How to Make Parking Brake Adjustments in a Chevy Corvette

Adjust your Chevy Corvette hand parking brake if the car has disc brakes or drum brakes. Make the adjustments at home to save time and money by avoiding the mechanic shop. Both techniques require you to raise the car off the ground. Use these instructions for model years 1963 to 1982 and also years 1984 to 1996.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Jack and jack stands
• Tire iron
• Screwdriver or pliers

Drum Brakes Years 1963 to 1982

1. Lift up the rear of your Chevy Corvette using a jack and then support each rear wheel with a jack stand.

2. Adjust the adjustment nut that holds where both of the parking brake cables come together, using a pliers. Locate the cables underneath the car coming from both the rear wheels.

3. Lower the car using the jack and remove the jack stands from underneath the car.

Disc Brakes Years 1963 to 1982

4. Release the hand parking brake by pushing it down to the floor of the car.

5. Raise your Chevy Corvette off the ground using the jack and support the car with the jack stands. Place a jack stand under each rear wheel.

6. Remove the rear wheels using a tire iron to loosen and remove the lug nuts. Take the tire off the screws with both hands.

7. Get underneath the car on the inside wheel well, locate the drum brake that spins around. Rotate the drum around until you can see the adjusting hole.

8. Loosen the cables that come from the rear wheels. Use your pliers to adjust the adjuster nut located at the curve of the "U" shape on the cable.

9. Place your screwdriver inside the adjusting hole of the drum brake. Move it up and down to tighten the disc to make it unmovable. Then relax the adjuster six to eight notches.

10. Tighten the hand parking brake four clicks. Tighten the brake cables at the adjuster nut, then release the hand parking brake to the floor. Lower your car using the jack and remove the jack stands.

Years 1984 to 1996

11. Raise your car with the jack and support the rear wheels with the jack stands. Remove the rear wheel and then reinstall two lug nuts to hold the rotors in place.

12. Get underneath your car and use pliers to hold the caliper piston in the bore. Loosen the parking brake cable to release the tension.

13. Rotate the wheel disc so you can insert a screwdriver into the hole where the star adjuster nut is located.

14. Insert your screwdriver and for the drivers side turn the handle towards the ceiling to adjust out and towards the floor to adjust in. The opposite is true for the passenger side adjustment.

15. Adjust the star nut until the wheels do not turn anymore. Rotate the star adjuster nut back off five to seven clicks to set it at the right adjustment. Perform this on both wheels.

16. Lower your car using the jack and remove the jack stands.

Resources

• Buy a repair manual for your Chevy Corvette.
• Purchase parts for your Chevy Corvette.