Is one supposed to lubricate the Fiero parking / emergency brake system at all?
If so, where to lube and what to lube with?

I have never seen anything about lubing them. But thats total BS because if not taken care of the rust shut. I always put grease on mine to stop it from rusting shut. If you use it every day i dont think you will have a problem with rust. Most ive seen rusted shut were automatic's and or cars them have been parked a while.

I use disk brake slider grease on mine. I disconnect them and work the cable in and out while putting the grease on.

If you have a marine store near by and want to spring for it Corrosion-X and or Corrosion-X HD

Here near the ocean we gotta protect our metal (Heck even plastic rusts here)

Edit-It does have an odor to it - not bad but an odd smell

http://www.corrosionx.com/

[This message has been edited by Pappy (edited 06-29-2011).]

Here's what the factory service manual says:

----------------------------------------------------
ITEM 2
Chassis Lubrication
Lubricate all grease fittings in suspension and
steering linkage. Lubricate transmission/transaxle
shift linkage, hood latch, hood and door hinges,
parking brake cable guides, underbody contact points
and linkage. Clean and then lubricate power antenna
mast. Also lubricate clutch cross shaft lever every 30,
000 miles (50 000 km) on rear-wheel-drive cars only.

Fig. 2 Recommended Fluids and Lubricants

Parking Brake Cables: Chassis grease meeting requirements of GM-6031-M (GM Part No. 1052497)
-----------------------------------------------------

Here's one grease meeting the requirement:

Valvoline® General Multi-Purpose Grease

•Excellent water resistance
•Lubricates at temperatures ranging from -5°F to 275°F
•NLGI #2 Grade Lithium 12-Hydroxysterate EP Grease
•GM 4733-m; GM 6031-M; Chrysler MS-3701; NLP LB

Water resistance is a primary requirement in this application, a trait of lithium grease.

The cable's inner core have nylon coating. Using many grease/oils will eat the coating over time and make cables bind.

If binding then try lube but likely needs to replace wheel cables and maybe main cable. Main cable to level needs checking... Wear/abuse on main cable is low.

Wheel cable jacket can rust out and break ends of jacket. When jacket ends break then game over....

------------------
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top and bottom of every forum page...)

http://www.motorcyclecruise...ol_cables/index.html

Lots of info here.

Details of my situation: I have learned living up here where weather changes alot that when you buy a used car, if you pull that ebrake you can expect it to stick and cause problems. So i usually don't use them. We picked up a nice 2m4 with low miles, was from down south but spent a few years up here too, the cables look alright. however I still haven't pulled the ebrake.
Wondering if I just cross my fingers and go for it and can easily pull back things with pliers if they stick, or lube something first. I assume its the cable itself that normally jams in a certain area, I was looking to possibly lube the "jam prone" area.
Looks like the service manual basicaly says lube it all, or everywhere it touches something.

the main sticky spot I found is where it gets close to the exhaust, at the drivers side rear corner of the cradle.

quote Originally posted by Dodgerunner: I use disk brake slider grease on mine. I disconnect them and work the cable in and out while putting the grease on.

Quoted for quoting out of context!

quote Originally posted by theogre: The cable's inner core have nylon coating. Using many grease/oils will eat the coating over time and make cables bind. If binding then try lube but likely needs to replace wheel cables and maybe main cable. Main cable to level needs checking... Wear/abuse on main cable is low. Wheel cable jacket can rust out and break ends of jacket. When jacket ends break then game over....

Silicone grease like dodgerunner said would be fine no?

quote Originally posted by 2.5: Silicone grease like dodgerunner said would be fine no?

I would try graphite or silicone spray.

USE THE PARKING BRAKE! It’s how the rear brakes are kept adjusted. So, with the P-brake on, press and hold the brake pedal and then release the P-brake. This process is what keeps the rear brake calipers adjusted so automatic or manual you should use the parking brake. It will also keep the cables from sticking.

quote Originally posted by firejo24: USE THE PARKING BRAKE! It’s how the rear brakes are kept adjusted. So, with the P-brake on, press and hold the brake pedal and then release the P-brake. This process is what keeps the rear brake calipers adjusted so automatic or manual you should use the parking brake. It will also keep the cables from sticking.

No... This myth was a backroom deal GM and NHTSA to keep the blame on owners. Really a bad caliper design (Good on paper but bad in real world) and no way to fix it w/o major redesign etc... GM had Fire problem to fix...

When rear pistons work then they will adjust w/o any action done by the driver.

Keeping cable loose? Not really... Road salt and other things can kill cables w/ or w/o using the cables and parking brakes.

You can try lubing w/ silicon but Most Fiero needs new wheel cables and some needs all three.

Check Wheel cable. May look good but Pull on outer jacket. if outer jacket pull off of the end... trash them

quote Originally posted by theogre: No... This myth was a backroom deal GM and NHTSA to keep the blame on owners. Really a bad caliper design (Good on paper but bad in real world) and no way to fix it w/o major redesign etc... GM had Fire problem to fix... When rear pistons work then they will adjust w/o any action done by the driver. Keeping cable loose? Not really... Road salt and other things can kill cables w/ or w/o using the cables and parking brakes. You can try lubing w/ silicon but Most Fiero needs new wheel cables and some needs all three. Check Wheel cable. May look good but Pull on outer jacket. if outer jacket pull off of the end... trash them

A myth, that is good to hear, yet surprising I have heard many people say the ebrake has to be used to adjust the rear brakes. I always thought it was silly, but never new it wasnt true.

Read USDOT FMVSS... (cave, link page)
To meet the rules...
Brake must self adjust w/o any driver's actions.

All drum, w/ and w/o any parking brake feature, and disk w/ parking feature built-in does this. (By design and parts work right, rear drum will self-adjust when you back up. )
GM says only this design needs parking brake? No... GM and NHTSA lied to the owners to avoid another expensive recall. Recall they agreed on covers only stick cars and that they replace only rear guts? This case, like many cases, NHTSA is on the companies side...

With bigger wheels many cars, GM and others, uses disk/drum combination to avoid Fiero like problems. Disk for main and drum for parking/e-brake. Example: 2003 Pontiac Grand Am w/ 3.4L SFI 6cyl

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 03-29-2012).]