Adjustment - Parking Brake

This vehicle uses a bent nail type park brake cable tension equalizer. See Fig 1. 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 cable adjustment procedure.

Fig 1: Bent Nail Park Brake Cable Tension Equalizer

Courtesy of DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP.

1. Remove the center floor console. (Refer to BODY/INTERIOR/FLOOR CONSOLE - REMOVAL)
2. Lower park brake lever handle.
3. 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. See Fig 2.
   Fig 2: Park Brake Lever Output Cable Adjustment Nut

   Courtesy of DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP.

   1 - ADJUSTING NUT

   2 - PARK BRAKE LEVER

   3 - PARK BRAKE LEVER OUTPUT CABLE

   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.
4. Using a screwdriver, unlatch the park brake output cable retainer. Then remove cable retainer from park brake cable tension equalizer. See Fig 3.
   Fig 3: Output Cable To Equalizer Retaining Clip

   Courtesy of DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP.

   1 - SCREWDRIVER

   2 - PARK BRAKE LEVER OUTPUT CABLE

   3 - CABLE RETAINER

   4 - REAR PARK BRAKE CABLES

   5 - PARK BRAKE CABLE TENSION EQUALIZER

5. Remove the park brake cable tension equalizer from the park brake lever output cable and the rear park brake cables. See Fig 4.
   Fig 4: Park Brake Cable Tension Equalizer

   Courtesy of DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP.

   1 - PARK BRAKE CABLE TENSION EQUALIZER

   2 - PARK BRAKE MECHANISM

   3 - PARK BRAKE LEVER OUTPUT CABLE

   4 - PARK BRAKE LEVER

   5 - REAR PARK BRAKE CABLES

   CAUTION: A new cable tension equalizer must be installed when adjusting park brake cable tension.
6. Install a NEW  park brake cable tension equalizer on the park brake lever output cable and rear park brake cables. See Fig 4.
   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.
7. 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. See Fig 5.
   Fig 5: Cable Retainer Installed On Tension Equalizer

   Courtesy of DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP.

   1 - REAR PARK BRAKE CABLES

   2 - CABLE RETAINING CLIP

   3 - PARKING BRAKE MECHANISM OUTPUT CABLE

   4 - PARK BRAKE MECHANISM

   5 - PARK BRAKE CABLE TENSION EQUALIZER

8. Adjust cable tension for the parking brake system using the following steps.
   1. Position park brake lever so it is in the fully released position.
   2. Tighten the adjusting nut on the parking brake lever output cable until 26 millimeters of thread is out past top edge of adjustment nut. See Fig 6.
   3. Actuate the parking brake lever to its fully applied position (15 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.
   Fig 6: Parking Brake Adjustment

   Courtesy of DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP.

   1 - BENT NAIL

   2 - ADJUSTING NUT

   3 - PARKING BRAKE LEVER

   4 - PARKING BRAKE CABLE TENSION EQUALIZER

9. Check the rear wheels of the vehicle; they should rotate freely without dragging.
10. 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 15 clicks of lever travel possible.
11. Install the center floor console. (Refer to BODY/INTERIOR/FLOOR CONSOLE - INSTALLATION)