Blizz944

Hi guys,
This is my first post here at Rennlist. I'm having a problem with my e-brake. When I park the '44 I put it in neutral and pull the e-brake up all the way. I started having a problem with the car rolling if it was on any kind of slope. I usually leave it in neutral out of habit. I used to have a car with a turbo and turbo-timer, which required the car being left in neutral. Anyway, I had the bright idea of leaving the car in gear and pulling the e-brake. Why didn't I think of that sooner? This seemed to help on the small slopes, but the car still rolls on steep slopes. What do I need to fix? Do I need to replace the e-brake shoes? Or do I need to adjust the e-brake cable? Are either of those pretty simple that I can do myself? Now for my final question. When the e-brake is pulled as far as it will go it sticks up past the seat. Can I adjust this so that it doesn't protrude above the seat? I'm a big guy and when getting in and out the thing is in the way. And sometimes I hit my ankle on it. Thankyou guys for your time and help. I hope to learn alot about my new toy here.

craig001

I don't know if all years are the same, but it sounds like you need to get the back of the car up and adjust the shoes. There is a star wheel adjuster behind a rubber plug (or supposed to be)on the backing plates. You take a screwdriver and give the spin the adjuster until the wheels don't spin anymore and then back the adjuster off so the wheels spin freely. This is the short version. You also need to adjust the hand brake so that it locks the wheels at three or four clicks. The parking brake pads should last a long time. You could always take it all apart if you were really motivated I suppose. Check a Haynes manual out to get all the details. I can't find mine and my brain is foggy from a late night flight.

IceShark

Yeah, look at the shoes first and adjust. In our cars you will notice that something is wrong if you try and back up with the EBrake on. But starting forward you may not notice all that much until you smell the brakes cooking. So someone may have driven quite a ways with them on and worn them down.

Other thing is that the cable can stretch so may need to adjust it.

Ben Plaisted

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by IceShark:
<strong>starting forward you may not notice all that much until you smell the brakes cooking. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I found this to be true the first week I had my car. I wasn't use to the E-brake near the door and forgot to unlock it. About a mile later I had a smell that you dont forget and a little smoke show in the back nothing serious though.

Alfletch

What was the fix? I am having the same problem and have dismantled the braking system. The only thing left for me to do is change the cable, which I plan to do. The reasoning is that the cable has stretched!!! I would have thought the adjustments would take care of that. It may have lost its tensile strength.

AndyK

If your car STILL rolls if you leave it in gear, you have more problems than just the e-brake! Your car should stay put in gear. Otherwise, the clutch might be slipping...?

Alfletch

The car stays put in gear. So the handbrake still exists.