

[JHardwick]

Mine too, I'm gonna tackle that one of these days :-laf



My driveway is gravel and uphill, when I stop on Mondays to pick up the trash cans I have to wait for my truck to stop rolling backwards before I get out :-laf



I saw the adjuster under the driver side (while changing fluids), but it looked like it would only adjust one side.



A quick read through in the manual says to leave that adjuster alone and adjust the shoes like any old drum brake system ... ... ... ..... we'll see.

 

[rbattelle]

When I've done brake jobs on drum brakes in the past, the method I used after installing all new hardware (shoes, springs, drums) was to drive the vehicle a short distance and SLAM on the brakes (after rotating the self adjustors until the shoes just slightly drag on the drums). Once in forward, once in reverse. This causes the self-adjustors to adjust themselves appropriately.



Not sure if this procedure would work on the parking brake, but it might be worth a try before tearing it apart.



-Ryan

 

[Slim]

With my 1st gen I put it up on stands about once a month and manually adjust the brakes while turning the wheels till I feel them just start to grab. This keeps the e-brakes nice and tight and also gives me lots of braking power (the kind that these trucks don't typically have) Before I started to do this I only ever replaced the front brakes, now I replace all four. One day I'll get discs for the back!!



Slim

 

[Cattletrkr]

I can't remember for sure, I think these E-brakes are the same as the 2nd gens. On my '01 they were the same as any drum brake. Pop the little rubber piece out and tighten with a "brake adjuster tool". Pretty sure you pull down to tighten. Haven't had to adjust the '04's yet so I haven't looked that close. The in-line adjuster works until it runs out, assuming it isn't rusted solid.