Parking Brake Cable Adjust

[Phil and Judy Rose]

At 9:11 AM -0700 5/3/03, Bernie Benz wrote:

>IMO. the more common cause of piston non-return is just sludged up
>hydraulics within the caliper that can be solved with disassembly and
>cleaning without getting into the PB actuating mechanism.  BTDT.

You could be right about the "more common" cause, but I wonder if
you're generalizing from just limited, Nevada-based experience????
Let's not forget that many other owners experience considerable road
salt-induced corrosion on both the calipers _and_ cables.  And how
does "sludged up hydraulics" account for the fact that many people
have been able (BTDT) to improve the ebrake return  by merely
introducing lubrication (and eliminating corrosion) along the
actuating-lever shaft? There are many contributors to the problem, so
I rather doubt that you know which is the "more common" cause.

>The return spring is sufficient for a caliper that is in good shape.

Well, who could argue with a self-evident statement like that? But it
only suggests that Audi/Girling came up with a barely adequate
design--something which I'd not expect _you_ to be a proponent (or
apologist) for.  In _other_ parts of the world (not sun-belt), the
sufficiency of the return spring seems actually to require both
calipers and cables "in close to perfect condition", not just "in
good shape" (whatever that means anyway). This is especially
frustrating, considering that it appears a modest increase of the
spring-rate might prolong the  ebrake's (full return) function by
several years.

Hey, speaking of beefier ebrake springs-- has anyone actually located
and installed the European Ford (Granada, was it?) ebrake
return-spring that was said to be applicable to our cars? Years ago I
attempted to get one of the euro-listers to help me locate that Ford
spring, but it came to naught... I believe I have a p/n, somewhere...

Phil





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*  Phil & Judy Rose           Rochester, NY  *
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