Adjust parking brake, 2002 Mustang

Inspect your rear pads and drums/discs first. There's a reason they need that much adjustment, and it's probably due to wear!

Actually the brakes are fine.. it feels tight enough to me, but the handle does come up all the way and doesn't hold to acceleration well. The rear brakes engage fully when the pedal is depressed.

It could be you are right, but seeing is believing. If it was up on a lift and an air impact wrentch was available, I could inpect both rears in 5-10 minutes. With just the toys that came with the car, it'd take 30 minutes tops. How many miles you got on it? Are they mainly city miles or highway miles?

You're an interesting phenomenon, John..... you can inspect the parking brake in 5-10 minutes but toys bring the time up to 30 minutes.....

If my customer has a braking concern, I will charge slightly over 1/2 hour and my customer will get a real brake inspection...... what's wrong, what's coming down the pipe and what's good. I can't vouch for anyone elses integrity but all of my customers are repeat customers (maning I made them happy before).

I almost shudder about how you might use that air gun...... off the top of your head, what is the proper wheel nut torque and pattern for a Mustang?

FWIW, I could inspect the rear pads (notice I said rear pads and nothing else) in 5-10 minutes...... nothing to be gained by me rushing and nothing my customer will like about fudged diagnosis.... A $500 repair will remain a $500 repair.... even if someone lowballs the estimate and stuffs something up someones a** as a result.

40k, all highway miles including one coast to coast drive. Still plenty of pad left.

Dear Jim,

Such anger! If you get this worked up over everyone's advice given in this forum except yours, you'll pop a vessel before your time. Lighten up.

I've lurked here a while and have read your posts long enough to know you know your stuff! You are a professional and, I admit it, I dabble compared to you.

But . . . . I've done what I said enough times to know I'm pretty close to right. You even agreed with me.

All I had in mind when I said "in(s)pect both rears" was take *a look* at the pads, drums/discs, hydraulics and mechanical parts for any obvious problems. That's all. You read way too much into it!

Btw, the "toys" I referred to are the tools that come with just about every car. You know, that 50 cent knuckle buster with the sorry excuse of a hub cap remover on the end they call a tire wrench. And, that $1 scissor jack (eccentric manual drive included). And, yes, when using those "toys", the job (taking *a look* at both rear brakes) will be more like 30 minutes.

You know what I think. I think you should re-read my post when you sober up. I bet you'll see I'm essentially right, and you'll regret what you said. If so, let's see if you are as much of a man as you are a good mechanic, and admit it. If not, lay into me. I've got thick skin.

You may be right, but the maintenance schedule for my daily driver says inspect front and rear brakes every 10,000 miles (more frequently if stop and go driving). What does yours say?

Dude, the brakes are fine.

Okay. Your posts just gave me the impression you are going by feel and they haven't been looked at. If that's not correct, then sorry about that.

John... this trade is chock full of charlatans.... Yes, I get worked up..... Do you realize how many people a misguided missile can kill or maim? This is a profession... not a pass-time. Am I angry? You are so f*cking right.... People treat safety like it was a God given right.

I can "inspect" pads in the parking lot..... At this time, all I know is if they're fat or skinny..... I can't tell if they're tapered, I can't tell if they're cracked, I an't tell if the rotor is in spec...... I can't tell a hell of a lot more things than I CAN tell. Don't pretend to lecture me, young fellow..... People pay us to do the right thing..... Don't shortchange your customers.