Parking Brake System: Testing and Inspection

The park brake system can be checked for its ability to generate sufficient cable tension by performing the following steps:
1. Check the drum brake clearance and reset if required.
2. Fully apply and release the foot park brake lever 4 times.
3. Apply lever to the 2 click position (3 clicks on hand operated brakes).
4. Raise the car and suitably support.
5. Check park brake cable tension by attempting to turn right rear wheel with both hands. Wheel should only rotate backward, not forward.
6. If wheel does rotate forward, readjust rear shoe to drum clearance until a light shoe to drum contact may be heard.
7. Release park brake and check for rear brake drag Rear wheels should turn freely (some light shoe to drum contact may be heard).
8. The parking brake cables have the wire strand coated with a plastic material which slides against nylon seals inside the conduit end fittings. This is for corrosion protection and reduced parking brake effort.

NOTE: Plastic coated parking brake cables do not need periodic lubrication. Handling of these cables during servicing of the parking brake system requires a little extra care. Damage to the plastic coating will reduce corrosion protection and if the damaged area passes through the seal, increased parking brake effort could result. Contact of the coating with sharp edged tools, or with sharp surfaces of the vehicle underbody, should be avoided.