How to Adjust a Parking Brake Cable

When the parking brake is applied, the cable manually pulls on one brake shoe or, in the case of disc brakes, one pad. If the parking brake is ever needed due to a brake failure, there is no reason to be apprehensive in its application. It will not lock up the tires, and in fact will take a good bit of pressure to slow down. The cable is the extension from the parking brake pedal or handle to the rear brakes.

Things You'll Need

• Floor jack
• Jack stands
• Set of wrenches
• Vise grips

Instructions

1. Raise the driver’s side of the vehicle with the floor jack and support the vehicle by the frame with the jack stands.

2. Adjust the cable at the T-off. A single cable comes from the parking lever to approximately the middle of the vehicle. The single cable is attached to a curved semicircular piece of metal by an adjuster. Another cable runs from one brake to the other on opposing sides of the vehicle. This cable is secured to the singular cable by the curved piece of metal on the adjuster. When the brake is depressed, the single cable pulls the cable attached to both brakes, applying the brakes. If the cable is too loose, the handle can be pulled (or the pedal pushed, depending on the type of emergency brake system), and the only thing that happens is that the cable tightens up with no effect on the brakes.

3. Pull the cable down by hand to see how much slack is in it before it stops. The cable should not pull more than 4 inches. When the cable stops, the brakes are applied. Place the vise grips on the forward part of the threaded rod to hold it in place.

4. Loosen the rear nut behind the curved bar with a wrench. Turn the curved bar clockwise to tighten the emergency brake cable. Every couple turns, stop and pull on the cable to check the adjustment. When the proper adjustment seems to be obtained, leave the nut loose.

5. Release the parking brake and then apply it again. Make note of the amount of travel. The parking brake pedal or handle should only move 50 percent of its travel. If it does not, adjust the cable further until this 50 percent rule is achieved. Lock the emergency cable down by tightening the lock nut with a wrench.