reminder to everyone to adjust their rear brakes mini how-to
quarters
Council Member
Tools required:
12mm wrench to adjust ebrake (if required)
19mm to remove lugnuts
curved end prybar (mini one, or flat head screwdriver)
this is an EASY EASY way to really add stiffer pedal feel to your brakes. Lately i've noticed that my ebrake was soft and i had to pull it far, and that my brake pedal was travelling a bit further than normal. My front pads/rotors/calipers are new so i knew it was something in back.
my driver side was waaay back, when i pulled the ebrake handle it wouldn't even tighten up, it was all on the pass side.
1. place blocks under other rear wheel and have car in gear.
2. jack up rear wheel, put on stand. (or not, if you are me) with ebrake released
3. remove wheel
4. remove brake drum. it SHOULD just come off with some side to side action. if not... get creative, but not to creative.
5. turn the adjusting gear downward. this will push the brake shoes out. there are 2 holes in the hub you can use for leverage with your mini pry bar. you'll know when you see it.
6. keep doing it and test fitting the drum as you go. get to the point where it is tricky to get on. spin the drum a few times to make sure you didn't get any junk in the channel causing noises.
7. once you feel like it's tight but not dragging the brakes, you are good to go. put the drum back & wheel back on. you are done that one, do other side.
8. if yours was way out like mine was, the ebrake handle has about 2" of free play before tension.
9. remove little plastic cover on the floor directly below the rear ash-tray.
10. tighten 12mm nut on ebrake adjuster until you are happy with the way the ebrake feels. try to do it on a bit of a slope so you can tell how well it's working.
this was my quick 20 minute, spur of the moment brake adjustment. hence, no pictures. the rear brakes are supposed to self adjust, but rarely do. ANYONE CAN DO THIS.
pedal feels like i imagine it did from 0 miles... however i still have brake shakes! see other thread.
12mm wrench to adjust ebrake (if required)
19mm to remove lugnuts
curved end prybar (mini one, or flat head screwdriver)
this is an EASY EASY way to really add stiffer pedal feel to your brakes. Lately i've noticed that my ebrake was soft and i had to pull it far, and that my brake pedal was travelling a bit further than normal. My front pads/rotors/calipers are new so i knew it was something in back.
my driver side was waaay back, when i pulled the ebrake handle it wouldn't even tighten up, it was all on the pass side.
1. place blocks under other rear wheel and have car in gear.
2. jack up rear wheel, put on stand. (or not, if you are me) with ebrake released
3. remove wheel
4. remove brake drum. it SHOULD just come off with some side to side action. if not... get creative, but not to creative.
5. turn the adjusting gear downward. this will push the brake shoes out. there are 2 holes in the hub you can use for leverage with your mini pry bar. you'll know when you see it.
6. keep doing it and test fitting the drum as you go. get to the point where it is tricky to get on. spin the drum a few times to make sure you didn't get any junk in the channel causing noises.
7. once you feel like it's tight but not dragging the brakes, you are good to go. put the drum back & wheel back on. you are done that one, do other side.
8. if yours was way out like mine was, the ebrake handle has about 2" of free play before tension.
9. remove little plastic cover on the floor directly below the rear ash-tray.
10. tighten 12mm nut on ebrake adjuster until you are happy with the way the ebrake feels. try to do it on a bit of a slope so you can tell how well it's working.
this was my quick 20 minute, spur of the moment brake adjustment. hence, no pictures. the rear brakes are supposed to self adjust, but rarely do. ANYONE CAN DO THIS.
pedal feels like i imagine it did from 0 miles... however i still have brake shakes! see other thread.
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