How Many Clicks On Your Parking Brake ?

[DRKHORS]

Hey gang, I checked how many 'clicks' on my parking brake yesterday, and the first thing I noticed is the lever had play. From the fully seated position, I could pull the lever up like about an inch (from the push-button), with basically zero resistance, so it'd stay up if left there. In other words, the spring doesn't push the lever all the way down. If I push it all the way down, it stays there. But if I lift it an inch or so, it stays there too. No brake light at that point. If I push it a hair past that one inch, then the dash light turns on. And if released, the lever goes back to the prior position, and light turns off... but it doesn't go all the way down (although I always push it all the way down myself). IS THAT PLAY NORMAL??? Just curious. Everything seems to be working fine, so probably normal, but let's hear from other owners .

By the way, my parking brake can easily do 5 clicks flat, without much effort. Maybe it needs adjustment. Will check it one of these days.

Sounds like a quick adjustment is in your future! Mine had a little slack and would move easily even if just bumped, but never enough to cause the brake light to come on. After adjustment, that slack is gone, handle is firm from the very first part of movement, and only about 4-5 clicks of the handle before set and tight.

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[Elp_jc]

Sounds like a quick adjustment is in your future!

Probably. Thank you. The light doesn't come on within the play it has, but I don't like that it has that play. And now that I know at least yours doesn't have any play at all, will definitely adjust it in the future. Will first measure the gap when I remove the rear wheels (one by one). Then measure each thread of the adjusting screw underneath the car, and turn the nut the required 1/6th turns needed. I'm guessing it'll need maybe 1 full turn, which should be about 1 to 1.5mm for what I could tell on the Ford document picture.

Finally, can you just turn the nut, or do you have to hold something else with pliers before attempting that? And how hard is to turn that nut? Thx.

 

[DRKHORS]

Probably. Thank you. The light doesn't come on within the play it has, but I don't like that it has that play. And now that I know at least yours doesn't have any play at all, will definitely adjust it in the future. Will first measure the gap when I remove the rear wheels (one by one). Then measure each thread of the adjusting screw underneath the car, and turn the nut the required 1/6th turns needed. I'm guessing it'll need maybe 1 full turn, which should be about 1 to 1.5mm for what I could tell on the Ford document picture.

Finally, can you just turn the nut, or do you have to hold something else with pliers before attempting that? And how hard is to turn that nut? Thx.

You can use a small set of needle nose vice grips attached to the cable on the front side of the bracket and wedged up against the undercarriage if the cable wants to turn at all while you're making adjustments. IIRC though it wasn't needed when I was making my adjustments. I believe it required a couple of extensions, a swivel, and a deep wall 10mm socket, and the nut will turn easily from there. Make small adjustments, then cycle the e-brake 4-5 times between adjustments.

Hope that helps!

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

Probably. Thank you. The light doesn't come on within the play it has, but I don't like that it has that play. And now that I know at least yours doesn't have any play at all, will definitely adjust it in the future. Will first measure the gap when I remove the rear wheels (one by one). Then measure each thread of the adjusting screw underneath the car, and turn the nut the required 1/6th turns needed. I'm guessing it'll need maybe 1 full turn, which should be about 1 to 1.5mm for what I could tell on the Ford document picture.

Finally, can you just turn the nut, or do you have to hold something else with pliers before attempting that? And how hard is to turn that nut? Thx.

Can you post pics here of how to do it? I'm a pretty basic DIY'er, so would love to see. Mine has light play too, no light until the first click...

 

[Mustang_Lou]

About a minute in.

 

[Gregs24]

Rarely use mine as I have an auto, use it on hills and ferries !

 

[Elp_jc]

I'm just going to remove the free play on my lever. There shouldn't be a need to even measure anything at the calipers, since I won't be adjusting the caliper cables, but just eliminating the free play at the lever. But since I have to clean the wheels, will measure the gap anyway, and report back when I do it.

 

[Vegas5OH]

I tightened mine up, mine only needs 4-5 clicks then its tight. Tightened it up because I hated when I had stuff in my pocket it would make the e brake warning come on.

 

[pyrophilus]

My '15 and '17 EB both had the excess play. The 15 was ok, but the '17 was weird. In winter when the boot gets cold, when I release the brake, the stiff boot would keep the handle at the top of the play. Hitting a bump would turn the brake light on, and after awhile I would get warning chime.

The ford tech at dealer "adjusted" to specs, but made the problem worse. I did read the FSM, and the tech did follow it. I just asked him, "forget the FSM, can you tighten it to get rid of the play?".

He did and the brake has been fine (the car used to creep on hills, no longer).

I am picking up a '19 GT. On today's test drive I noticed that the brake handle was again loose.

 

[jake_zx2]

This makes me want to rip the shit out of every e-brake handle on every Mustang in your area. Next time you look at a used Mustang with a loose cable, I want you to wonder if it was because of me

Welp, guess it’s time to move LMAO

 

[Elp_jc]

Hey guys, I had my car up on ramps (at the front) to redo the front Steeda brace, and tried to adjust the parking brake, expecting to see a nut right by where the cable goes into the cabin, but my Bullitt is different. There's just the cable coming out of the car, but absolutely no adjusting mechanism. it's just one cable all the way to the rear, where I couldn't see anymore. It turns 90-deg to the right side of the car, then another 90 towards the rear. There has to be TWO cables, right? So they must split somewhere back there. I'd need to put the car on ramps again, but on the rear this time. But before even considering that, has anybody adjusted the parking brake on a Bullitt (or PP1 car)? Seems to be different than the picture I saw somewhere, where the adjusting nut was right above the resonator. Not on my car. Thanks gang.

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