Insane E brake problem!

[acslater9]

I have a 91' 240sx and was going to replace the rears with new rotors/brake pads/go 5 lug. Anyways I decided to wait till tomarrow to complete this "project" so I put everything back together. As I go to leave for a drive around my neighborhood (Was going to test out my z32 swap I did :) ) I release the e brake and go to reverse. Low and behold nothing happens as if the e brakes were still on.

I remove everything and check to see what the hells going on. Come to find out my when I pull my e brake UP the left side loosens while the right side tightens up. When I put the e brake DOWN the left side tightens while the right side loosens up. I tried taking both bolts out and reconnecting them to see if anything happens but nothing it still occurs. I am stumped and I need help to fix this problem.

Thanks.

[240boi115]

sounds to me like one of the springs in the e brake setup on the left isnt connected. oooooor when messing around you pulled one side too far so the balance is off..

[acslater9]

sounds to me like one of the springs in the e brake setup on the left isnt connected. oooooor when messing around you pulled one side too far so the balance is off..

I think I pulled one side too far and proabably my balance is off like you said. Beacuse when I pull the e brake up the left side squishes in while the right side extends and tightens.

Any soultions on how to fix this problem? Thanks man!

[240boi115]

you might need 2 people for this buut you need to remove your center garnish where your e brake is ( its 4 bolts holding that sucker on) and have someone at the rear adjust it evenly while someone inside the car checks the tension. itll take some fidgiting around but with a little bit of time youll get it back in balance. if this still doesnt work try this thread
http://zilvia.net/f/chat/297481-small-questions-thread-search-first-use-instead-making-new-threads.html maybe someone on there knows another way lol.

hoped i helped a bit

[acslater9]

you might need 2 people for this buut you need to remove your center garnish where your e brake is ( its 4 bolts holding that sucker on) and have someone at the rear adjust it evenly while someone inside the car checks the tension. itll take some fidgiting around but with a little bit of time youll get it back in balance. if this still doesnt work try this thread
http://zilvia.net/f/chat/297481-small-questions-thread-search-first-use-instead-making-new-threads.html maybe someone on there knows another way lol.

hoped i helped a bit

Okay cool but how does the person in the rear adjust it? Uncrew the bolt and just mess around with it? :hyper:

[240boi115]

Okay cool but how does the person in the rear adjust it? Uncrew the bolt and just mess around with it? :hyper:

basically. your going to need to mess with both sides though. remember, it could be the cables or the mechanism in the back itself the person in the car is your spotter basically. to pull the ebrake so you can see exactly how the lines and Assembly are moving.

[mechanicalmoron]

So, you checked that both sides have springs, and both springs are installed the correct direction, like the other poster said?

Because it makes perfect sense, while an imbalance doesn't.

For a very short term fix (as you need the emergency stopping method, really) you can disconnect each caliper physically, and park in first or reverse.

[acslater9]

So, you checked that both sides have springs, and both springs are installed the correct direction, like the other poster said?

Because it makes perfect sense, while an imbalance doesn't.

For a very short term fix (as you need the emergency stopping method, really) you can disconnect each caliper physically, and park in first or reverse.

Yup both sides have springs and they're both in the correct position. Here's the thing I didn't mention though, me and my brother undid the bolt that is holding the e brake (14mm) both sides actually. Here's the thing we messed up on though without realizing it we had the e brake still UP while unbolting them. So when we go and put it back on it's nearly impossible, because on the right side I already put the bolt on hint hint the e brake was still up when I bolted it back in. So as we figure out how to bolt the left side my brother suggested that we should put the e brake down. Then as we did that the right side was easy to screw back in.

I have no idea if that was the problem but I'm 99.9% that is what caused this issue. While the e brake was up I bolted the right side, while the e brake was down I bolted the left side. Also I tired to disconnect both bolts and see if I could reverse it but it still is the same pattern.

@ 240boi115 What will removing the center console do? Just seems like more work to me. Thanks

[So Make Like]

If I'm not mistaken, he suggested removing the center console so that you can see the entire assembly move and spot anything else that may be problematic.

[DJ-of-E]

Question, are the rears z32 e-brake or oem e-brake?

Can you do us a favor and take pictures of your e-brake cables around your driveshaft area when you pull and undo parking brake handle?

[240boi115]

Yup both sides have springs and they're both in the correct position. Here's the thing I didn't mention though, me and my brother undid the bolt that is holding the e brake (14mm) both sides actually. Here's the thing we messed up on though without realizing it we had the e brake still UP while unbolting them. So when we go and put it back on it's nearly impossible, because on the right side I already put the bolt on hint hint the e brake was still up when I bolted it back in. So as we figure out how to bolt the left side my brother suggested that we should put the e brake down. Then as we did that the right side was easy to screw back in.

I have no idea if that was the problem but I'm 99.9% that is what caused this issue. While the e brake was up I bolted the right side, while the e brake was down I bolted the left side. Also I tired to disconnect both bolts and see if I could reverse it but it still is the same pattern.

@ 240boi115 What will removing the center console do? Just seems like more work to me. Thanks

if thats the case then do the exact reverse of what you guys did.. lol remove the 14mm bolt, keep the e brake down, (make sure tohave blocks at the wheels to prevent you rolling everywhere) check to see that both the rhs and lhs are free, re-install the bolt and check if that works...

and yes removing the center console allows you to get a full view of whats ging on. its not that much more work to do. 4 screws and shes off. well 6 screws if you include the ones near the shifter. ;)

[acslater9]

Question, are the rears z32 e-brake or oem e-brake?

Can you do us a favor and take pictures of your e-brake cables around your driveshaft area when you pull and undo parking brake handle?

I have oem e-brakes. Here are some pictures.

These pictures are when the e-brake is UP!
1st picture: Rear drivers side
2nd picture: Rear passengers side

This is when the e-brake is DOWN!
3rd picture:Rear drivers side
4th picture: Rear passengers side

Hope this gives everyone a better idea of whats going on thanks!

[acslater9]

Bump.

The car runs with the e-brake down but now the e-brake doesn't even grip the rears and I have no idea how to fix this issue. Any ideas on how to fix this? I appreciate all the help.

[JDMSTYLE]

i have the same issue (it get stuck and doesnt release all the way to hit the pin like the other side does)
I figure its probably due to the ebrake mechanism getting stuck on the caliper which would mean replacing the rear caliper. I have tried lubricating the mechanism but have had no luck.
This causes the ebrake to feel really loose and also causes the brakes to drag almost like a seized caliper.

[codyace]

Could have a hanging cable or something in the spreader bar part could be hung up. Check right above the driveshaft to see if the spreader is goofy.