How do you adjust the emergency/park brake cable or system?? My brakes work just fine, but the park brake does not hold. Trying to get the car to pass safety inspection. The Haynes manual touches on this, but its kinda vague. Any tricks? Is it an indication that my rear brakes need attention?

If you look under the car from behind you will see a cable running between both rear tires right behind the cradle, there should be a metal hook holding it up in the middle. If you look about a quarter of the way from the left you should see a double nut type system. just back off one nut and spin the other to tighten or loosen the cable. Tighten it until it is where you like it and don't forget to tighten the nut up against the adjuster nut.

The adjustment is just left of center in the back. the 3 cables come together you can see that one of the cables from the lfet is threaded and the cable end is square. you can hold this square part and turn the nut that is on the threaded shaft to tighten. I live on the east side of Fort Worth if you can't figure it out come by and I can show you. I can take some pics later if you are too far away.

None of mine have two nuts.
The circled place on the left is where to hold the one on the right is the nut to adjust.


Let me know if you still need help.

Thanks guys, I'll check that out in the morning, when there is daylight. Thats the last issue I have to resolve to get the car to "pass" inspection. Thanks!

My 86 V6 SE has a nut that you back against the adjuster, seems like a good idea to prevent it vibrating loose over time. Must not be stock then if yours don't have it?

The new cables I just installed had a Nylock type bushing in the adjuster nut. Works great.

The Ogre has a good article on adjusting the brakes, in his cave, at the top of the page.

Before you start first make sure that the inner brake pads on the rear calipers have their pins in the back firmly held to the piston with the special circular holding clip.
If the pins slip out you will never be able to adjust the ebrake. Using improper assembly or not carefully following the adjustment procedure can cause a conditon that no adjustment of the cable will cure.

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" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
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You may well find that if the calipers are old and the ebrake has not been used regularly you may have trouble getting a proper adjustment. The inner self adjustment mechanism in the caliper often seizes up. As stated above, be sure to check the "ogres cave" link at the top and bottom of each page. He has a lot of very useful info about the Fiero brake system

[This message has been edited by 2farnorth (edited 02-22-2009).]