Hi. I used the Gap Tool to quickly and easily put the LR3 Parking Brake system into Service Mode (i.e. extend the 2 cables by about an inch and a half, to make it much easier to remove old shoes and put it all back together with new Shoes).

Specific question - EXACTLY when should I turn the Service Mode OFF again, within the Gap Tool?

• Should I do this BEFORE I have performed all of the various adjustments (car still on jack stands, i.e. pre-bedding-in-when-driving procedure)? or,
• Should I do this AFTER I have performed all of the various adjustments (car still on jack stands, i.e. pre-bedding-in-when-driving procedure)?
• Is it even necessary to turn Service Mode OFF, or should I just engage the Parking Brake, after getting all of the hardware into the correct positions, to pull the 'loose' cable tight enough? And then disengage the Parking Brake, and then immediately drive around and perform the bedding-in procedure?

Did some research, couldn't find the answer to this.

Thanks, Simon

 

I don’t think I’ve ever unset the service mode, TBH. I’ve just reconnected the battery and then directly went to bedding them in.

You might want to google “Bodsy's Brake Bible”, AFAIK latest version is 1.6a . It’s been of great help. I think Bodsy made a YouTube channel (or something) with an update to the PDF instructions.

 

I don't think Bodsy mentions anything about Service Mode for adjusting the EPB. Is that a required step?

 

I assumed (or read) that the OP changed shoes, which is when you want it in service mode, and wondered whether the mode needs to be turned off afterward. It is indeed not necessary (at all) unless you intend to disconnect the cable from the shoe itself.

 

Ugh....I had a shop replacing the wheel bearing. They had to cut the EPB cable in order to get the hub out. I am sure they did NOT put it in Service Mode, and now I'm having a heck of a time trying to adjust it.

 

That doesn’t sound fun at all….

 

....I wonder if I'm completely screwed. I think I'm gonna try to just get it as tight as I can without going over to the "too tight" side. A little squeal while setting it isn't going to be a huge deal. The LR3 has 247k miles on it, and it's not perfect. I will also start using the EPB less. My driveway is inclined though, so I tend to use it daily .

Anyone have ideas?

 

Houm_Wa, sorry about your troubles...

On my (long-term) LR3, I purposely cut the Parking Brake Cables off, before they enter the Backing Plate. Because, self-inflicted problem... I also failed to put the Parking Brake system into Service Mode, when first attempting to put new Shoes on. This was the first time I worked on Parking Brakes, any car, and I didn't really know what what I was doing. This was a few years ago. I think the large amount of manual cable stretching that I needed to do, in order to fit new Shoes, obviously caused permanent damage within the Parking Brake 'box' - It never did work properly, after I struggled to put everything back together, so I just decided to castrate the Parking Brakes altogether. To this day, I still don't have Parking Brakes on that vehicle. It's on the list...

Back to my original question, for my other LR3 (recently new to me) - Almost certainly NOT necessary to turn Service Mode 'off'. Service Mode will apparently automatically turn off (i.e. both Cables will tighten a little bit), when first turning the engine on. So, please DO NOT turn on the engine halfway through your Parking Brake maintenance!! Do this - Turn Service Mode ON, take off Rotor, take apart old Shoes, copper grease appropriately, put new Shoes on, recommend new hardware, put Rotor back on, tighten the T50 Torx screw (use anti-sieze), do the proper '8 click' adjustment at proper Torque, loosen and tighten the 4mm Allen bolt, lots of gentle rubber mallet taps throughout these adjustments, REPEAT on other side of vehicle (both wheels must be off, so that you can easily spin). And ONLY at that point should you stick the key into the ignition. When the wheels are back on, take it for a drive and perform the standard Bedding-In procedure. I put the Brakes back together yesterday - It will remain up on jacks until I finish some other work.