DIY: Fix your cable handbrake before trying a Hydro.

[DiscoQuinn]

I saw a huge thread today on facebook and I was surprised to see the number of people who had no idea they could adjust their stock parking brake.

The FRS/BRZ setup is ideal for drifting with a 'Drum in Hat' style parking brake.

Drum brakes actually offer more surface area contact than a disc brake setup. This means they lock harder!

From factory, or more commonly, from lots of use, the handbrake becomes out out adjustment. |

How can I tell my hand brake is out of adjustment? There are two ways it can be out of adjustment:

-1. Cable stretch. The hand brake handle pulls up really far before it actually locks the wheels.

-2. Imbalanced cable tension. The hand brake pulls up a little bit, then feels slightly stiffer, but then continues pulling up until it gets tougher again. (Often one wheel won't even lock at all.)



Let's fix that!

It can be all done with plain hand tools in your driveway in about 30 minutes.

Things you'll need:
-Jack and Jack stands
-Wheel key/socket and wrench to remove the wheels
-Needle nose pliers (optional)
-Flathead screw driver
-10mm deep socket ratchet and/or 10mm wrench

Step1: (I'm going to assume you've removed your rear wheels before)

-Jack up the back of the car, mount your jack stands in a safe place, and remove your rear wheels.

Step2:

-Inside the car, remove the trim that covers the bottom of the hand brake. This will reveal the lower mechanism of the hand brake, and most importantly, the 10mm nut that sets the overall cable tension.

Step3:

-Inside the car, loosen the 10mm adjustment nut on the hand brake mechanism a few turns (2-3). Lower the hand brake, and put the transmission into neutral.

Step4:

-Outside the car, rotate the rear disc brake, by hand, until the rubber access plug is closest to the bottom.

Step5:

-Pop out the rubber access plugs to reveal the "Star" adjuster. These adjusters kinda look like ninja stars being thrown at you. Be careful not to push these rubber covers inside the drum.

These adjusters can be spun to add or remove pre-tension to your drum shoes.

Step6:

-Using a flat head screw driver, rotate the star adjuster wheel one click at a tome. One direction will loosen, one will tighten. Each turn will have resistance as there is a spring tensioner to keep the adjuster from rotating when driving.

Rotate only one click at a time.

To check the tension, grab the rotor by hand and try to spin it. If it feels loose, and easy to turn, it needs to be tightened. If you are having trouble turning the rotor, it is too tight. Again, only turn the star adjuster one click at a time and check after each click.

The proper tension should have a slight gentle drag, and the rotor shouldn't wiggle.

Step7:

-Repeat the other side. Important! Make sure both rear rotors feel the same. This means they are pre-tensioned the same amount. This will make the feeling of pulling the hand brake much more crisp.

Step8:

-Once both sides are adjusted equally, reinstall the rubber caps and reinstall your wheels.

Step9:

-Inside the car, adjust the 10mm hand brake tension nut one or two turns at a time. To know you've set the right tension, it should only pull up 3-5 clicks.

Once you've got the tension feeling nice, reinstall the interior trim, lower the car and torque the wheels.


As someone who's been drifting for 16? years now, you don't need a hydro handbrake unless you're in competition style drifting. Japan will make fun of you if you can't enter without using one. Consider the handbrake a crutch. It's only there when you really need it. <3

Enjoy!

[EndlessAzure]

For the adjuster screw inside the rear brake drum:
* "Down" will loosen
* "Up" will tighten
* Same adjustment orientation for both sides (IIRC).


The service manual states that, for normal specifications, the inside hand lever should raise 7-8 clicks when pulling up with 45 lb of force (pretty heavy hand). Adjust down from there if you desire