Quick help needed please!!

Swapping out the Rear Parking Brake Shoes. 2008 LR3. USA spec. Driver Side - Was able to manually 'pull' the actual cable enough (about half an inch) so that it was easier to attach the Cable end into the bracket of the actual Brake Shoe. Basically, the Cable has a 'nipple' on the end, which sits into the bracket. And there is a 'Spring' around the Cable - Need to push this spring back enough, so that the nipple is able to be pushed through the center opening of the Bracket.

Issue - On Passenger Side, there is not enough cable. When I push the spring back along the cable, the 'nipple' is still 'inside' the spring - therefore unable to push the nipple through the bracket. I gently started to pull the cable, however it did not move - I do not want to force anything. Driver Side cable moved easily. I have zero experience with Parking Brake assemblies. And I definitely don't want to pull the cable-end nipple off!

I took a video, to help explain the situation - https://photos.app.goo.gl/LUT3NwzjQUfzkWHa8

I did remove the FL8 pink 30A fuse from the engine bay fuse box.

Stuck, until I get this figured out...

Do I need to get into the Parking Brake Module box?

Perhaps disconnect cable from the back side of the plate, and then able to pull the cable out a bit more? In which case, how to take apart this connection? Looks like there's a black plastic 'nut' and a black plastic round / cylindrical grooved piece - Undo these?

I suppose the good news is that I cannot attempt to put the Parking Brake Shoe Springs back on until I have the cable re-attached. Ha Ha !! That 'big' spring was very difficult for me to put back on, on the Driver Side, last night. If anyone has any words of wisdom, please share.

Cheers, Simon

 

Did you set it in service mode? Have you tried the manual release? Did you look over the PDF I sent you?

 

Yeah, I think I stupidly did not put it into Service Mode. My flawed logic was that I was thinking I should not put into Service Mode, due to the Screeching issue. Was concerned that I may cause damage within the Module box.

This is not the first or last time I have done something wrong...

I have that Brake manual - excellent.

I will try the manual release method (center console) and will report back - if that doesn't work, I am assuming I need to get into the box. Yuck.

 

Manual release and service mode are not one in the same, at least I am pretty sure. My thought is that the brake, for some reason, may be engaged. Hence the manual release to be sure it's not. But you still probably have to enter service mode which I think extends the cables a little more to some sorta default/new poison. Not sure as I never done work on the parking break with it not being in service mode. As for the screeching sound, that is cause by basically too much cable being pulled into the mechanism when trying to engage. So if out of spec, etc, too much cable is drawn in and it binds up/damages things. But service mode I think extends the cable out, so it would not be an issue.

 

Thanks for your logical calmness!

Ok, so I tried the manual parking brake release, pulling the cable at the center console area. The cable did seem ableto extend an inch or so. Which was perhaps due to my great strength, stretching the cable! I did not hear any noises at all, such as clicks, to suggest that something may have 'released'. Which makes sense, and I agree with you - Parking Brake system is probably already in released, or OFF, status - it was off when I started working on it.

So I think I will try putting into Service Mode, even though the Passenger side is disassembled. I don't know what will happen, but I think my only other alternative is many hours getting to, and pulling apart, the Module assembly box. So if putting into Service Mode at this point causes an issue, I don't think it matters - either way would probably mean messing with the Module box to free up the cable.

I'll report back in about 5 minutes.

Fingers crossed...

 

That manual release is very hard to pull, but IF the brake is truly not engaged nothing will happen. So that makes sense. If engaged you do feel a hard snap as it pulls suddenly. Also looking more into things, I think service mode prevents constant adjustment of the system while its being worked on. The parking brake uses some sorta tension sensors on the cables to keep tension at a pre-set, meaning the system is always active (at least when the vehicle is on). So service mode may just disable this constant self-adjusting "feature". But still, you should be in service mode and I don't think doing it now will hurt anything.

 

Reporting back - "Great Success" (in best Borat accent).

Obviously I put the Brake Rotor and Pads back on, before attempting to put the vehicle into Service Mode.

Attempted Service Mode - Fuse was put back in, vehicle Key to Position 2, press brake pedal 3 times, hold down pedal on 3rd press, and then push e-brake switch down, and hold for 3-5 seconds.

Result - did not hear anything move or activate. Repeated the procedure. Same result, nothing. Sadness.

Sat there for a while, and had an idea - would my Gap IIDTool be able to activate/deactivate Service Mode?

Looked into it. Apparently YES.

Here's the procedure - Don't press the brake pedal or e-brake switch. Just connect your Gap IIDTool, select I/O from main menu, and select Mounting.

I did this, and immediately I heard a good sound - sounded like something unwinding. Lasted for about 3 to 4 seconds.

Went and took off the Brake Pads and Rotor, and saw that the Parking Brake Cable had thankfully moved out about 2 to 3 inches. Obviously plenty of cable to attach it to the Shoe, and also I'm thinking this will help me join the Springs / Shoes together much easier than the Driver Side was.

Service Mode... I have learned my lesson. And also extremely glad that I purchased the Gap IIDTool. If you don't have one, order one today !!

Thank you DakotaTravler for sticking with me on this one...

 

I would adjust both sides properly now to spec, exactly as Bodsy's Brake Bible says. Then you should be good to go!

 

Just as another data point here, I've never ever been able to put the LR3 parking brake into service mode using the manual procedure described in Bodsy's Brake Bible. However, the IID tool has worked flawlessly each time I've needed to do it. The IID tool has also saved my bacon in the back woods of Vermont my "unjamming" my parking brake when it jammed in the middle of nowhere on a class IV road and wouldn't allow me to go anywhere. The LR3 will not go anywhere when the parking brake is jammed (i.e. you can't overpower it) as the car is smart enough to know the brake is jammed and simply cuts fuel to the engine when you press the gas pedal.

 

I had no problems getting it into service mode manually. But I use a laptop now anyway for that. As for jamming, I would just use the manual release if it stuck.