Parking brake won't stop TJ on a slight incline

[mrblaine]

Two ideas:
Are the drums clean of oil and grease? It's common to have an axle seal leak and gum up the brakes.

Typically gear oil makes the parking brake shoes and normal drum brake shoes very grabby and they actually work better but in a non linear fashion.

I like to pull the parking brake up three clicks and then tighten the wheels until I can just barely force that hub to turn. That means it is starting to engage around one or two clicks in.

Why stop there? Why not 3 clicks, 4, 5, 6, even 7 clicks up from the bottom? Accomplishes the same thing which is adding slack into system and delaying onset of the parking brake when you pull up on the handle. But no, it is not starting to actually engage 1 or 2 clicks up.

You want as much ability to set the shoes as possible with as much force as the system is able to develop easily. Adding slack does nothing for you especially if you forget to fully release the parking brake, drive on it, and then need it to work again very soon after. Don't build slack into something that doesn't need it and does you no good.

 

[mrblaine]

In case it wasn't clear, back off the adjuster under the tub first until there is slack in the cables. You can test for slack by pulling down on the splitter. If there is slack, you will see the cables move. Then you adjust the shoes at the backing plates. Then go back and remove the slack at the splitter.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

What is the typical lifespan of parking brake shoes on a disc TJ?

I've turned my adjusters until they won't turn anymore and have no discernible drag above what I had like 30 clicks ago. I've turned both in the direction stated by the FSM, which is tool handle moving upward. Parking brake just starts to engage with lever fully up. It'll hold on the very slightest of inclines but that's it.

About 85k miles on the axle.

 

[Steel City 06]

What is the typical lifespan of parking brake shoes on a disc TJ?

I've turned my adjusters until they won't turn anymore and have no discernible drag above what I had like 30 clicks ago. I've turned both in the direction stated by the FSM, which is tool handle moving upward. Parking brake just starts to engage with lever fully up. It'll hold on the very slightest of inclines but that's it.

About 85k miles on the axle.

Which adjusters are you using? There is one in each drum plus the common one under the tub.
I replaced my shoes a few days ago and had to take slack out once the new shoes were installed.

From what I can see, there's really nothing stopping the in-drum adjusters from being over tightened, at which point they could separate and fall inside the drum. So you wouldn't want to adjust those too far.

It's also possible your cable is stretched, especially if you've also run out of adjustment under the tub.

 

[mrblaine]

Which adjusters are you using? There is one in each drum plus the common one under the tub.
I replaced my shoes a few days ago and had to take slack out once the new shoes were installed.

From what I can see, there's really nothing stopping the in-drum adjusters from being over tightened, at which point they could separate and fall inside the drum. So you wouldn't want to adjust those too far.

It's also possible your cable is stretched, especially if you've also run out of adjustment under the tub.

I'd have to play with it but I'll bet good money that unless you have managed to adjust them all the way out, ground some of the steel backing plate away and then did that a few more times, the adjuster won't be able to be screwed out far enough to fall apart.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Which adjusters are you using? There is one in each drum plus the common one under the tub.
I replaced my shoes a few days ago and had to take slack out once the new shoes were installed.

From what I can see, there's really nothing stopping the in-drum adjusters from being over tightened, at which point they could separate and fall inside the drum. So you wouldn't want to adjust those too far.

It's also possible your cable is stretched, especially if you've also run out of adjustment under the tub.

The adjusters inside the parking brake drum. I'm not familiar enough with them to know why the adjuster would stop before shoes make contact, but it won't turn any more.

I'm following the procedure of backing off the cables, turning the star wheel until I feel drag, then taking almost all but not all of the slack out of the cables. Only the adjusters have stopped and still no more drag than it started with.

Parking brake shoes are like $15 on Amazon so I guess I'll start there, and if there's something else wrong I'll find it while I have it apart.

 

[Steel City 06]

The adjusters inside the parking brake drum. I'm not familiar enough with them to know why the adjuster would stop before shoes make contact, but it won't turn any more.

I'm following the procedure of backing off the cables, turning the star wheel until I feel drag, then taking almost all but not all of the slack out of the cables. Only the adjusters have stopped and still no more drag than it started with.

Parking brake shoes are like $15 on Amazon so I guess I'll start there, and if there's something else wrong I'll find it while I have it apart.

Try the main adjuster under the tub. Look on the underside of the floor right behind the skid plate. There should be a lot of room to make adjustments there. The star wheels are more to balance side-to-side if I recall correctly.

If you do replace the shoes, pick up a parking brake hardware kit, especially if there is a high probability of rust or a lot of dirt. Comes with new springs, retainers, and star wheel adjusters.

 

[Jamison C]

You don't adjust it so you can get the rotor on and off. You adjust it with the tire on and in the air turning the tire by hand until you get a slight drag. This is done with slack at the splitter under the tub and the parking brake handle all the way down. After that is done at both sides, move to the splitter and pull down on it and watch the end of the cables at the backing plate. The goal is to remove ALL of the slack but not add any tension to the cables.

Once that is done and it is able to be driven, go for a short drive slowly. Lift the parking brake handle without releasing the button and apply and release the parking brake several times to bed the shoes to the drum.

Take it back and adjust the parking brake shoes at the wheels again the same way and remove the slack in the cables again. That will make it all work just fine.

In case it wasn't clear, back off the adjuster under the tub first until there is slack in the cables. You can test for slack by pulling down on the splitter. If there is slack, you will see the cables move. Then you adjust the shoes at the backing plates. Then go back and remove the slack at the splitter.

Thanks for this. I used your method on my last TJ and it worked perfect. I actually planned on doing this today but forgot the steps.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Either I'm failing at reading comprehension or my adjusters are in backward, but mine tighten exactly the opposite direction as what is described in the FSM. It specifically says "tool handle upward", which in a prying motion would mean the tool end and star wheel are going downward. But mine are going out when I pry the star wheel up, and my screwdriver handle is going down.

Seems my brake shoes are fine after all and I now I get 4 clicks giving it all I've got.

 

[T A]

Did my first brake job over the holiday! Thanks for all the help and advice. New rear drum shoes are in place and adjusted! Ebrake is a solid 3 clicks now. Now to the front......