Parking Brake System: Adjustments

Bent Nail Park Brake Cable Tension Equalizer:

This vehicle uses a bent nail type park brake cable tension equalizer. The bent nail tension equalizer it to be used only one time to set the park brake cable tension. If the park brake cables require adjustment during the life of the vehicle, a NEW tension equalizer MUST be installed before doing the park brake cable tension. If the park brake cables require adjustment during the life of the vehicle, a NEW tension equalizer MUST be installed before doing the park cable adjustment procedure.

Center Console Rear Attaching Screws:

1. Remove the 3 screws attaching the rear of the center console.

Shift Knob Retaining Screw:

2. If vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission remove the shift knob from the shifter. The gear shift knob is attached to the shifter using a set screw. Access to the set screw is from the front of the shift knob and is removed using a 2 mm allen wrench.
3. If the vehicle is equipped with a manual transmission remove the gearshift knob and shifter boot using the following procedure.

Gearshift Knob:

^ Push shifter boot down to expose clips on gearshift knob and roll pin on shifter handle.
^ Pry the clips on the shifter knob away from the roll pin in the shifter handle using a flat blade pry tool.

Gearshift Knob Removal:

^ Remove the shifter knob from the shifter handle, by pulling the shifter knob straight up.

Boot Removal:

^ Remove the shifter boot from the center console. Shifter boot is removed by squeezing the bezel together at the base of the shifter boot and pulling upward on the boot.

Center Console Front Attaching Screws (Automatic):

Center Console Attaching Screws (Manual):

4. Remove the 2 screws attaching the front of the center console to the gear selector or shifter.
5. Raise the park brake hand lever to approximately the half way point or its travel. This will provide the required clearance to remove center console.
6. Remove center console/arm rest from vehicle.
7. Lower park brake lever handle.

Park Brake Lever Output Cable Adjustment Nut:

8. Loosen adjusting nut on park brake cable output cable. This will take tension off output cable, allowing it to be easily removed from tension equalizer.

CAUTION: Discard output cable retaining clip after removing it from park brake cable tension equalizer. Retainer is not to be re-used, a new retainer is to be installed when attaching output cable to tension equalizer.

Output Cable To Equalizer Retaining Clip:

9. Using a screwdriver unlatch the park brake output cable retainer. Then remove cable retainer from park brake cable tension equalizer.

Park Brake Cable Tension Equalizer:

10. Remove the park brake cable tension equalizer from the park brake lever output cable and the rear park brake cables.

CAUTION: A new cable tension equalizer must be installed when adjusting park brake cable tension.

11. Install a NEW park brake cable tension equalizer on the park brake lever output cable and rear park brake cables.

CAUTION: A new park brake lever output cable retainer must be used when installing output cable on cable tension equalizer. Cable retainer usage is required to ensure output cable can not separate from tension equalizer.

Cable Retainer Installed On Tension Equalizer:

12. Install a new park brake lever output cable to tension equalizer retaining clip on tension equalizer. The cable retainer must be closed and securely latched.
13. Adjust cable tension for the parking brake system using the following steps.
^ Position park brake lever so it is in the fully released position.

Park Brake Lever Output Cable Adjustment:

^ On vehicles with REAR DRUM BRAKES, tighten the adjusting nut on the parking brake lever output cable until 12 mm of thread is out past top edge of adjustment nut.

Parking Brake Adjustment (Rear Disc Brakes):

^ On vehicles with REAR DISC BRAKES, tighten the adjusting nut on the parking brake lever output cable until 26 mm of thread is out past top edge of adjustment nut.
^ Actuate the parking brake lever to its fully applied position (22 clicks) 1 time and then reposition the lever to its fully released position.

NOTE: Actuating the parking brake lever to its fully applied position one time after tightening the adjustment nut will yield (stretch) the bent nail portion of the tension equalizer approximately 1/4 inch. This process will correctly set the parking brake cable tension.

14. Check the rear wheels of the vehicle; they should rotate freely without dragging.
15. After the park brake cable tension has been properly adjusted, check for free play in park brake lever. Park brake hand lever should feel firm at all clicks, with a maximum of 21 clicks of lever travel possible.
16. Install the 2 screws attaching the front of the center console.
17. Install screws attaching rear of center console assembly to console bracket.
18. Install the shifter boot or PRNDL plate back in the center console.
19. Install the shift knob on the shifter.