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Adjusting parking brake

13791 Views 6 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Nissan4Life
Is it possible to adjust the parking brakes without taking to a mechanic? I remember how easy it was with older cars that had rear drums. But I read that with a manual tranny and discs all around, a pro mechanic should adjust them.

My truck has been making groaning noises when I am parked on a boat ramp, parked in first gear with parking brake set. Today, I had to get back in twice to pull the handbrake lever higher, and then it was hard to release. I don't like the prospect that the brake not holding well put strain on the transmission, either.

I am going to buy some wheel chocks as back-up but want to get the brakes adjusted, too. The truck has almost 88k miles on it and the rear pads were replaced once, years ago. Brakes are working well otherwise.
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The emergency brake is a mini cable actuated drum brake the lives inside the rotor hat of the disk brake. Using the inside surface of the rotor hat at the drum braking surface. Really cool design and completely independent of the hydro disk brakes.

There are 2 adjustments; one on the rotor and one for cable stretch. The cable stretch described above is very easy to do. The drum brake adjustment a little more involved. After you remove the rear wheels you will see a little rubber plug on the rotor. Remove the plug. Rotate till you see the end of the wheel adjuster. A couple of click of the adjuster will take up the slack caused by wear, cant recall which way to make the adjustment. Google a detailed write up.


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