So I've been through three parking brake handles since I bought my car, and I've only got 22000 on it now.

I work at a dealership in service, so I do a lot of my own work. I've had to disassemble the center console probably six or seven times now, but I finally have a PERMANENT fix for that damn bracket bending.

So we all know how the bracket that supports the two cables leading to each rear brake will flex and bend, ultimately allowing one or both cables to pop loose. You can replace the handle/bracket, you can bend them back yourself but it will pretty much inevitably happen again.

My father owns a machine shop, so I had him fabricate an additional plate to slip into that little bracket and brace it. It's working beautifully so far, but I figured I'd throw this up and see what kind of interest there would be for anyone to purchase this piece for themselves and rid this issue for good.

Let me know what you guys think, and I can have him make up a few more.

 

i havent had that issue, just the weak parking brake problem.

got any pics???

 

Damn, how hard do you pull your e-brake? Wannabe drifter?

 

 

How many hills have you got down there in Miami, smart guy?

I'll work on getting some pictures. Might have to be crappy cell-phone variety.

 

Put that **** in gear bro.

I'm not trying to give you ****, I was just wondering. I can't imagine that you are bending the e-brake during normal use, if its not holding to the point that you are bending a bracket to get the car to stop rolling, i'd look for a way to get more positive e-brake action, not more handle pull. I don't trust my e-brake on any real incline anyway.

 

I've only ever tried an e-brake drift ONCE, didn't work.

I'm not trying to get more handle pull, I tightened the cable to increase it's efficiency (per the GM service manual, since I work in a GM service dept.) and it worked great for about three days. Then the rear cable holder bent and the cables popped loose. Bent it back, ordered a new handle/bracket. Installed it and again adjusted it to spec, and it held for about two to three months. Same thing happened again. Bent it back, ordered a THIRD handle assembly and sent this one out to my father's shop to fabricate some additional support.

I live in a VERY hilly terrain, and my driveway in particular is quite steep. So while I probably could get away with leaving it in reverse (which I always do anyway) and some tension on the brake, I like to have the brake tight enough to hold the car itself, and having it in gear as a backup. I never take chances. While it was broken I had to carry a chock block and toss it under the rear wheel while I held the brake to park in my driveway. So I'm not interested in having to do that again.

Long story short, I have a fix for anyone who's had this same issue or just wants to prevent it. $15 + shipping.

 

How about a bump?

 

Are you talking about your e brake handle being crooked? My e brake handle is sorta cocked to the right, its kind of annoying.

 

My weak parking brake has lead my car to roll when i walked away and hit a wooden curb my dad put up at the top of our driveway..and it dented in my bumper andd it also bent it to the point where the plastic isent tucked under my left light..blah dunno how to fix that..but..any ideas PM me..lol

 

First thing to check. Release the brake all the way, and remove the rear cup holder, it just yanks right up. You'll be able to see much easier if you don't have the armrest, but either way you should see the two cables that go to the rear wheels. At the front of those two cables it meets the bracket in question, which is permanently attached to the cable which is adjustable at the handle. Anyway, what you can expect to see (particularly CobaltKids) is that one of those cables has bent the bracket and come loose. You can try and fix it, but I've had this problem far too often to bother with that anymore. The piece I have to fix that slips between the bracket and the cables, and adds 3x the rigidity to the bracket, as it's made from billet aluminum instead of stamped sheet metal.

StageII07, you can try and pull up the cover around the brake handle, and if you look on the underside of the handle itself you've gotta push a little tab and then you can slide the cover off the handle itself. On the right side of it there's a 10mm nut to adjust the cable. What you want to do is have the back wheels in the air, and tighten that nut until it will hold the wheels from spinning at ALL with 4-5 clicks of the handle. At 3 they should be held, but only moderately, you should still be able to move the wheel by hand. Obviously when it's released the wheels should spin freely.

Any other Q's, shoot me a PM. Or post here, doesn't matter.

BTW - BUMP!

 

yea my parking brake sucks but i have alot more milage, guess ill adjust it one day

 

Mine went loose once and I was worried about it ,but it fixed itself about a week later so go figure!?!

That's why you put it in GEAR!

 

My car has rolled down my driveway a little ways while in first gear with the parking brake pulled. My mom pulled it though so it was only about 3/4 pulled. My driveways not too steep, steep enough that you dont need to be in gear to back out of it slowly.

 

Bump

 

This is surprising. I would have thought more people were having this issue.

No one?

 

Hey man I have a bent bracket as well and was wondering if you could send me the fix for it??

 

Congrats on using the search and finding the thread but he hasn't even logged on since 4/2012