Parking Brake adjustment

[Hook_'em_Horns!]

Most other brands have an access for adjustment. The dealer says, on my '05 3500 they have to pull the axle and rotors to adjust and at that point since they're there they just replace instead of adjusting. Over $500 to have a parking brake? :eek:

[cowboywildbill]

I adjusted our 02 GMC 3500 parking brakes. If I remember correctly, It had oval plugs in the backing plates just like earlier drum brakes with star wheel adjusters on the shoes. Because the parking brakes are shoes that are in drums that are part of the rotor assembly.
I had replaced rotors, but I think I did the p brakes adjustment after re-assembly.
It isn't that hard to pull the rear rotors,if you have to. If you are handy it shouldn't be hard if you have to pull them. Check for tourque specs and replace the rear axel seals if you do pull them and recheck the rear diff level. $500 is a lot for an adjustment.

[Hook_'em_Horns!]

Thanks for the response. I will inspect further when I get the truck back, I wonder if a change was made for ’05 and if so, why? In the book, GM is stating a complete breakdown for adjustment.

[cowboywildbill]

Your welcome. If I remember, the adjustment knock out plug is on the top of the backing plate? I have some special brake spoons and heated and bent screw drivers for getting at some of those adjustments. I don't think a conventional spoon will work. It is tight to get into the adjuster slot. A little heat and a straight screwdriver bent and twisted at the correct angles should work. It is a pain, but can be done. One problem is common, that is the star adjusters may be frozen. Good luck

[YZF1R]

On my '02 the passenger side oval knockout is on the top. This one is hard to adjust. On the drivers side it's on the bottom. And yes, the manual does state to disassemble. They have you measure the inside of the rotors and then the outside accross the brake shoes to set the adjustment. Your supposed to allow for such and such a difference or clearance. The only reason I can think of as to why they have you do it this way is because there is no equalizer on the cables where the one coming back from the cab splits into the two cables, one going to each side. I guess it's hard to adjust them to get them to come on equally doing it the old way as there is no equalizer. Guess that saved about a dollar in production costs. Like the under hood light that was missing after '02.

Anyway, I do it the old way through the knockouts. It just may not work quite as well as with measuring.

Steve