bacardiboi

95 civic dx coupe (ej2)
wheel cylinder seal blew on my way home from work....

i replaced the blown wheel cylinder on the passenger side, the drum on the passenger side only, and the shoes on both drums. i put everything back together (went by my chiltons and some random civic forum threads)

the foot brake works fantastic but the parking brake does not grab hard enuff to keep the car still on even a small incline. im having to leave it in gear to park it. i can feel/hear that it does contact the shoes to the drum (smooth rubbing noise as my car rolls out of my parking spot lol)

i HAVE adjusted the "self adjuster" ratcheting (star) mechanism just below the wheel cylinder on both sides.

i HAVE adjusted the nut behind the parking brake inside the car. the handle comes up about 9 clicks (about one third of the way) to tight.

i reinstalled the parking brake lever (inside the hub) the only way it would go (i think). i only did one side at a time so i know they r not switched (driver to passenger)

i pulled off the drum and watched the shoes' behavior when the ebrake is pulled. its not even at all. when the handbrake is applied, only the upper end of the front shoe moves out. everything else stays relatively in place. is that normal?? does it behave that way due to the absence of the drum?

i have driven it to try to allow the pads to seat and the self adjuster to adjust properly but to no avail. still no parking brake!!

HELP!

other things i tried::
50-60 times .. 40mph-5mph exercises to self adjust
10-12 times .. apply handbrake then drive in reverse (sounded dumb but i was desperate)
30-40 times .. reverse to 25mph then apply brakes to full stop (some gentle some abrupt)

Former User

In your current adjustment, do both rear wheels similarly slightly drag with the parking brake at the first click?

bacardiboi

i tested them individually by pulling up 2 or 3 notches (same on both sides) and then trying to spin them by hand.

they definitely weren't identical. similar but not identical. i remember thinking it bizarre that the drum i didn't replace seemed to grab sooner than the one i did replace so they are definitely slightly lopsided.

Former User

Adjust parking brake exactly as described in the service manual diagram that I posted. Make both sides drag equally by loosening or tightening the self adjust star mechanism.

bacardiboi

ive already adjusted both star mechanisms, both sides are as tight as possible... i actually had to loosen them a click or so cuz they were too tight

and Ive adjusted the hand brake from inside the car so it only comes up 9 clicks to tight

Former User

Try adjusting the parking brake bolt so that the lever is max tight at 6 clicks.

bacardiboi

I had it adjusted to tight at 3 clicks... I can try 6 just to make sure I'm in spec with the service specs u posted. Do you think the little brass self adjust levers (what stops the gear on the clevis from spinning) could be bent?

Former User

Anything bent or damaged could cause problems.

Also verify that everything was reinstalled correctly:

bacardiboi

i fixed it LOLOL

turns out there was something wrong with the self adjusters.

i replaced all the springs and clips this morning and nothing changed

the only thing left to do was change the self adjusters (which i noticed were ever so slightly stiff to turn) or the brake cables.

tried the self adjusters and presto within a few minutes of drive/stop/reverse/stop parking brake is working.

got the kits from VatoZone for 14 bucks per side and they included the self adjust lever and corresponding spring, both halves of the clevis, the self adjuster wheel, and a replacement rubber grommet for the access point for adjustments (on the back of the hub)

i did NOT grease the self adjuster wheel where it contacts the clevis. i only had some hi temp grease from walmart and after reading over the above diagram it concerned me that it wasnt the specified grease. i previously had greased that spot and i am wondering if that was why it stopped adjusting...