Topic: Parking Brake will not hold
in Forum: C3 Handling Components
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Time for the 82 to get her annual Texas State Inspection, but my parking brake will not hold.
Problem:
Holds in reverse (even with giving a little gas)
Holds in Neutral (two of us cannot push vette forward)
Holds with rear wheels on stands and in neutral (cannot manually spin tire)
Minimal resistance in Drive (idle RPM about 650 - 700)
Adjustment:
first I replaced the main brake spring (under car where it splits to each rear wheel)
adjusted per the service manual
with wheels off the ground, adjusted star wheel until wheel locks then backed off 7 clicks
E-Brake in 13th click each wheel is locked, no way we can spin the tires
Any idea what the problem is?
Do I just need to adjust more aggressively (don't want to burn/glaze the pads or drum)
Lifetime Member #58
Our 82CE 
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Even from the factory they did not hold very well
Brian - NCM Lifetime Member
73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System
Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
Lifetime MemberModerator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
The brake should hold the car from rolling with the handle at 8-9 clicks up. It is NOT designed to stop the car under power. It is a parking brake, not a service brake that would be expected to stop the car while in motion. If the inspector you are taking it to does not understand that....take it somewhere else, or explain to them the actual function of the system. It should hold the car forward or backwards while on a slight incline while stopped.....that's all. 
Joel Adams
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France
Joined: 8/21/2002
Posts: 134
Vette(s): 1978 L48 Auto. Red with Oyster Leather interior. Owned since 1990.
I feel your pain! Back in my native UK the annual test is considerably more stringent than any US version and the rules are such that the car is tested on a slow speed rolling road and the "parking brake" is expected to bring the wheels to a halt, with the lever up no more than about 5 clicks!
That's fine for modern European cars built to those standards, but pretty hopeless for we Corvette owners. My solution was either a "friendly" tester, or, to synch it up before the test!
Here in France we have a much kinder system for "collection" cars (that is those over 30 years old, registered as "vehicules du collection", and the test is only every 5 years and is much more lenient.
That said, I spent a full day trying to reach the sweet spot between holding the car and not "dragging! I'd like to back it right off, but don't really like the idea of holding the car on the "park" pawl on anything other than a very slight incline.
|UPDATED|12/22/2017 9:19:20 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
Stephen J Irons
Corvette Club France
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Corvettes of Southern California
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Red Corvettes Have More Fun!
Corvettes of Southern California
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Well, we are inspected and cleared for another year. I remembered back in the old days with self adjusting rear breaks, after new shoes, we use to back up several times applying the brakes hard. Gave that a try and it worked. Parking Brake held. Don't know if it was just coincidental luck, but I will take it and drive another year.
Now onto the inner driver door rattle, re-aligning that annoying driver window gap and rebuilding the pulse wiper switch....oh the joys of our toys. Good think we keep the beer keg and chairs close by.
Lifetime Member #58
Our 82CE
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France
Joined: 8/21/2002
Posts: 134
Vette(s): 1978 L48 Auto. Red with Oyster Leather interior. Owned since 1990.
Congrats! Interesting tip re the reversing - I'll have to try that! 
Stephen J Irons
Corvette Club France
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Corvettes of Southern California
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Red Corvettes Have More Fun!
Corvettes of Southern California
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Red Corvettes Have More Fun!
Lifetime MemberEquinunk, PA - USA
Joined: 10/31/2007
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Vette(s): 1972 conv, 4-speed, 350, 200hp, numbers match, rally wheels, war bonnett yellow w/white top. good condition, nice driver.
👍 YUP! Backing up is the best way to get them up to snuff. Done it many times.
in Forum: C3 Handling Components
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