Park Brake Adjustment

Have your rear brakes inspected for excessive wear and to make sure the E-Brake Cable is not broken.

there is an adjuster hole in backing plate on the rear wheels

There is a cable that you adjust.
If you pull the boot down around the base of the hand brake you will find that there is a cable with a threaded rod, turn the nut on the rod clockwise to tighten the brake, the proper adjustment is to have the brake handle start to engage the park brake when it clicks three times, if you are unable to reach this then you may have to adjust the part brake shoes at rear, there is a small slot at the backing plate of the brake at each well, there is be a little oval rubber plug in it, remove the plug and look inside you will see a little wheel with teeth on it, move that wheel with a flat blade screwdriver in a downward clockwise direction, with the wheel off the ground and the park brake off, when you fell just a little drag on the wheel the adjustment is correct, then recheck park brake adjustment as outlined above

You cannot adjust the cables on a minivan manually. the tension is automaitcally adjusted by the self adjuster on the pedal release.

The park brake cables on this vehicle have an automatic self adjuster built into the park brake pedal mechanism. When the foot operated park brake pedal is in its released (upward most) position, a clock spring automatically adjusts the park brake cables. The park brake cables are adjusted (tensioned) just enough to remove all the slack from the cables. The automatic adjuster system will not over adjust the cables causing rear brake drag.

Due to the automatic adjust feature of the park brake pedal, adjustment of the parking brake cables on these vehicles relies on proper drum brake.

When the park brake pedal is applied the self adjuster is by-passed and the pedal operates normally to engage the park brakes.

When a service procedure needs to be performed on the park brake pedal or the park brake cables, the automatic self adjuster can be manually locked out by the service technician.

you mean parking brake cable? loosen parking brake cables put drums on , and adjust shoes till they lightly drag, now apply brakes a few times and check the adjustment again, if all ok, now adjust park brake cables, you want to adjust so park pedal goes 5-8 clicks till the wheels are "locked up" and the wheels spin free with the park brake off

The adjuster is just like on a car with drum brakes. It can be adjusted with the wheels still on the truck, but if yours is out enough that it doesn't work, an inspection is warranted. Axle seal failure is common and will soak the shoes.

Jacked both rear wheels off ground, and while slowly spinning wheel, tighten the star-wheel adjuster until you just hear and feel brake drums rubbing, then loosened slightly.
There's a plastic dust cover about 1/4" X 1" that you remove, and use a drum brake adjuster tool.

The driverside access hole is below axle, easily accessable. To tighten driver side rear parking brake, turn star-wheel adjuster down.


The passengerside access hole is found above axle, and difficult to see. Removed pass side wheel and used an inspection mirror.
To tighten passenger side rear parking brake, turn star-wheel adjuster up.

Good luck and hope this helps. Oh and the other thing to is that if you do smell axle fluid around the wheels and see oil leaking from the drum area. Then you have a axle wheel seal and or bearing gone bad too.

Hope this helps. This is out of the factory manual. Let me know if this works for you.
PARKING BRAKE NOTE: Tensioner adjustment is only necessary when the tensioner, or a cable has been replaced or disconnected for service. When adjustment is necessary, perform adjustment only as described in the following procedure. This is necessary to avoid faulty park brake operation.

1. Raise vehicle.
2. Fully back off cable tensioner adjusting nut at equalizer to create slack in cables.
3. Remove rear wheel/tire assemblies. Remove brake calipers and rotors.
4. Verify park brakes are in good condition and operating properly.
5. Verify park brake cables operate freely and are not binding, or seized.
6. Check park brake shoe adjustment.
7. Reinstall rotors and make sure rotors turn freely.
8. Reinstall brake calipers. Tighten guide pin bolts to 41 n·m (30 ft.lbs.)
9. Reinstall wheel/tire assemblies after brake shoe adjustment is complete.
10. Lower vehicle enough for access to park brake foot pedal. Fully apply park brakes

NOTE: Leave park brakes applied until adjustment is complete.

1. Raise vehicle again.
2. Mark tensioner rod 6.35 mm (1/4 in.) from edge of tensioner bracket Adjustment Mark On Cable Tensioner Rod
3. Tighten adjusting nut at equalizer until mark on tensioner rod moves into alignment with tensioner bracket

CAUTION: Do not loosen, or tighten the tensioner adjusting nut for any reason after completing adjustment.

1. Lower vehicle until rear wheels are 15-20 cm (6-8 in.) off shop floor.
2. Release park brake foot pedal and verify that rear wheels rotate freely without drag. Verify pedal returns to fully released position.
3. Lower the vehicle

Ahh they are a real pain in the **** you need to remove the rear wheels calipers caliper anchors then the rotors and then you can adujust the park brake shoes up just untill you feel a bit of drag on the rotor then back them off a bit. Other wise you need to buy the tools to check the adjustment bottom line they are a pain

1. Apply and fully release the park brake several times. Verify that the park brake lever releases completely.
2. Turn ON the ignition. Verify the red BRAKE warning lamp is not illuminated.
3. If the red BRAKE warning lamp is illuminated, verify the following:

• The park brake lever is in the fully released position and against the stop.
• There is no slack in the park brake cable.

1. Turn OFF the ignition.
2. Disable the SIR system.
3. Remove the front floor console.
4. With the park brake lever in the released position, using ONLY hand tools, loosen the adjusting nut completely to the end of the front cable threaded rod.
5. Raise and support the vehicle.
6. Remove the rear tire and wheel assemblies.
7. Adjust the rear drum brakes.
8. Ensure there is no brake shoe drag after adjustment by rotating the brake drums. If drag exists, re-center the brake shoes and perform the brake shoe adjustment again.
9. Install 2 wheel nuts to the wheel studs and firmly hand tighten in order to retain the brake drums.
10. Lower the vehicle to permit access to the park brake lever.
11. Raise the park brake lever 1 detent position. Notice: Refer to Fastener Notice in Service Precautions.