96 emergency brake, how do you adjust

raaizin · 12-27-04, 01:10 PM

I just bought a 96. Car has only one issue. The emergency brake isnt working as it should. At first the handle wouldnt ratchet, I shot some wd-4 in the lever and it works fine. The problem is when I engage the emergency brake it will hold the car at idle, but when I give it a little gas, the car moves foward. I read that by cycling the emergency brake on and off it weould self adjust. I have done this for a few days and the brakes doesnt hold any better. I dont have a helm yet, as I just bought the car. I read on another post about set screws, used to adjust. Where are they located. I am going for a state vehicle inspection and dont want to fail for this. On another forum, someone said the emergency brake wont hold the car, when you give it a little gas. Every other car I have owned has held the car, including a couple of C3's

Ray

12-27-04, 03:58 PM

This is for an '89. Should be the same but...

kingman · 12-27-04, 09:42 PM

Hi Raazin

Hope you are enjoying your new 96, The emergency brake as far as l'm concerned is useless and l never use it. I had the same problem when l first picked up my 96 and when l first tried it, l couldn't release it until l played with it for a while.

At the inspection station in Farmingdale all they did was engage it and then released it period. They never gave it any gas to test it. The emergency brake l believe has it's own set of shoes and is independent of anything else.

Since my last inspection l have never even once engaged my emergency brake.
Maybe l should try it!

Alan

G Winter · 12-27-04, 09:48 PM

I don't know if the 90 and 96 are diff. but on the 90 it uses the same pads as the brakes. Mine has worked well since I got it this summer.If I remember right it uses a cam type thing to pull the pads against the rotor. I use my park brake all the time.

I just don't trust parking it without the brake set .

kingman · 12-27-04, 09:59 PM

HI Scav

I'm pretty sure they have a seperate system unless l didn't understand the service advisor correctly.

Anyway the 96 is a year of it's own. Sometimes l think that l would have been better off with the 95 because after reading the various catalogs when browsing the various parts the 96 sits by itself. Also l was looking for a hot lead to connect daytime running lights that l picked up and to this date l still cannot find a hot lead. And the sick thing is that when l'm told what to look for it's not there. I have all of the testers and zippo!

I feel like l'm in the twilight zone!

Alan

G Winter · 12-27-04, 10:07 PM

If you use a relay you could just hook into the ignition. Or find something that comes on with the ignition switch and hook a relay into that.

kingman · 12-27-04, 10:11 PM

Hi

I was trying to hook up into a relay up front and their is supposed to be a couple of hot leads. I'm just going to have to take it over to a pro. I know when l'm beat. Anyway l'm going to have to wait until the snow melts before l do anything.

Alan

12-27-04, 10:43 PM

(I'm pretty sure they have a seperate system unless l didn't understand the service advisor correctly.)

If I understand your confusion correctly, they don't have seperate systems. The emer cable hooks directly on to the brake caliber. One of the things I like about the '89 is that it has a full set of running lights all around it with bright fog lights in front. Looks pretty neat when their all on.

(the 84-87 has seperate disc pads for the emergency brake: the 88-96 uses the caliper)

G Winter · 12-27-04, 11:06 PM

With lights I wouldn't hook into anything without another relay and a fuse or breaker. I have always done most of my work myself. Seems to come second nature to me. I installed remote starts in a couple of my cars. Now there can be a challange . I am hoping to find that there is a neutral switch on the 6 speed so I can put one on the vette. I like to have the engine run for a couple min. befor I drive it.

kingman · 12-28-04, 09:26 AM

Does anybody understand the emergency brake set up in a 96.

Alan

p.s. Sorry Raazin

raaizin · 12-28-04, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingman

Does anybody understand the emergency brake set up in a 96.

Alan

p.s. Sorry Raazin

Alan, from my understanding of what I read on the net, the earlier ones have separate shoes for the emergency brake, while the later ones use the regular rear pads. I will wait till it warms up a bit before I poke around under it. I have a 90 day temp plate on her for now.

Ray

alan ream · 12-28-04, 08:38 PM

I don't think the 96 is really any different than an 85 I had. The cable system is probably the same. As far as the rachiting is concerened. There's a little spring in the handle mechanism that's probably broke. You have to take the assemble off to fix it, but it shouldn't cost over a couple of bucks. As far as adjusting, I believe there is a little turnbuckle in the cable located about center of the car, just infront of the rearend.