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Parking Brake won't Engage

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9K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Just a Hunter  
J
#1 ·
Hey guys,

I have an 09 automatic Xterra. I replaced the brakes/rotors a while back and after that the parking brake doesn't do anything when you pull it. Anyone have any clue how to fix this?

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
The E-brake is a small drum brake inside the rear rotor. Its connected via cable to the lever. Take the wheel and rotor off to see what's there. Pull the lever and see if the shoes expand. Check if all the parts are still there. Sometimes the ebrake components rot away, and there's no pad left leaving too big a gap. Sometimes the pins holding the shoes in place let go and they arent positioned right (although that makes a grinding noise usually)
 
#3 ·
Assuming everything is hooked up properly you likely just need to adjust them. There is a manual drum break adjustment - your essentially turning a screw by accessing a hole in the backing plate from the back side which is plugged with a rubber plug. Pull the plug out and there is what appears to be a small gear which you turn slowly with a flat screwdriver. I can't remember which way it turns, but it goes much easier one direction than the other, and the easy way is the right way. Try turning it a bit and then check the parking brake. If you go too far your brakes will rub, and while you can turn it back, its much easier just not to go too far the first time.
 
B
#4 ·
I thought when I changed the rear brakes last year that the rear on my 06 anyway was as most newer vehicles automatically adjust when you backup and brake. The cam should pull against the star wheel turning it to expand the shoes. Manual adjusting is still used on trailers and Club car golf carts.
So try backing up and applying the brakes hard a few times to see if they self adjust. Now the system can get pretty rusty and fail and may require a replacement kit.
I regularly use the parking brake to excercise it.
 
E
#6 ·
Bioburner said:
I thought when I changed the rear brakes last year that the rear on my 06 anyway was as most newer vehicles automatically adjust when you backup and brake. The cam should pull against the star wheel turning it to expand the shoes. Manual adjusting is still used on trailers and Club car golf carts.
So try backing up and applying the brakes hard a few times to see if they self adjust. Now the system can get pretty rusty and fail and may require a replacement kit.
I regularly use the parking brake to excercise it.
Click to expand...
Not the seperate park brake. Normal drum brakes have been self adjusting since the mid 60s. The park brake in these trucks is completely seperate from the service brakes. The main adustment is in the mini drums inside the rotors. There is a freeplay adjustment at the handle, but that is after the drums are set correctly. You may need to back the slack adjuster off before you adjst the drums.
 
B
#7 ·
I must have been lucky then when I did my rear brakes then and just fogot about the adjusting step. Just used them yesterday when I changed another tpms sensor.
Thanks for the correction. Youtube I see has several videos. My next big leap is timing chains
 
#8 ·
RTCG.

 
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