Brakes

Parking Brake Adjustment

Can someone give me the down and dirty on adjusting the parking brake? I have to pull the
lever up the all the way, and the car still doesn't quite hold. I've got an '88S4 automatic. Thanks
in advance for any help.

Adam Birnbaum
'88S4 Auto


The cable adjustment is quite simple. The emergency brake cable and it's adjuster are located
under the carpeted covers between the driver seat and the door. There is a lock nut. Loosen
this and tighten the cable until you can apply the parking brake with three clicks. Then tighten
the locknut.

HTH

Kevin Berez (kaberez@mindspring.com)
'86.5 928S Auto Meteormetallic



The 928 parking brake consists of a pair of small drum brake systems inside the rear hubs.
These can be adjusted just like old drum brakes.

1) Securely chock the front wheels. Jack both rear wheels off the ground and remove them. Pry
the brake pads away from the discs only enough to be able to freely rotate the discs.

2) Release the parking brake lever and put the transmission in neutral.

3) Peer thru the hole in the face of the disc and locate the star adjuster - it will be at the back, I
think. It will look like a small cog wheel. Insert a flat-blade screwdriver thru the hole and tighten
the adjuster until you can't turn the disc, then back it off until you can just turn the disc freely,
then back off two more notches. (If you simply can't figure out what to do, you can take the rear
disc off, but that is a lot of extra work.)

4) Repeat on the other side.

5) Pull the parking brake on firmly, then release. Check to make certain that there is NO drag on
the discs.

6) Reinstall the wheels and clean your hands.

7) Remove the carpeted cover over the rear of the parking brake system.

8) Pull the lever up two notches.Loosen the lock nut, and turn the cable adjusting nut until you
can just turn the rear wheels by hand.

9) Release the lever and make sure that the wheels turn freely. Pull the lever four notches and
ensure that the wheels cannot be turned by hand.

10) Tighten lock nut and reinstall cover.

11) Firmly apply parking brake, put transmission in park/first, remove car from jacks, and remove
wheel chocks. Apply foot brake to reposition brake pads.


Wally Plumley
928 Specialists