Parking brake adjustment

[bizzs]

Hello everyone!

I need some advice on how to adjust the parking brake cable on my 03 explorer. I replaced the left and right cable, new hardware kit and brake shoes. I adjusted the spring out and the rotor is snug to the brake shoes. The cables are functioning and the hardware is moving free like its supposed to, but the emergency brake pedal has to be pushed all the way to the floor to lock it. Once locked and tested on a hill, the explorer will not move, but the truck will move if if put it into drive. It seems that there is not enough resistance to hold the vehicle back and I would like the parking brake pedal to start locking on the third or fourth click. Any suggestions?

 

[KPPCExplorer]

On the parking brake assembly itself there is what I will call a star nut. Adjusting that in one direction or another on each side will move your parking brake shoes closer or farther from the rotor. The pads should be at the point just before they make contact with the rotor.

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

Reverse. The adjuster is designed such that when you brake in reverse, it ratchets down the parking brake. A few gentle stops in reverse should tighten everything up.

 

[BigRondo]

Reverse. The adjuster is designed such that when you brake in reverse, it ratchets down the parking brake. A few gentle stops in reverse should tighten everything up.

This was the method of adjustment with old drum brakes. The parking brake used the "regular" brake shoes. With the disc brakes, the parking brake shoes are a totally different animal and braking in forward or reverse has absolutely no effect on the parking brakes.

KPPCExplorer has outlined the correct method for adjusting the parking brakes.

 

[Exproblems]

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshMcMadMac View Post
Reverse. The adjuster is designed such that when you brake in reverse, it ratchets down the parking brake. A few gentle stops in reverse should tighten everything up. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This was the method of adjustment with old drum brakes. The parking brake used the "regular" brake shoes. With the disc brakes, the parking brake shoes are a totally different animal and braking in forward or reverse has absolutely no effect on the parking brakes.

KPPCExplorer has outlined the correct method for adjusting the parking brakes.

I remember adjusting older style drum brakes by driving in reverse, but I didn't know that cannot be done anymore till now. What kills me is, Ford covered up the star wheel adjuster hole on the rear backing plate which makes getting a good adjustment on the parking brake pads even more difficult than it was before. The star wheel access hole was no picnic adjusting the parking brakes but having no adjustment hole is even crazier.

 

[EXPLORER04]

The correct way to adjust the brake according to Ford is to:

1)Make sure that the parking brake shoes are correctly centered and measure across the center point.
2) measure the inside diameter of the drum position of the rear brake disc
3) Adjust the parking brake cage clearance of 1.07 mm (0.04 in) less than the inside diameter of the drum portion of the rear brake disc

 

[bizzs]

Thanks guys, but I have the shoes adjusted to where the rotor will not come off. Is it possible that the front cable going to the parking brake peddle is worn out because there is no adjusted and all the other cables are new?

I checked everything over again and the hardware is functioning correctly when the peddle is engaged. The shoes expand, but the parking brake peddle goes all the way to the floor and locks, but the brakes bearly secures the explorer. I am at my end wits with this. I must say that this was a pia to get those shoes on and the Ford Engineer who designed this systems should be stoned! (lol)

Anymore ideas would be appreciated!!

bizzs

 

[Donystoy]

Surly the cable is not stretching. Check to make sure that the two flexable tubes that the cables go through are solidly fastened at the rear brakes and that the similar tube is also fastened at the front pedal area. If that is not the problem I am puzzled as to what could be wrong. As previously stated as long as you install the rotors with just enough clearance to get them on they should be good to go. I agree that they are not one of Fords better designs.

 

[Tarpman]

If the parking brake pedal goes all the way to the floor, and shoes don't hold vehicle. Then I would say you probably need to adjust them (shoes) out more. Maybe I missed something? Just did this on mine. It is a PIA. I was tired of it not working. Works great now, but took me about 2 hours to get it where I wanted it. I put the rear up on stands, trans in neutral, and adjusted star wheel out until I couldn't turn tire, then backed it off until I could and went just a little more. My pedal goes down about 1/4 to 1/2 way and holds fine. It will hold pretty good in drive but in reverse it'll go if I make it. Like I said maybe I missed something, but hope this helps. Also I first had to take everything apart so I could remove little piece of metal on baking plate so I could get to star adjuster while everything is assembled. Still haven't found a rubber plug to go there yet. I have 335,000 miles on mine and cables aren't stretched, I use it all time

 

[BigRondo]

I recently had to adjust mine in order to pass inspection.

I jacked the rear up and had it on jack stands so I could remove both wheels. I took the rotors off to inspect the E-Brake shoes and hardware and to also check what direction to turn each star adjuster for proper adjustment and to make sure the adjusters were spinning freely . Like Tarpman, I have yet to find a rubber grommet to stick in the hole.

I actually adjusted both sides with the wheels off. On the passenger side the star adjuster gets turned up to tighten. On the driver's side the star adjuster gets turned down to tighten.

Here is a shot of the driver's side adjustment window, as outlined by the red arrows. The yellow arrow points to the star adjuster:

Here is a close-up of the driver's side adjustment window:

Hope this helps out.

 

[Exproblems]

I
I actually adjusted both sides with the wheels off. On the passenger side the star adjuster gets turned up to tighten. On the driver's side the star adjuster gets turned down to tighten.

Here is a shot of the driver's side adjustment window, as outlined by the red arrows. The yellow arrow points to the star adjuster:

:

Ron,
just want to clarify something on your directions to "tighten" the E-brakes. Did you tighten the E-brakes via the star wheel adjuster thru the rear backing plate access hole as shown in your pics? Thanks!

 

[BigRondo]

Ron,
just want to clarify something on your directions to "tighten" the E-brakes. Did you tighten the E-brakes via the star wheel adjuster thru the rear backing plate access hole as shown in your pics? Thanks!

Yes Tom, I did. I put the rotor back on after inspecting everything and making sure the star wheels weren't seized. I had to remove the star wheel on the driver side and free it with some WD-40, visible on the close up picture.

I really need to get a grommet in there to keep the crap at bay!!

 

[Exproblems]

Yes Tom, I did. I put the rotor back on after inspecting everything and making sure the star wheels weren't seized. I had to remove the star wheel on the driver side and free it with some WD-40, visible on the close up picture.

I really need to get a grommet in there to keep the crap at bay!!

Thanks for the clarification Ron! Now I know which direction to turn the star adjuster to tighten up the E-brakes on each side of the vehicle. I'll have to punch or drill out that star adjuster access hole on my Ex when I go to replace the E-brake shoes and hardware in the near future. For the threads on the star adjuster bolt, I like to unscrew the star adjuster bolt half, coat the threads with "anti-seize compound", then screw it back together with the other half of the star adjuster. It keeps the star adjuster from seizing up in the future due to rusty conditions in that area. If I can think of anything to use as a grommet or plug for that access hole, I'll let you know.

 

[BigRondo]

Thanks for the clarification Ron! Now I know which direction to turn the star adjuster to tighten up the E-brakes on each side of the vehicle. I'll have to punch or drill out that star adjuster access hole on my Ex when I go to replace the E-brake shoes and hardware in the near future. For the threads on the star adjuster bolt, I like to unscrew the star adjuster bolt half, coat the threads with "anti-seize compound", then screw it back together with the other half of the star adjuster. It keeps the star adjuster from seizing up in the future due to rusty conditions in that area. If I can think of anything to use as a grommet or plug for that access hole, I'll let you know.

Thanks Tom. I gotta get some anti-seize compound.

I have a rear brake job coming up real soon and I plan on changing the E-Brake shoes and hardware at the same time so I'll hit it with the anti-seize compound then.

 

[Exproblems]

Thanks Tom. I gotta get some anti-seize compound.

I have a rear brake job coming up real soon and I plan on changing the E-Brake shoes and hardware at the same time so I'll hit it with the anti-seize compound then.

Think the bottle of anti-seize compound runs around $8 or so in parts stores. I also have to change rear pads before next winter and my E-brakes and hardware probably need to be done as well, but they still work. I cleaned everything up in there when I bought new rear rotors and pads 2 years ago. Gotta also get new tires and a muffler before the rear pad job. Good luck with the E-brake job.