Parking Brake Lever Stroke Check And Adjustment
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2005 Dodge Stratus and 2005 Chrysler Sebring. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
- Pull the parking brake lever with a force of approximately 196 N (44 pounds) and count the number of notches.
Standard value:
5 - 7 notches < Vehicles with drum brake >
3 - 5 notches < Vehicles with drum-in-disc brake >
- If the parking brake lever stroke is not the standard value, adjust as described below.
Remove the floor console cup tray or arm rest assembly, loosen the adjusting nut as far as the end of the cable rod to release the cable.
- For vehicles with drum brake, start the engine. Depress the brake pedal repeatedly until the stroke no longer changes.NOTE: Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly will automatically adjust the shoe clearance to the normal setting.
- For vehicles with drum-in-disc brake, remove the adjustment hole plug, and then use a flat-tip screwdriver to turn the adjuster in the direction of the arrow shown in illustration (the direction which expands the shoe) so that the disc will not rotate. Return the adjuster five notches in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow shown in illustration.
CAUTION: If the parking brake lever stroke is below the standard value and the braking is too firm, the rear brakes may drag.
- Turn the adjusting nut to adjust the parking brake lever stroke to the standard value. After adjusting, check that there is no space between the adjusting nut and the parking brake lever.
- After adjusting the parking brake lever stroke, jack up the rear of the vehicle. Release the parking brake and turn the rear wheels to check that the rear brakes are not dragging.