Parking Brake Problem

I have a 2000 RX300 with approx. 105K. Parking brake will no longer hold the car on a hill. I have performed four wheel brake pad replacement every

40K or so. Do you know if I can adjust the parking brake myself?

Eric

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Whether or not you can adjust the parking brake yourself depends on whether or not you can adjust drum brakes.

The parking brake is a drum brake located inside the raised part of the rear rotors. First, check parking brake lining thickness. To do this, remove the rear calipers and remove the rear rotors. The lining thickness on the parking brake shoes should be between 1 and 2 millimeters thick. If they are less than 1 mm thick, replace both shoes on both sides. As long as the vehicle has not been driven with the parking brake on, the shoes should last a long time. If you need to replace the parking brake shoes, the procedure will be pretty much the same as on a late-model Camry with rear disc brakes - here is a link to instructions:

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If lining thickness is acceptable, replace the rotor and caliper and temporarily install the lug nuts to seat the rotor. Orient the black rubber circular plug at the bottom 6 o'clock position and remove the plug and turn the adjusting wheel behind the plug until the rotor locks, then back off 8 clicks. Next, check the parking brake pedal travel - it should be 3 to 6 clicks. If necessary, adjust the parking brake cable where it attaches to the pedal. There is a lock nut that you need to back off so you can turn the adjusting barrel.

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Ray O

Ray,

I was able to check the drum brake lining thickness which was adequate. After following your adjusting wheel instructions, I find the pedal travel is more than 6 clicks. I guess this means the parking brake cable has stretched over time.

However, in trying to adjust the parking brake cable where it meets the parking brake pedal under the dash, I notice there is no means for adjustment. However, if I follow the parking brake cable under the car towards the rear, there are 2 cable adjustment points where the cable from the parking brake pedal meets 2 cables: one coming from each rear wheel.

One adjuster is on the cable that originates from the parking brake pedal. The other adjuster is on a cable that seems to balance the tension of the 2 cables going to the rear parking brake drums. This cable starts at one rear wheel, goes through a "U" shaped yoke that is attached to the aforementioned parking brake pedal cable, and ends up at the other rear wheel.

These adjusters both have adjusting barrels with locknuts. Should I perform the adjustment at these points?

Thanks, Eric

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<a>

Yes, you can adjust the cable there the cable from the pedal meets the cables from the rear wheels. Adjust the cable that originates from the parking brake pedal. Hopefully, you won't have to mess with the other cable.

Good luck!

Reply to
Ray O

Ray,

Many thanks. Parking brake now works like new.

Eric

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You're welcome! I'm glad everything worked out.

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Ray O

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