Parking brake adjusted to limit. It's not enough...

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ultrasonic
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Parking brake adjusted to limit. It's not enough...

Post by ultrasonic »

I've adjusted my parking brake stroke, and it does not quite reach the spec in the owners manual. It is supposed to tighten in 7-8 clicks. I go 9+ clicks and if the car is on an incline, the brake can just barely hold it. The adjuster is at it's limit, no further slack can be taken up.

Do I have to replace the parking brake shoes?

Will replacing the rear rotors help?
-steve-

03 Legacy L Wagon
91 Legacy Sport Sedan - SOLD
94 Legacy Touring Wagon - SOLD
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mTk
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Post by mTk »

Replacing the rotors should not make a difference, unless you have driven w/ your parking brake on. There are ways other than replacing the brake shoes to get it tighter, but not as safe :D

MK
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Brat4by4
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Post by Brat4by4 »

i think you just need a new cable. the old one stretched over time like cables tend to do.
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Post by NuwanD »

seconds on the cable solution
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Post by entirelyturbo »

Same problem here. Any tips on replacing it?
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mTk
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Post by mTk »

Haha, true i forgot about cable stretching, and in all reality, the brakes don't wear down either if you don't drive on them.

MK
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evolutionmovement
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Post by evolutionmovement »

You could try adjusting it at the brake handle, but good luck - I couldn't get the nuts to move for anything.

Steve
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ultrasonic
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Post by ultrasonic »

evolutionmovement wrote:You could try adjusting it at the brake handle, but good luck - I couldn't get the nuts to move for anything.

Steve
That's what I did already. When I bought the car I doubt the handbrake was doing anything at all. I adjusted it using the locked nuts under the arm rest. You have to use two wrenches because it is two nuts tightened against each other to lock the adjustment.

So... brake cable, eh? Do the seats and carpet have to come up?
-steve-

03 Legacy L Wagon
91 Legacy Sport Sedan - SOLD
94 Legacy Touring Wagon - SOLD
00 Impreza L Sport Wagon - totaled!
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Post by mTk »

No, just the center console, everything else is underneath the car.

MK
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evolutionmovement
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Post by evolutionmovement »

Did you adjust them at the back, then? There are little star wheel cylinders under oblong rubber covers on the hub backing plates. You stick a screw driver in to either loosen or tighten the shoes. I forget which way to turn, but it might give you just enough to get the brakes to hold.

Steve
Midnight in a Perfect World on Amazon or order anywhere. The first book in a quartet chronicling the rise of a man from angry criminal to philanthropist. Midnight... is a distopic noirish novel featuring 'Duchess', a modified 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon.
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