How To Repair Your Car's Parking Brake

While most people live in areas that do not require the regular usage of the parking brake, there are obviously very popular places in which the parking brake is part of everyday life. This gives way to more intense wear and tear and thus the need for more frequent maintenance. Repairing a parking brake with an issue is fairly easy to do.

What You Need to Know About the Parking Brake

First, it's good to know what the parking brake actually entails. It's basically just a steel cable that connects the lever to the brake shoes. When changing the parking brake, the other brake drums or pads can be inspected for wear as well, as they must be removed to change the parking brake cable. It's a good idea to change your parking brake cable each time the other brakes are changed, if only out of convenience.

The way each car is done varies based on make and model, so consulting a manual is a great idea. Especially when only minor adjustments need to be made. But in general, the first step is to remove the rear wheels. After this, the mounting hardware for the parking brake cable should be exposed and can be removed. Then, you will basically be trying to remove the inside part of the cable from the outside. Keep in mind that some minor alterations may in order, but it can be removed from the outside, You can follow basically this same process for installing the new brake cable as well. 

Simple Adjustment

However, if a brake is simply sticking a bit and is difficult to adjust, a bit of lubricant might be all that is needed. This can be found at any auto parts store and will give a bit of leverage to stiff lines. You'll want to stick the lubricant between the sliding mechanisms. This will keep the parking brake from stopping completely.

Complete Replacement

If you have a minimal amount of knowledge in mechanics, a complete parking brake cable replacement is no problem. Changing the brakes is the hardest part of the entire process, and if you can change the rear brakes, the parking brake will be no problem. While it's easy to overlook if not used often, a faulty parking brake can hold your vehicle back from proper inspection, keeping your car parked in the driveway until it can be fixed. Regular maintenance of the parking brake is extremely important, even if the brake itself is rarely used.

For more information, contact Care Muffler & Brake Shop or a similar location.


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