Steps to Engage/Dis-engage Parking Brake

The biggest conclusion is that (at least with my 4runner) it was absolutely necessary to take advantage of the adjustment under the center console. Adjusting it only at the star wheel was completely insufficient. That’s how far out of adjustment my parking brake was.

By the way, I do recommend adjusting at the center console, not at the pedal. The main reason is that I cant see what I’m doing at the pedal. In contrast, it’s very easy to see with the center console cover off. You need to see it well because you need to ensure you still have some slack in the line when the brake is disengaged.

I’m currently at nearly 80k miles and havent needed to adjust it since my last update to that thread. The parking brake will still hold firmly on a steep hill or hold against a fair bit of throttle with the pedal clicked down about 3/4 of the way down.

 

Part of the instructions posted in McSpazatron’s thread include backing off on the cable tension before adjusting the shoes with the star adjusters. This would imply that readjusting the cable tension is a necessary part of the process.

 

I think maybe somebody might have said it’s not necessary to adjust at the cables inside the vehicle because most cars aren’t as horribly adjusted from the factory, and it’s not part of the normal process. Really the cable should be set up at the factory correctly, the. It wouldn’t need to be ever touched again.

But mine was exceptionally bad, there was no way to adjust the shoes via the star enough for them to work properly.

As far as backing off the cable tension before adjusting the at the shoes…truth be told, I don’t remember the details. All I know is that I didn’t want to inadvertently adjust the cables so tight that it would prevent the shoes from releasing all the way. It was probably related to that.

 

I'm the one that did the e-brake adjustment at the pedal (and not the center console).

Mine too was terrible from the factory.

I overtightened it at first and quicky noticed some rear brake drag but I backed it off and it's working great.

No regrats!

 

How many clicks does yours take to hold the vehicle in place?

 

I'll have to count next time but I'm guessing 7 or 8.

I'll get back to you with an exact number.

 

In post 56 of McSpazatron’s thread, @auspilot quotes the parking brake adjustment procedure from the repair manual.

5 to 7 clicks is the specification.

 

The Toyota parking brake has been shitty since the 70-series Land Cruiser. So much so the Australians retrofit electronic parking brakes to them:

 

I am actually surprised to hear the inconsistency of the mechanical parking brake set up from the factory. both of mine hold the vehicles okay from the dealer, even on the steeper hills I park on. Granted the pedals do end up a little close to the floor and requires a firm shove of the left foot but properly adjusted they work just fine.