[s-cars] ebrake failure; my theory.

[Bill Mahoney]

Since I had opportunity to explore underneath with the driveshaft out last
week I noticed that there was over an inch of play in the ebrake cable.  I
tightened up this one simple nut and voila!, ebrake grabs immediately, like
a new car.
Since our dumb ebrakes are chronically problematic I think that over time,
the cables stretch or this set screw and nut loosen up; thus making it
impossible to fully set.  Thus; the cam partially out and never in all the
way, the exposed portion of the rusts, the ebrake sticks, wont release and
lets the car roll even after setting it.
There is one cable from ebrake that feeds into a "Y" connector that splits
into two cables, one to each wheel.  At the junction of the Y is a long
adjusting set screw with the nut. Kinda like this:
----~<~o~

( "---" is the hand brake cable, "<" is the Y junction connector, "~" is the
adjusting screw and "o" is the nut) ("o" should be up snugg to the "<"
junction.)

This may be tightened up by rhino ramping the front or rear, remove drive
shaft shield and it should be easily visible.  It's approximate location is
in line with the B pillar or directly behind the front seats.  I tightened
it up and added some locktite.
I think by using the ebrakes full range of motion, it should/may continue to
work.
Also, for anyone doing clutches or transmissions, now would be a good time
to install a new ebrake cable, though adding yet another job to what is
already a big job would be your call.
YMMV
Bill m