emergency brake adjust ?

[John Manoulian Jr.]

My emergency brake will not hold tight when I accelerate, even the slightest bit. I can't find any info on adjusting them.
They don't self adjust ,do they ?
2010 ranger 4x4 sport ,auto .
Any help would be greatly appreciated .

Thanks, John M

 

[Buckeyeman]

I'm having the same problem with my emergency brake. I push the pedal down and it seems to go almost to the floor. It seems like the cables are stretched. I looked at a Ford parts catalog and it looks like there are 4 cables in all. I will have to get underneath and inspect each cable.

 

[adsm08]

Are these drum or disc rear ends?

If they are drums the brake is self-adjusting. If they are disc they are not self adjusting and you should try adjusting them before replacing any parts.

The disc brake parking shoes on the rear of the Explorers and Rangers did not hold well going forward. I have an Ex rear in my Ranger, and even when properly adjusted it is iffy. It will hold it facing down hill in neutral, but if I forget I have the brake set I can drive away no problem.


Either way adjustment is just a matter of turning the star wheel at the bottom of the brake, just like it has been since time immemorial.

 

[fastpakr]

The Explorer parking brake wasn't designed to be self adjusting?

 

[adsm08]

Nope.

I used to think so too, then one day I actually bothered to read the shop manual and it said they aren't.

 

[Buckeyeman]

I got underneath and inspected the cables and nothing broken. Rear disc pads are fine. Got an estimate to replace 2 front cables with OEM at an independent garage for $237. The guy said he would order the cables and have them just in case they are stretched, but would check everything out first and make sure it isn't something else.

 

[Buckeyeman]

I found the problem, or should I say the shop did. The mini parking brake shoes inside the rear rotors were worn out on the R.R. The cables were all good. Since the truck has 61K on the original rear pads and rotors, I decided to do a complete rear brake job. The inside of the mini drum was ruined from the bad shoes, so at least one of the rotors would have to be replaced anyway.