The parking brake on my 2002 Blazer doesn't hold. I have replaced the shorter (right) cable and the brake shoes and hardware. I adjust them so that I can barely get the rotors (also new) back on. I have also adjusted the cables at the equalizer.

When I first adjusted them, they seemed to hold ok, not great. Now they don't hold at all. It seems that they are not self adjusting. How does the self adjusting work? Does anyone have any suggestions and/or advice?

Thanks,
Jim

 

I do not believe your e-brake is self adjusting.

Are your cables moving freely?

The cables can seize up over time and not allow your e-brake to fully engage.

 

Yes, I replaced the right-side cable when I replaced the parking brake shoes and hardware because it seemed to be hung up. The longer left-side cable moved freely and appeared to be working properly.

 

Time to pull the rear tires, remove the calipers and take the rotors off and check-out the parking brake hardware. Could be as simple as a broken spring. RockAuto sells a parking brake hardware kit, in case you want to get this ahead of time and then just replace all the hardware since you have it apart....keeps from doing this twice...although not really all that much effort on this task.

Let us know what you find if you decide to do this.

 

I tried my 2002 2WD parking brake for the first time maybe forever and it didn't work. Is there a possible fix other than pulling the rotors I could look at?

 

The only way to service them is to remove the rotors. Assuming you don't have a rusty mechanism or a rear axle leak, you can do this in your driveway with only a few hand tools.

As a sailor and someone who trailers her boat, I rely on my parking brake to help keep my truck from rolling into the water when I'm launching. I once even had the local GM dealer shop try to adjust the park brake and it came back worse. As such I've taken an interest in getting the park brake adjusted properly. (GM doesn't call it the parking brake. Go figure.)

Even with the official 1999 GM Service Manual, I was frustrated with the instructions available. Note that some of the picture you find in service manuals, both Haynes and GM, show the park brake mechanism upside down.

You might find useful my scans of the 1999 GM Service Manual that I have extensively annotated for my own use.

 

Holy Cow Christine, your write-up on how it's done is a piece of art. Well done!
For me though, I will wait until my rotors need replacing to adjust the PB. I've gone 5 or 10 years not using it, probably can make it another 5 or 10.

 

Thanks. Having grown up around hills (near Seattle) and often launching my boat in the summer, my parking brake is very important to me. LOL

I'm guessing don't live where it is very hilly.

Here is a picture of me testing my barking brake. When this picture was taken, It was being held in place by only the parking brake.

 

I think I recognize those hills, I was in Port Orchard visiting some car friends a few years ago. The only hills in Houston are AKA highway overpasses.

 

I'm in North Idaho but the west side of WA will also be just a tad hillier than Houston.