E-Brake Question

[Chris Belyea]

I pulled off both rear drums this weekend and inspected everything and I don't see anything obvious so I think I'll clean the adjustment nuts and adjust the cables.

By the way, to circle back to Al's comment. This is how the e-brake activating piece was re-assembled. Basked on Al's comment, the wavy washer should be between the show and the activating piece.

Chris

[Geoff Fleming]

Have you inspected the hand brake cable inside the forward end of the tunnel?
Each side can be adjusted independantly.

[Chris Belyea]

I did look in the tunnel but didn't see anything that would allow me to adjust the cables independently. I thought they just hooked into a connecting piece.

Chris

[Al Zim]

There should be a thin washer between the arm and the shoe as the picture shows.

[Martin Benade]

The forward junction of the cables is just a non adjustable block. At the very front by the axle is a single adjuster.

[KennethAdams]

So having just been through this and realizing i had the same problem (left engaged and right didnt) i fashioned this temporary nylon insert on the stretched cable side that worked. I'm only needing to push the car around the garage though since my front master is off. Not really recommending this but think a metal sleeve could be similarly used and would be obviously stronger.

[Martin Benade]

You were not able to make the adjustment at the two big nuts?

[KennethAdams]

I attempted it but when i ran out of nut on the stretched one, and the working one was full compressed the options narrowed. I kept thinking about what caused the condition, pulled all the cable to ensure none were binding, cleaned both nuts up because they were all gunked up like Chris', removed all the rust on any suspicions of binding, rechecked the center console block. The cables just need replacing i think after all these years.

[Chris Belyea]

Just an update. I removed the undercoating from the adjuster nuts and had backed the passenger sided all the way in and the driver side all the way out to get both sides to work somewhat evenly.

Chris

[Greg Spreeman]

Okay, the e brake is next on my list. How do I get to the guts of the ebrake? I have a '65 356C so, disc brakes all around. Do I pull the wheel and then the rotor? Are there some pix of how and where the e brake cable gets attached? My 2 cables are just hanging loose coming of the rear of the cabin. Now, what would be a dream would be if I didn't have to take anything apart to attach the brake cables but, as with all things Porsche, I'm sure that's not the case.

[David Jones]

Unfortunately you have to remove the caliper and the rotor to reassemble the hand brake mechanism. To give you an idea you have a 10 mm atf nut held by a 1/16" split pin and a spring that tensions the operating cable. You will need some better than average dexterity skill on reassembly.

[Greg Spreeman]

Okay, I am ahead of the game for once. The PO took off the calipers, (and was going to replace with some VW calipers). He also installed new rotors so, they should come off easily. Now, I've been looking at the shop manual...once I get the cable connected, can I just adjust the ebrake before I put it all back together? I remember trying to do the whole star wheel thing on my other car and it seemed akin to the black arts.

[David Jones]

No you still have the star wheel. Just tighten all the way then back off so the wheel turns then apply hand brake. Let off hand brake and adjust, repeat until you are bored and then leave it alone.

[Harlan Halsey]

It is true that few shops have a brake shoe arcing drum turning machine anymore. Because few cars have drum brakes anymore. But Martin Willis in Denver who relines drums also arcs the shoes to fit if you ask him. For many years I replaced brake shoes without turning the drums or arcing the shoes. And after several thousand miles of uneven braking, everything wore in as I knew it would. But now I have the shoes arced and the drums turned or relined because I no longer have the patience to break in shoes over several thousand miles.