E-Brake Needs Adjusting

[dmccarthy]

I have a 2008 4runner V8 limited and my parking brake pedal almost goes to the floor. How do I tighten it? I have seen videos online on how to use the adjusting nut through the rear rotors, however last time I took the rotors off the pads seem to be ok and I don't want to expand them further so they are rubbing on the inside of the rotor. Is there a cable adjustment somewhere? I have not been able to find any videos. Any help would be most appreciated.

Thank you,

Darin

 

[Blacklabs]

The adjustment for the parking brake cable is under the center console where the single cable splits to the two rear wheels. It is fairly easy to remove the center console to get to it. Probably a thread on it already.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

The adjustment for the parking brake cable is under the center console where the single cable splits to the two rear wheels. It is fairly easy to remove the center console to get to it. Probably a thread on it already.

That is not how you adjust the parking brake, you always adjust at the rear wheels first. By adjusting the cable you're promoting it to stretch out more and more. It's only done as a last resort when the rear wheels cannot be adjusted within spec.

 

[Atlanta_man]

During my first year of ownership the dealer adjusted mine three times.
Never helped.
E-brake is weak, that is normal apparently.

 

[Blacklabs]

According to his original post it appears he has already expanded the brake shoes using the adjusting nut and if he adjust further they will be dragging. Sometimes if the parking brake has been pressed heavily over years the cable stretches and the cable needs to be adjusted. But I agree with adjusting the cable after the parking brake shoes.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

According to his original post it appears he has already expanded the brake shoes using the adjusting nut and if he adjust further they will be dragging. Sometimes if the parking brake has been pressed heavily over years the cable stretches and the cable needs to be adjusted. But I agree with adjusting the cable after the parking brake shoes.

You're right I missed the fact he adjusted the shoes already, if that's the case then the cable has stretched and needs to be adjusted via the center console method mentioned above.

Sorry about that.

 

[Blacklabs]

You're right I missed the fact he adjusted the shoes already, if that's the case then the cable has stretched and needs to be adjusted via the center console method mentioned above.

Sorry about that.

No biggie. I have learned a lot from your post/replies on T4R BlackWorksInc. So thank you! Hopefuly I never need everything I have learned though, but I will be prepared!

 

[fdbyrne]

He didn't say he adjusted the parking brake at the rear rotors. He just said that the last time he had the rotors off the shoes looked fine.

If he had the rotors off then that means he either adjusted the shoes all the way inward to pull the rotors off or they were already so far retracted that he didn't have to. Either way, he didn't mention resetting the shoes by using the star adjuster after reinstalling the rotors.

 

[riceandpho]

When readjust the shoes, do you expand all the way and click it back 2 times? Is that the right way?

 

[gomoboo]

Since you are evaluating the parking brake cable, I would adjust till they touch, and check your ebrake travel. Then you can decide if it is cable stretch, or just adjustment. Then adjust as needed from there.

 

[TechWrench]

You're right I missed the fact he adjusted the shoes already, if that's the case then the cable has stretched and needs to be adjusted via the center console method mentioned above.

Sorry about that.

After re-reading the original post, I think your first answer was correct. He doesn't actually say he did the adjustment, only that he had seen the online videos on how to do the adjustment, but when he removed the rotors, and checked the "pads" (his words, not mine) they seemed OK, and he didn't want to expand them any further, and possibly cause wear to them. I take that to mean that he didn't actually make any adjustment to the rear shoes. If he was able to remove the rear rotors, without retracting the parking brake shoes, then they were probably not adjusted properly in the first place. I have re-adjusted mine several times, after each time I remove the rotors, and haven't had any wear problems with the shoes. And, my parking brake pedal works properly, within the limits of how the system was originally designed to work.

 

[fdbyrne]

See my earlier post (3 posts up). Great minds think alike.

 

[dmccarthy]

Thank you for your responses. I was able to get the rotors off (with some difficulty) when I replaced them a while back. You are correct, I have not adjusted the parking brake pads through either the expander between the shoes or the cable under the console. It looks like from the responses that it would be best to use the pad expander method first (which appears to be expand until the pads are touching the inside of the rotors and then back off 2 clicks)? Then check the travel on the parking brake foot lever? If I do this with the calipers on through the access hole how will I know when the pads are touching? Do I just check to see if I am able to spin the rotors? Should I look for a certain amount of resistance and then back off until there is none?

Thanks for all your responses.

 

[TechWrench]

Thank you for your responses. I was able to get the rotors off (with some difficulty) when I replaced them a while back. You are correct, I have not adjusted the parking brake pads through either the expander between the shoes or the cable under the console. It looks like from the responses that it would be best to use the pad expander method first (which appears to be expand until the pads are touching the inside of the rotors and then back off 2 clicks)? Then check the travel on the parking brake foot lever? If I do this with the calipers on through the access hole how will I know when the pads are touching? Do I just check to see if I am able to spin the rotors? Should I look for a certain amount of resistance and then back off until there is none?

Thanks for all your responses.

According to the manual, with the wheel removed, but the rotor still in place, install at least two lug nuts to hold rotor firmly in place (I use two large nuts as spacers because the factory lug nuts will bottom out before making contact with the rotor) Turn rotor until one of two adjusting access holes in rotor line up with adjusting star wheel. Rotate star wheel until you can't turn rotor, then back off 8 clicks. Rotor should then turn freely. In my experience, I have found that backing off 5 clicks gives me the amount of adjustment I prefer. No drag on the rotor when turning, and about 2/3rds parking bake pedal travel to engage.

 

[toyo]

My process is to raise the vehicle up, adjust them at the rear brakes until I feel just a hint of drag. I then count the clicks on the parking brake pedal as i depress it. 7 clicks is what you are looking for.

 

[renau001]

What do you guys use to turn the adjuster nut? Flat head screwdriver? Paint can tool? Anything better? Last time I adjusted parking brake on this type of e-brake I could not get the shoes to expand for the life of me, only to contract. Think the nut was too rusted/gummed up. Ended up just paying $30 at the dealer.

 

[SSt4r]

Appropriate sized flat-head screwdriver.

 

[fdbyrne]

Use a small flat head screwdriver. Adjust them outwards until you can just barely hear them touching the drum when you spin the wheel by hand. When you get to that point, go into the cabin and fully depress the parking brake to set and center the pads. Then release the parking brake and go back to the wheel you were working on and give it a spin. If you can't hear it dragging just a little bit, adjust it some more, set the parking brake, unset the brake, and repeat.

You want to get it to where it is just barely touching the drum and then loosen them by just a hair. Setting the parking brake between adjustments and then releasing it makes sure that the shoes are centered correctly.

 

[Montego Murph]

Revisiting an old thread with some missing info:

I just recently adjusted my parking brake using some hints on this thread, and I figured out some things that do not seem to be mentioned anywhere else but they do make a big difference.

After removing the rear wheels, take a large C-clamp or robust screwdriver and compress the brake caliper slightly (not all the way, just enough to let them move freely) to take drag off the rotor.

This will 1) Make it easier to rotate the rotor into position, and 2) give a more accurate "reading" when rotating the hub to check for e-brake tightness. With the disc brakes in operating position, there is friction creating drag which makes it harder on one's fingers to rotate the wheel and determine when the shoes in the drum parking brake have already released.

This may sound odd, but locating the adjusting star is somehow easier in a dimly lit area using a flashlight in the hole. Too much ambient light creates shadows and your eyes will have trouble adjusting to a smaller dark area.

 

[toyo]

If you put at least 3 lug nuts on that will set the drum/disc properly against the shoes. Then adjust the shoes until you feel/hear 8 to 11 clicks. It should be as simple as that.