How to adjust parking brake

Remove the parking brake lever cover and get access to the liver and nut .... tight the nut with a tool and check the efficiency of parking brake.
It is a very easy process and should not take more than 15 mins. You might save at-least 50 $-70 $.
If it is still not working properly than your brake pads might have worn out and you should consider changing them , because it will also wear out the drums.

Here's how to change brakes.Here's the disc.

You need to adjust the park brake cable or replace it.

Do check the rear brakes but below is some help as far as adjusting the cable the proper way. Per specs after all is done your parking brake should be correct as you pull up the lever after 4 - 8 clicks. Hope this helps....

The Caliper Adjustment Lever is what adjusts the caliper - ensuring the brakes pads are in proper placement to the rotor for effective braking. The lever must be cycled in order to keep the calipers adjusted properly. The only way the lever is cycled, is by the usage of the e-brake.




Remove the cable from the Caliper Lever. Be careful when handling and removing the spring.



The Caliper Adjustment Lever is what adjusts the caliper - ensuring the brakes pads are in proper placement to the rotor for effective braking. The lever must be cycled in order to keep the calipers adjusted properly. The only way the lever is cycled, is by the usage of the e-brake.

Initial testing: After you have removed the ebrake cable - kneel in front of the rotor and give it a gentle shake (as if you were removing it). Do you notice any PLAY between the pads & rotor?? Make note of this.

For the TSM kit caliper adjustment instructions - visit here: Troubleshooting.htm#2 and click on "Adjust Caliper Parking Brake".

Good luck.

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
It is a good idea to only disassemble and assemble one side at a time, leaving the other side intact as a reference.

1. Raise and support the vehicle safely.
2. Remove the brake drum.
3. Disconnect the parking brake rear cable and conduit.
4. Remove the brake shoe hold-down springs and brake shoe hold-down pins.
5. Remove the brake shoe adjusting screw spring.
6. Remove the brake shoe adjusting lever and adjuster screw.
7. Remove the brake shoe retracting spring.
8. Remove the brake shoes from the backing plate.
9. Remove and discard the parking brake lever clip. Remove the washer.
10. Remove the parking brake lever from the rear brake shoe.

To install:

1. Thoroughly clean the backing plate with brake cleaning solvent and dry completely.
2. Use silicone grease to lubricate the brake backing plate-to-brake shoe contact areas.
3. Apply a light coating of premium grease to the threaded areas of the adjuster. Turn the adjuster in and out to spread the lubricant. Turn the adjuster all the way down on the screw and loosen one-half turn.
4. Install the parking brake lever to the rear (secondary) brake shoe with a new clip.
5. Position the brake shoes on the backing plate and install the brake shoe hold-down springs.
6. Attach the parking brake rear cable and conduit to the parking brake lever.
7. Attach the brake shoe retracting spring.

The socket end of the brake adjuster screw is stamped with "R" or "L" to indicate that it is to be installed either on the right (passenger's side) or left (driver's side) of the vehicle. The adjuster nuts can be distinguished by the number of grooves machined around the body of the nut. Two grooves indicate a right-hand adjuster nut and one groove indicates a left-hand adjuster nut. Another way to identify brake adjuster assemblies is to check thread pitch. The right side adjuster assembly has right-hand threads and the left side has left-hand threads. If installed correctly, the brake adjuster assembly will increase in length when the brake shoe adjusting lever is operated.

1. Install brake adjuster screw in the slots on the brake shoes. The wider slot on the socket end must fit in the slot on the front (primary) brake shoe.
2. Install the brake shoe adjusting lever on the lever pin.
3. Install the brake adjusting screw in the slot on the secondary brake shoe and in the slot on the brake shoe lever. The brake shoe adjusting lever should contact the brake adjuster screw.
4. Adjust the brake shoes.
5. Install the drums.

ADJUSTMENTS

The drum brakes are self-adjusting and require a manual adjustment only after the brake shoes have been replaced, or when the length of the adjusting screw has been changed while performing some other service operation.
Drum Installed

1. Raise and support the vehicle safely.
2. Remove the rubber plug from the adjusting slot on the backing plate.
3. Insert a Brake Adjustment Tool (D81L-1103-C) or equivalent into the slot and engage the lowest possible tooth on the starwheel. Move the end of the brake spoon downward to move the starwheel upward and expand the adjusting screw. Repeat this operation until the brakes lock the wheels.
4. Insert a small screwdriver or piece of firm wire (coat hanger wire) into the adjusting slot and push the automatic adjusting lever out and free of the starwheel on the adjusting screw and hold it there.
5. Engage the topmost tooth possible on the starwheel with the brake adjusting spoon. Move the end of the adjusting spoon upward to move the adjusting screw starwheel downward and contract the adjusting screw. Back off the adjusting screw starwheel until the wheel spins freely with a minimum of drag. Keep track of the number of turns that the starwheel is backed off, or the number of strokes taken with the brake adjusting spoon.
6. Repeat this operation for the other side. When backing off the brakes on the other side, the starwheel adjuster must be backed off the same number of turns to prevent side-to-side brake pull.
7. When the brakes are adjusted, make several stops while backing the vehicle to equalize the brakes on both of the wheels.
8. Lower the vehicle.

Drum Removed
See Figure 2

Fig. Fig. 2: When using a brake adjustment gauge, first measure the inside diameter of the drum (top) and then adjust the brakes shoes to the proper outside diameter (bottom)

1. Remove the brake drum.
2. Make sure that the shoe-to-contact pad areas are clean and properly lubricated.
3. Using a Brake Adjustment Gauge (D81L-1103-A) or equivalent, check the inside diameter of the drum.
4. Measure across the diameter of the assembled brake shoes, at their widest point.
5. Turn the adjusting screw so that the diameter of the shoes is 0.030 in. (0.76mm) less than the brake drum inner diameter.
6. Install the drum.

INSPECTION

See Figure 3

Fig. Fig. 3: Measure brake shoe thickness in several places around the shoe
Inspect the brake shoes for wear using a ruler or Vernier caliper. Compare measurements to the brake specifications chart. If the lining is thinner than specification or there is evidence of the lining being contaminated by brake fluid or oil, replace all brake pad assemblies (a complete axle set).

Brake Shoes Removal & Installation Duo-Servo Type To Remove:

1. Raise the vehicle and support it safely.
2. Remove the tire and wheel assembly.
3. Remove the brake drums.
4. Using a brake tool, remove the shoe return springs.
5. Remove the shoe guide.
6. Remove the hold-down springs and pins.
7. Remove the actuator lever and pivot.
8. Remove the lever return spring.
9. Remove the actuator link, parking brake strut, spring retaining ring.
10. Remove the parking brake lever and washer.
11. Remove the shoe assemblies.
12. Remove the adjuster screw and spring from the shoe assembly.

To Install:

1. Use brake cleaning fluid to remove dirt from the brake drum. Check the drums for scoring, cracks and for out-of-round; service the drums as necessary.
2. Check the wheel cylinders by carefully pulling the lower edges of the wheel cylinder boots away from the cylinders. If there is excessive leakage, the inside of the cylinder will drip fluid; repair or replace as necessary.
3. Check the flange plate, which is located around the axle, for leakage of differential lubricant.
4. Lightly lubricate the parking brake cable, parking brake lever where it enters the shoe and the backing plate-to-shoe contact points. Use high temperature, waterproof, grease or special brake lube.
5. Install the parking brake lever into the secondary shoe with the attaching bolt, spring washer, lockwasher, and nut. It is important that the lever move freely before the shoe is attached. Move the assembly and check for proper action.
6. Lubricate the adjusting screw and make sure it works freely.
7. Connect the adjuster screw and spring to the bottom portion of both shoes. Ensure the spring does not interfere with the adjuster rotation when installed. The primary (smaller shoe pad area) to the front and secondary shoe (larger shoe pad area) to the rear of the vehicle.
8. Install the shoe assembly. Ensuring the shoe webs are positioned correctly against the wheel cylinder.
9. Install the parking brake cable.
10. Secure the primary shoes with the hold-down pin and spring.
11. Install the parking brake strut and the strut spring.
12. Install the actuator lever and pivot, securing the assembly with the hold-down pin and spring. Install the actuator link and spring.
13. Install the return springs.
14. Check the operation of the self-adjusting mechanism by moving the actuating lever by hand.
15. Adjust the brakes and install the drum.
16. Adjust the parking brake.
17. Install the tire and wheel assembly.
18. Lower the vehicle.

Leading-Trailing Type To Remove:

1. Raise the vehicle and support it safely.
2. Remove the tire and wheel assembly.
3. Remove the brake drums.
4. Raise the lever arm of the actuator until the upper end is clear of the slot in the adjuster screw.
5. Slide the actuator off the adjuster pin. Disconnect the actuator spring from the shoe.
6. Remove the hold-down spring assemblies and pins.
7. Pull the bottom ends of the shoes apart and lift the lower return spring over the anchor plate. Allow the shoe ends to come together and remove the spring.
8. Remove the shoe assembly, along with the upper return spring and the adjusting screw assembly.
9. Remove the upper return spring and the adjusting screw assembly from the shoes.
10. Remove the retaining ring, pin, spring washer, and parking brake lever.

Typical rear drum brake assembly (Leading/Trailing type)

To Install:

1. Clean adjuster wheel and the backing plates with a suitable cleaner. Lubricate the backing plate contact points, levers and adjuster with a suitable lubricant.
2. Assemble the parking lever, spring washer (concave side facing the brake lever), pin, and retaining ring onto the rearward shoe.
3. Install the adjuster pin in the forward shoe with the pin projecting 0.276 in. (7mm) from the side of the shoe web where the adjuster actuator is installed.
4. With the brake shoes resting on a flat surface (the shoe with the parking lever to the rear of the vehicle), install the upper return spring.
5. Install the adjuster screw assembly with the spring clip facing the backing plate.
6. Place the shoes in position on the backing plate. Do not place the lower shoe webs under the anchor plate.
7. Install the lower return spring, spread the bottom of the shoes and position the shoe against the backing plate.
8. Install the hold-down pins and spring assemblies.
9. Install the adjuster actuator over the end of the adjuster pin so the top leg engages the notch in the adjuster screw.
10. Install the actuator spring, being careful not to over-stretch it more than 3.27 in. (83mm).
11. Install the parking brake cable to the lever.
12. Adjust the parking brake if the shoes will not totally retract.
13. Install the drum, tire and wheel assembly. Adjust the rear brakes and lower the vehicle.

Doe's the back brakes work? Is number 7 and 15 hooked up right? If they are. Try backing up and hitting brakes, This will tigjhten them up.
1 – SUPPORT PLATE
2 – RETURN SPRING
3 – ANCHOR PLATE
4 – RETURN SPRING
5 – CABLE GUIDE
6 – PARKING BRAKE LEVER
7 – ADJUSTER CABLE AND SPRING
8 – SHOE RETAINER, SPRING AND PIN
9 – SECONDARY SHOE AND LINING
10 – LEVER SPRING
11 – ADJUSTER LEVER
12 – ADJUSTER SCREW ASSEMBLY
13 – SHOE SPRING
14 – PRIMARY SHOE AND LINING
15 – PARKING BRAKE STRUT AND SPRING

Ford Full-Size Vans 1989-1996 Repair Guide
Brake Shoes - REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Light Duty Systems

1. Raise and support the vehicle and remove the wheel and brake drum from the wheel to be worked on.

If you have never replaced the brakes on a van before and you are not too familiar with the procedures involved, only dissemble and assemble one side at a time, leaving the other side intact as a reference during reassembly.

1. Install a clamp over the ends of the wheel cylinder to prevent the pistons of the wheel cylinder from coming out, causing loss of fluid and much grief.
2. Contract the brake shoes by pulling the self-adjusting lever away from the starwheel adjustment screw and turn the starwheel up and back until the pivot nut is drawn onto the starwheel as far as it will come.
3. Pull the adjusting lever, cable and automatic adjuster spring down and toward the rear to unhook the pivot hook from the large hole in the secondary shoe web. Do not attempt to pry the pivot hook from the hole.
4. Remove the automatic adjuster spring and the adjusting lever.
5. Remove the secondary shoe-to-anchor spring with a brake tool. (Brake tools are very common implements and are available at auto parts stores). Remove the primary shoe-to-anchor spring and unhook the cable anchor. Remove the anchor pin plate.
   

1. Remove the cable guide from the secondary shoe.
2. Remove the shoe hold-down springs, shoes, adjusting screw, pivot nut, and socket. Note the color of each hold-down spring for assembly. To remove the hold-down springs, reach behind the brake backing plate and place one finger on the end of one of the brake hold-down spring mounting pins. Using a pair of pliers, grasp the washer type retainer on top of the hold-down spring that corresponds to the pin which you are holding. Push down on the pliers and turn them 90° to align the slot in the washer with the head on the spring mounting pin. Remove the spring and washer retainer and repeat this operation on the hold down spring on the other shoe.
3. Remove the parking brake link and spring. Disconnect the parking brake cable from the parking brake lever.
4. After removing the rear brake secondary shoe, disassemble the parking brake lever from the shoe by removing the retaining clip and spring washer.

To install:

1. Assemble the parking brake lever to the secondary shoe and secure it with the spring washer and retaining clip.
2. Apply a light coating of Lubriplate®, or equivalent, at the points where the brake shoes contact the backing plate.
3. Position the brake shoes on the backing plate, and install the hold-down spring pins, springs, and spring washer type retainers. On the rear brake, install the parking brake link, spring and washer. Connect the parking brake cable to the parking brake lever.
4. Install the anchor pin plate, and place the cable anchor over the anchor pin with the crimped side toward the backing plate.
5. Install the primary shoe-to-anchor spring with the brake tool.

1. Install the cable guide on the secondary shoe web with the flanged holes fitted into the hole in the secondary shoe web. Thread the cable around the cable guide groove.
2. Install the secondary shoe-to-anchor (long) spring. Be sure that the cable end is not cocked or binding on the anchor pin when installed. All of the parts should be flat on the anchor pin. Remove the wheel cylinder piston clamp.
3. Apply Lubriplate®, or equivalent, to the threads and the socket end of the adjusting starwheel screw. Turn the adjusting screw into the adjusting pivot nut to the limit of the threads and then back off 1 / 2 turn.

Interchanging the brake shoe adjusting screw assemblies from one side of the vehicle to the other would cause the brake shoes to retract rather than expand each time the automatic adjusting mechanism is operated. To prevent this, the socket end of the adjusting screw is stamped with an "R" or an "L" for "RIGHT" or "LEFT". The adjusting pivot nuts can be distinguished by the number of lines machined around the body of the nut; one line indicates left-hand nut and two lines indicate a right-hand nut.

1. Place the adjusting socket on the screw and install this assembly between the shoe ends with the adjusting screw nearest to the secondary shoe.
2. Place the cable hook into the hole in the adjusting lever from the backing plate side. The adjusting levers are stamped with an R (right) or a L (left) to indicate their installation on the right or left-hand brake assembly.
3. Position the hooked end of the adjuster spring in the primary shoe web and connect the loop end of the spring to the adjuster lever hole.
4. Pull the adjuster lever, cable and automatic adjuster spring down toward the rear to engage the pivot hook in the large hole in the secondary shoe web.
5. After installation, check the action of the adjuster by pulling the section of the cable guide and the adjusting lever toward the secondary shoe web far enough to lift the lever past a tooth on the adjusting screw starwheel. The lever should snap into position behind the next tooth, and release of the cable should cause the adjuster spring to return the lever to its original position. This return action of the lever will turn the adjusting screw starwheel one tooth. The lever should contact the adjusting screw starwheel one tooth above the centerline of the adjusting screw.

If the automatic adjusting mechanism does not perform properly, check the following:

1. Check the cable and fittings. The cable ends should fill or extend slightly beyond the crimped section of the fittings. If this is not the case, replace the cable.
2. Check the cable guide for damage. The cable groove should be parallel to the shoe web, and the body of the guide should lie flat against the web. Replace the cable guide if this is not so.
3. Check the pivot hook on the lever. The hook surfaces should be square with the body on the lever for proper pivoting. Repair or replace the hook as necessary.
4. Make sure that the adjusting screw starwheel is properly seated in the notch in the shoe web.

Heavy Duty Systems

1. Raise and support the vehicle.
2. Remove the wheel and drum.

1. Remove the parking brake lever assembly retaining nut from behind the backing plate and remove the parking brake lever assembly.
2. Remove the adjusting cable assembly from the anchor pin, cable guide and adjusting lever.
3. Remove the brake shoe retracting springs.
4. Remove the brake shoe hold-down spring from each shoe.
5. Remove the brake shoes and adjusting screw assembly.
6. Disassemble the adjusting screw assembly.
7. Clean the ledge pads on the backing plate. Apply a light coat of Lubriplate®, or equivalent, to the ledge pads (where the brake shoes rub the backing plate).

continue...

The last comment is a but wrong. Let me explain why:

The pistions on the rear is ALL MR2s are not the push in type...You need a special tool to screw them in... You can rent the tool for free at your local AutoZone but they charge like a $55 dollar core charge...once you bring it back they refund your money. TRUST ME if you are gonna try this route you want that tool!!! I did a full brake and rotor job on my MR2 3 weeks ago and without that tool I would still be working on them ; )

Back to the brakes though...are you sure they ever really worked properly? The MR2s are notorious about "brake cable freeze" this is where the cable becomes locked in place and feels like its putting pressure on the pads when you engage it, but it really isn't. This happened to me last winter (and it seems to happen most often in the winter) but I haven't fixed it yet. I pulled up so hard on the lever that i snapped the cable in half when I tried to keep the MR2 from rolling.

You may need new cables. If you have someone apply the hand brake for you and you are watching from both sides of te rear of the car (with the wheels off) you should see where the cables attach to the back of the calipers on each side of the car. When it is being engaged you should see the cable pull on the lever on the back of each caliper. If this doesn't happen, then you are the victim of "brake freeze" and if it matters that much to you then you will need to have the bad cable or cables replaced.

Hope this helps! Good Luck!