E-Brake Drag

[10cjennings]

So I've noticed since I bought my 78 280z about a month ago that the Emergency/Parking brake (It's a 5-speed) is always slightly engaged. Sometimes the dash light stays on, sometimes it goes off, but I can still tell that the brake is slightly on when I let the car slowly roll to a stop and it stops its self quicker then it should. Also the brakes (seems to be the back ones) are squeaking a decent amount, before I go replacing the rear brake shoes I'd like to see if this is the cause of the noise as well. It seems to be coming more from the Passenger side of the car but I can't really be sure of that. I'm guessing I need to just add a little bit of slack to the cable but what would be the best way to go about doing that?

 

 

Thanks,

 

Chris J.

Edited June 23, 2010 by 10cjennings

[Challenger]

Pull off the wheel and see if its actually dragging. Spin in as is, then spin it with the ebrake cable off. If that doesnt help pull the drum off and check things out.

[T-Bone028]

I believe the recommendation is that the e-brake should be fully engaged after 3 clicks. I had my rears dragging at one point as well. I ended up having to adjust the star wheel to let them out a little bit. I think I had it to the point that I could spin the wheel one full revolution by hand before it stopped (with both wheels off the ground of course). I personally couldnt get to the star wheel through the adjustment/service hole easily, and ended up taking the drums off. It helps to have a ford wrench (Big effing hammer) nearby to break the drums loose.

 

After a couple of pulls of the e-brake, and a couple of stops, the rears should re-adjust to the proper amount.

[10cjennings]

With the rear of the car up in the air, car in neutral, and the e brake off no matter how hard I try I can't turn the passenger side rear wheel by hand, the driver side I can turn a small amount (like 1/8 of a turn, and then it stops), but it's also very hard. So I'm guessing the e-brake is dragging on both, but a little bit more so on the passenger side. So how do I go about adjusting the brake? I went through the interior only to realize that if there's anyway to adjust it, it seems to be outside (under) the car.

[10cjennings]

So is this adjustment "wheel" in the brake drums? or in the transmission tunnel?

[Tony D]

Chances are something other than the e-brake cable is causing this, the brakes can lock up for a number of reasons. Best to pull the drums and check them out well. The earlier cars had a 'sliding' wheel cylinder to help adjust the brakes with the e-brake. The later cars had fixed cylinders and seem prone to things freezing up and then dragging.

 

When the brakes are adjusted correctly (for the e-brake to engage fully in three clicks as the FSM says) they are much tighter than the typical American Car 'one turn when spun by hand' standard.

 

Remember that pressure differential between the brake circuits will also get that brake light to be on... And so will a switch not contacting properly.

 

Good Luck.

[10cjennings]

Chances are something other than the e-brake cable is causing this, the brakes can lock up for a number of reasons. Best to pull the drums and check them out well. The earlier cars had a 'sliding' wheel cylinder to help adjust the brakes with the e-brake. The later cars had fixed cylinders and seem prone to things freezing up and then dragging.

 

When the brakes are adjusted correctly (for the e-brake to engage fully in three clicks as the FSM says) they are much tighter than the typical American Car 'one turn when spun by hand' standard.

 

Remember that pressure differential between the brake circuits will also get that brake light to be on... And so will a switch not contacting properly.

 

Good Luck.

 

What you're saying makes sense because even though it seems like it's just the e-brake dragging if I want to park the car on a hill or something I can still easily pull the e brake up very far (way more then 3 clicks, the handles is pointing basically vertical) before it really seems to engage. I'm gonna pull apart the rear brake drums this week, but is there any literature that might help me through that? I'm sure it's not too hard but I've never dealt with drum brakes before and don't want to make some stupid mistake.

[Tony D]

probably too late, but FSM is a good primer on brakes on the car, just make sure you get the 77/78 manual, as their rear brake systems are different than all the earlier cars.