So, by default, does that indicate that if you lose adjustment on your e-brake after time that it is time to adjust your rear brakes again? Kinda like a built in warnig like the "Change Oil Soon" light?

 

Sort of, yes. You will notice that the e-brake handle will need to be pulled up higher and higher over time and it will not hold as well..... Adjusting the rear brakes properly brings it back to where it should be, in many cases without the need for an e-brake cable adjustment. I've never adjusted the e-brake on mine, I just keep up on the rear brake maintenance.......

 

Well, I'll double check my adjustment before I get started on the e-brake, but with everything being new back there and me just adjusting the new shoes, I'm thinking I got cable stretch. Thanx for the help everybody!!!!

 

Same here Greybeard, by keeping the rears adjusted up, I've never had to touch the adjustment on the parking brake.

Sorry to say seattlekev, but you might have a cable that's become stretched over time, let us know how you make out.

 

Hello all. Could someone pm me that info on the e brake cable adjustment procedure? I have had the same issue since I picked up the car.

 

1st off-Welcome & enjoy the ride!

2nd-all it took on my HHR was a couple clicks of the adjusters with a flat screwdriver & my parking brake locks in place with now 2-3 clicks and my braking feels "equalized".

Don't adjust the e brake to compensate for your rears being out of adjustment....

 

One of the few tools I have that was my dads is an SK Wayne brake adjusting tool. It looks a lot like a regular screwdriver with a very wide end with a little V in the center of the blade. Its also bent about 30 degrees where it starts getting wide.

It does not fit right in the adjuster slot on the backing plates of the HHR. It will fit but you can no way in hell actually adjust the little adjuster wheel.

A straight blade screwdriver works much better.

Not so long ago I had to replace the brake on the passenger side rear because the spring that holds them in place broke and that wheel would sometimes not turn.

Since I had to do one I bought the whole kit including all the hardware and installed it all. Since I had it all apart I cleaned everything very well and put a dab of anti-seize lubricant inside the adjusters to keep them working better {hopefully}

The adjuster on the passenger side was not functioning worth a hoot evidently for some time. It was full of brake dust and did not move freely at all.

This is real odd to me because the folks who previously owned the car had just brought it in for a brake job and ended up buying an newer vehicle instead.

I’m guessing the dealer only did the front pads and maybe put new shoes on the back but did not replace all the hardware back there. The drivers side shoes I removed still look like new.

Even when the spring was broken in the back wheel drum the parking brake seemed to be working fine. The handle only needs to be pulled up 2 to 3 clicks and the rear wheels do not move.

 

X 2,........ I judge if my rear drum brakes need adjustment by the amount of clicks needed on the E-Brake to hold my truck.. 2 - 3 clicks & it's all good..

 

Send me your email & I'll attach that file to an email message. I must say, tho, that I have really taken to heart the talk about the rear brake adjustment. Having had some issues with warped front rotors, often caused by improper rear drum adjustment (the old 60/40 rule, ya know), I started really monitoring the adjustment on the rear shoes. What I found is that when they are adjusted to spin only one revolution by hand with the wheel on I have pretty good e-brake, and I have quit warping rotors also. I have also found that the rear shoe adjusters on the HHR are pieces of crap.

 

I still can't figure out how my 10 year old Sunfire with virtually the same rear drums have never had the dreaded brake judder or the adjustments required for the rear brakes, it must boil down to weight difference in the cars