Help with e-brake

[Nightwolf]

Can anyone help me out? I got a '89 240sx and my e-brake does't engage and the e-brake light stays on, I need this fixed so I can get my car certified. Anybody got any advice?

Thanks

[gumby74]

Is there any slack in the lever? When you pull it up is there any resistance? The lever may need to be adjusted. There is a hole on the underside of the handle for a 10mm deepwell socket.Before you do this though, what condition are the pads in? Make sure the cables are connected to the calipers, and the pads are good before adjusting the lever itself.

[Nightwolf]

There is resistence but I thought it was normal resistence that you get on your e-brake (this being my first car), the brake pads seem fine though I have replacements for them seeing that was going to replace my rotor and rear brake pads though there is so much rust on the calipers that the bolt has siezed and won't move AT ALL . Also the cables seem to be attached from I could see, though I noticed that the e-brake lever is at an angle a little bit to the driver side...

[gumby74]

Don't worry about the angle of the lever itself. I just wanted to make sure that you understand all the obvious things should be checked out before moving stuff around.If the calipers, pads, and/or rotors need servicing, by all means take care of those things first.Next, when pulling up on the lever, how many clicks do you hear before you cant pull it up any further? Depending on who you ask, it should be between 6 and maybe 10.
Modified by gumby74 at 9:26 AM 8/20/2007

[Nightwolf]

I know my manual says it should be between 6 and 8, I can get about 7 last time I checked.

[gumby74]

So at this point is the parking brake working at all? In what state are your rear braking components?

[Nightwolf]

I looked at my car yesterday and I found I could get 10 maybe 11 clicks, the brake components are very rusty (hense me trying to put new rotors on though so far I can't because the rust is so bad that the bolts on the calipers that they have siezed...) and I don't have the money for new calipers yet. As far as I know the parking brake does not work , but recently my battery died so I can't test it with the full 10 clicks.

[gumby74]

You got some work ahead of you. Fortunately the rear calipers and rotors are not too expensive to replace.As far as those bolts go, its time for the vice grips, easy outs and Mr. BFH.

[Nightwolf]

Ok, so what do I have to do ? Also what is easy out and Mr. BFH?

[positron1]

You could jack the car up, get under there and see if the cables are intact. That is, connected to the ebrake handle or the calipers themselves.

[gumby74]

hahaha.An easy out is well.... think of a drill bit. Now think of that drill bit inverted and lining the inside of a socket. You have to hammer it on with an impact driver. As it starts turning, it cuts into the bolt head until the bolt head starts turning or getting chewed off.Mr. BFH is a Big Fuggin' Hammer.