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rear disc parking brake adjustment

amfw

Full Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
522
Hey all, my parking brake is entirely non functional. Doesn't bother me a whole heck of a lot, but I need it operational in order to get my inspection sticker. Ive identified the read brakes as the popular cadillac eldorado discs, and I've watched a video that more or less shows how its done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te_lioJNw3g&t=547s

anything I should be looking out for? I think i just need a pep talk ;D
 

Spaggyroe

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Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
284
They're easy to adjust, and it affects more than just the e-brake function. They need to be kept in adjustment for the hydraulic brake system to work well too. If they are out of adjustment, your pedal will want to go to the floor. It's no different than if you had rear drum brakes that were way out of adjustment.
 
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amfw

amfw

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Nov 10, 2008
Messages
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They're easy to adjust, and it affects more than just the e-brake function. They need to be kept in adjustment for the hydraulic brake system to work well too. If they are out of adjustment, your pedal will want to go to the floor. It's no different than if you had rear drum brakes that were way out of adjustment.

thanks! Looks easy enough... So you're saying the E-brake adjustment is really just a brake adjustment? The braking seems to be excellent (good stopping power, and no pedal going to the floor)
 

Jeff10

Contributor
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Feb 20, 2011
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Hi amfw,

Thanks for posting this. The parking brake hasn't worked the Bronco for as long as I have had it. It is a disc conversion, although I'm not sure of the donor vehicle.

I wanted one shop to take a look at it when some other work was done; but, thought it could be a can of worms and didn't attempt it. The video is pretty straight forward.

One thing that would make me cuss a little less would be to use a pair of vice grips when re-attaching the cable to the bracket.

Let us know how yours goes.

Jeff
 

Spaggyroe

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Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
284
thanks! Looks easy enough... So you're saying the E-brake adjustment is really just a brake adjustment? The braking seems to be excellent (good stopping power, and no pedal going to the floor)

Yeah, basically. The mechanical adjustment of the e-brake moves the pads in closer to the rotor.

Think of it like turning star adjuster in a drum brake system, to move the shoes out closer to the drum. If there is excessive room between the shoes and the drum, the brake pedal has to travel further to fill the wheel cylinders with enough fluid to expand the shoes to the point that they'll grab on the drum.

The exact same thing can happen with the caddy calipers. They do need to be adjusted occasionally (they don't always auto-adjust very well). People have misunderstood this for years and is why caddy rear calipers have had a bad rap in the past.
 
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amfw

amfw

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Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
522
Hi amfw,

Thanks for posting this. The parking brake hasn't worked the Bronco for as long as I have had it. It is a disc conversion, although I'm not sure of the donor vehicle.

I wanted one shop to take a look at it when some other work was done; but, thought it could be a can of worms and didn't attempt it. The video is pretty straight forward.

One thing that would make me cuss a little less would be to use a pair of vice grips when re-attaching the cable to the bracket.

Let us know how yours goes.

Jeff

Glad I was able to provide a resource for you! I know that personally, I have read through many threads that are at least a decade old, so I try my best to leave something of value, even if I am just looking for info or encouragement.

I will certainly update after I tackle it, though it may not be today. After 5 days of 90 plus degree weather where i kept telling myself its too hot to work on the truck, now its too nice not to drive it :)
 

SteveL

Huge chevy guy
Joined
Jun 24, 2001
Messages
11,614
Loc.
Hawthorne ca
On many of these rebuilt calipers they don't go thru the e-brake mechanism. There are more u-tube videos that show the process of cleaning and adjusting the internals. I would do that before installing the calipers.
 

phred

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One thing that most people miss is often they pads are incorrect. The correct pad has a little stud on the back side that fits into a slot in the piston. Without the stud locked into the piston is will spin back into a neutral position and make the e-brake useless and the rear brakes marginal at best.
 

Spaggyroe

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Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
284
One thing that most people miss is often they pads are incorrect. The correct pad has a little stud on the back side that fits into a slot in the piston. Without the stud locked into the piston is will spin back into a neutral position and make the e-brake useless and the rear brakes marginal at best.


This is a KEY point, and I forgot to mention it. Thanks Phred! :cool:

The Caddy Eldorado calipers use D122 pads. Below is an image showing the pin in the center.

Some parts stores will tell you that the standard GM D52 pad will fit (and technically it does) but it doesn't have the pin, so they aren't suitable for e-brake use.
 

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amfw

amfw

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awesome, thanks for all the info! I'll definitely peek closer at all the components before I go straight to adjusting. This is the setup that was on the truck when I bought it, so still learning exactly what its got as I go along.
 

Rumcustom

Jr. Member
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Jan 24, 2019
Messages
98
I'll add that you need to make sure that your ebrake cable is adjusted properly where it connects to the two rear cables. You said that your hydraulic braking was fine, just weak on the ebrake side. Maybe you need to tighten up the adjustment where your front cable connects to the two rear cables as well.
 

SHX669

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 9, 2009
Messages
1,997
I found the Caddy Disc brake setup to be a PIA to initally adjust but once I did I havent had any issues. You have to connect and USE your E Brake to keep the calipers adjusted.
 
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amfw

amfw

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522
This is a KEY point, and I forgot to mention it. Thanks Phred! :cool:

The Caddy Eldorado calipers use D122 pads. Below is an image showing the pin in the center.

Some parts stores will tell you that the standard GM D52 pad will fit (and technically it does) but it doesn't have the pin, so they aren't suitable for e-brake use.

Do you (or anyone else) have a link or particular brand that is good? The only thing I am coming up with locally (that definitively says D122) looks like a Duralast ceramic pad... wouldn't be be my first choice, but if its my only choice, so be it.
 

Spaggyroe

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Dec 9, 2019
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Do you (or anyone else) have a link or particular brand that is good? The only thing I am coming up with locally (that definitively says D122) looks like a Duralast ceramic pad... wouldn't be be my first choice, but if its my only choice, so be it.

Here's a link to organic D122's if you want to go that route.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/agb-pg-d122

I don't believe anyone makes D122's in a semi-metallic compound.


I believe mine are loaded with the ceramics.
 
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amfw

amfw

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Here's a link to organic D122's if you want to go that route.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/agb-pg-d122

I don't believe anyone makes D122's in a semi-metallic compound.


I believe mine are loaded with the ceramics.


Thank you. I'm probably gonna go with the ceramic as well, as it seems like the better choice of material. The fronts need to be done too (passenger side just started squeaking)
 

SteveL

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11,614
Loc.
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Thank you. I'm probably gonna go with the ceramic as well, as it seems like the better choice of material. The fronts need to be done too (passenger side just started squeaking)

Time for the t-bird caliper swap up front.
 
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amfw

amfw

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Time for the t-bird caliper swap up front.

(runs to computer and googles thunderbird caliper swap...)

I didn't know that was a thing.... I'm pretty impressed with the braking performance compared to my '76, so hadn't really considered any upgrades.

And,I actually haven't ID'd the front brakes yet. I have a 74 with discs up front, so I was working on the assumption that most people just swap in a later model bronco setup.
 

gr8scott

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so I was working on the assumption that most people just swap in a later model bronco setup.

That would require swapping steering knuckles on out. The simpler method is the Chevy disk brake conversion. Pretty easy to ID.
If they slide on pins like my picture below, they're Chevy. If they slide on the knuckle, they're Ford.
 

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amfw

amfw

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That would require swapping steering knuckles on out. The simpler method is the Chevy disk brake conversion. Pretty easy to ID.
If they slide on pins like my picture below, they're Chevy. If they slide on the knuckle, they're Ford.


Awesome, thank you! I like to have pics befire I get into the whole thing, saves time. It's stupid hot here, but I've got the jack and stands ready. Really want to get this done.
 
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amfw

amfw

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b30fed474d14852936373295dd80c2b9.jpg

db7ea64740c4bd974968929ee81037b1.jpg

That's what I'm looking at... So, Chevy then?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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