yes they do suck my 97 was broke when i got it and when i put it on the lift i found the previous owner must have had that issue and pulled it so hard that where it attatches to the floor under the car broke the spot welds and came off the p-brake cables suck...

 

they seem to acumulate alot of rust in the rear drums as well and causes major issues and can even get stuck on..

 

Sounds like you need to adjust the rear shoes. Pull the e-brake up like 3-4 clicks and bottom out the rear pads against the drum.

 

Yes, to get an idea of what you are doing, without the brake on, remove the rear rotors, and study the parking brake adjustment. Then with the rotor on, adjust the parking brake shoes with the parking brake on to what is suggested above.

You may need to loosen the cable, since your issue isn't with the cable opperation.

 

Yes, to get an idea of what you are doing, without the brake on, remove the rear rotors, and study the parking brake adjustment. Then with the rotor on, adjust the parking brake shoes with the parking brake on to what is suggested above.

You may need to loosen the cable, since your issue isn't with the cable opperation.

It was at first LOL, before I adjusted the cable the handle would almost max out at the top and when you released you could hear the cable/adjuster hit the heat shield haha. But yes now it just acts like the drum has water in it with as bad as it holds, when I can get the car into my garage w/pit then I will adjust the shoes as described. Hope it helps!! LOTS of hills here

 

I doubt the pit will help, you need to life the rear and get the wheels off to access the adjusters.

 

Isnt there the access holes on the back of the backing plates? I thought I used those on the brown one to adjust the shoes, was a PITA but I think it worked, helps if you have the right tool too I guess haha. I mainly want the garage so I dont have to work in the rain, I hate getting soaked, and the pit is just a bonus to get under the car

 

These days everyone is so used to disc brake repair the old drum style brakes look complicated. They aren't you just need to take off the shoes and the springs clean everything up including the adjusters lubricate reinstall and adjust to specs.
Take a pic before you take it all apart so you know how it goes back together.

 

^ What he said. Mine was working like shit. Replaced the cables and pads. Cleaned up the adjusters and expanders. Now it works like new.

I have used the hole for the adjusters in the face of the disk. Who knows there could be something behind, I have never looked. :lol:

Definetly in the face of the rotor. Caliper bracket and axle would block access from the back.

 

I have used the hole for the adjusters in the face of the disk. Who knows there could be something behind, I have never looked. :lol:

 

Still wet outside, waiting for a break in the rain/drizzle to work on the car

 

I'm just going to get the kit on eeuro this summer when it's time to do the rear rotors.

 

Ok I took apart both sides today, discs of and all. EVERYTHING is new inside, the disc is new, cables, shoes springs the whole thing is new and the brake STILL sucks even after adjusting it. Just one more thing GM screwed up on these cars, wish mine wasnt a NG now LOL. I am at a loss on this one, maybe it just wasnt meant to park on hills with just the brake

 

Ok I took apart both sides today, discs of and all. EVERYTHING is new inside, the disc is new, cables, shoes springs the whole thing is new and the brake STILL sucks even after adjusting it. Just one more thing GM screwed up on these cars, wish mine wasnt a NG now LOL. I am at a loss on this one, maybe it just wasnt meant to park on hills with just the brake

FYI, I did my friends 07 scion yesterday, the ebrake is identical to the ng900/9-3/9-5. It took me 3 tries to get it to what I thought was good for her.

What I did for her was have her set it to 4 clicks, I would adjust each side till where I couldn't spin the disk by hand. Then release then adjust to where I couldn't spin it with the brake off, then back off just a touch.

 

Question, after thinking this over last night is it POSSIBLE that the drum surface is too smooth?? They are new rotors after all and the drum surface was very smooth and not scored, I remember from when I was turning brake drums and rotors in my auto shop in high school that you didnt want a smooth surface cause that would lead to poor braking due to the polished surface. Or am I going in the wrong direction here? Would this also be a reason why the rear brakes sound like a big city bus coming to a stop as well under braking if the rotor surface is also too smooth? Pads and shoes are new as well, the shoes are very smooth also.

 

I did exactly that yesterday again but it still didnt help much so I did a stupid thing and it worked...........I put the brake on the 4th click and drove up and down the street forwards and reverse brake holds MUCH MUCH MUCH better now on the 4th click, as in it wont roll on a moderate hill and the very hard to get to 5th click will now hold the car on my STEEP street I live on whereas before it had to always be in gear to stay put YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do think I will need to adjust it one more time though since I have done this, and boy does the brake groan and creek when you get out of the car when its on a hill, scary sounding LOL.