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Dear Fellow Brickboarders,
Hope you're well. The FAQ descriptions do not address the following issue. To install the emergency brake shoes, does the top shoe's rear-most end (that towards the back of the car) rest atop the fitting at the end of the cable?
I ask, because when the top shoe's rear-most end rests atop this fitting (the slot in the brake shoe fits into the top of the fitting), the end of the brake shoe is about 1/4" from the metal block, against which rests the bottom shoe's rear-most end. As a result, I cannot install the rotor. The brake shoe assembly is simply too wide, to fit inside the rotor. The brake shoe springs have been corrected installed.
Or, does the fitting at the end of the cable - which has an "ear" that sticks upwards - go behind the brake dust shield? If so, how exactly does it fit into place. Please be as specific as possible, using as reference point, the square metal block at the rear (three o'clock position) of the brake shoe base plate.
One more question, when the emergency brake cable is completely slack, is the black plastic adjusting "nut" as close as it can get to the emergency brake console, or is the black plastic nut as close as it can get to the rear-edge of the opening in the carpet? These are fixed reference points, which tell me whether or not I have the black plastic adjustment nut in the correct position.
Thanks for your help.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Dear Fellow Brickboarders,
Hope you're well. I found the obstacle, that kept me from seating the actuators.
To put the rounded upper end of the actuator in place (pointing upwards [towards the top of the brake dust shield], and resting against the brake shoe's outer wall), the square-edged connector at the end of each cable (cable connector) has to be pulled outwards (towards the outer surface of the brake dust shield) so that the edge of the cable connector is even with the outer edge of the steel block, on which rest the brake shoes. This positioning allows the actuator swing-arm to come to rest inside the actuator's body.
Having assembled the driver's side correctly, I could not get the passenger-side cable connector to reach the outer edge of the steel block: the cable seemed to be too short.
At length, I used the smooth part of a pliers' jaws to grip the cable and pulled hard on it. Something came free and suddenly I was able to pull the cable connector and bring it even with the edge of the steel block. I do not know what jammed the cable, preventing me from extending the cable to its full length.
I then inserted the actuator's bottom "U" shaped end into slot in the lower brake shoe, and put the "hook-shaped" upper end of the actuator into the opening in the brake dust shield.
I then positioned the brake shoes, such that the lower end of the upper shoe (and the upper end of the lower shoe) aligned with the steel block's trailing edge (the edge closest to the back of the car). I then positioned the rear-most spring, which goes into the slots (not the round holes) on the trailing end of the brake shoes. I used a long needle-nosed pliers to grip the spring's top, and a screw driver to put the spring into the brake shoe's opening.
Once this spring was in place, I re-aligned the brake shoes, so that the rear-most ends (towards the back of the car) aligned perfectly with the trailing edge of the steel block.
I then was able to emplace the rotor, reinstall the caliper, and reinstall the wheel.
Adjusting the brake handle was simple. I turned the black adjuster (to the rear of the bracket behind the parking brake handle, into which bracket go the rear-most set of screws that secure the emergency brake console) until the emergency brake was fully engaged at the eighth notch.
Lesson learned: sometimes a little brute force is useful.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Does this picture help? The top is the right side of the picture. Any other information I can provide?
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john
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Dear john sargent,
Hope you're well. The picture helped. I have some specific questions.
The fitting at the end of the brake cable - shown above - has a "U"-shaped slot in one end, that is movable.
Does the slot at the end of the brake shoe fit into that "U"-shaped end? Or, does the "U"-shaped end rest against the outer wall of the brake shoe?
While it seems reasonable that the brake shoe slots fits into the "U"-shaped fitting, when the brake shoe is so inserted, the ends of the brake shoes will not rest on the steel block, shown in the photo.
As a result, the brake rotor won't fit, because the diameter of the circle described by the brake shoes' perimeter is too large.
The only way I can get the ends of the brake shoes to rest on the steel block, is to put the "U"-shaped fitting next to the brake shoe's outer wall. In that position, the outer edge of the fitting just clears the rear surface of the hub.
Is it possible that the slot in the brake shoes is not quite deep enough?
Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Spook, make sure the pin securing the end of the cable to the actuator isn't seized. I had a similar problem a few months ago, couldn't for the life of me get it together - it seemed like one side was always slightly engaged, even if the e-brake was completely disengaged. It turns out the cable/pin connection had seized in the actuator, reducing the amount of free cable by just maybe 1/2 an inch - but enough to apply force to the springs.
I only discovered this because I was replacing the passenger-side short cable anyway; it was almost worn through. Since I had to remove the cable and actuator, this made the problem easy to spot. With everything assembled, it's a lot more difficult to see.
A lot of anti-seize on the pin and everything else made a world of difference on re-assembly, and there was no contact between the e-brake pads and rotor at all.
Hope this helps.
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Dear benfingland,
Hope you're well and thank you for your comments. The end-cable actuators are rust-free, despite this car having lived in the salt belt for nearly a decade.
Even so, I lubed the actuators with a light grease.
What I can't figure-out is the position of the bottom of the actuator relative to the opening in the brake dust shield. It is clear that the top of the actuator rests on the side of the upper brake shoe. But I cannot get enough slack in the cable, to position the bottom of the actuator, so that the end of the cable link (the square-edged fitting, right at the end of the cable) rests between the two branches of the actuator's arm. As a result, the actuator dangles uselessly.
It may be that I need to slack the cable even more. The cables are not rusted and the linkage on the axle tube moves freely. I thought I had the cable at max slack. That, though was not enough.
With some more effort, I'll figure out what I've not done correctly.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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You really do have to slack them up. Make sure the side cables are routed correctly over the axle and through the correct brackets, etc. and that the actuator lever on the axle tube is not hung up.
--
See the 700/900 "FAQ" at the menu bar top screen left side.
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Dear Steve,
Hope you're well. As the factory-original cables are in fine shape - and the plastic guides are present and in good order - I didn't have to disturb the cables.
I'll raise both wheels at the same time, and ensure that the cable adjuster is fully "slacked" (which I think it was).
If, after all this, I cannot position the bottom of the actuator level, such that it seats according to the picture that John Sargent kindly posted, I'll have to seek pro help.
If I do get things back into good working order, I'll describe carefully what I did, for inclusion in the FAQs, if you see fit.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Jay, I recall the same issue when I did mine quite some time ago and I wish I could recall how I solved it. I fiddled for a while after looking at the intact other side and it then went together. As I recall, the cable came through the dust shield via the rubber boot and was pinned into the hook lever arm on the outboard side of the dust shield. The assembly is mounted between the flange and the dust shield and the lever arm is right next to the shield. The fulcrum side goes up. I also recall that mounting the shoes correctly was a pain and took some trial and error to get them to fit. Anyway, for what it's worth I can send you the scanned images from the green book if you want them.
--
See the 700/900 "FAQ" at the menu bar top screen left side.
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Dear Steve,
Hope you're well. Thank you for your kind offer. I have the Volvo Tech Manual dealing with brakes, including the parking brake. However, it does not address the question of positioning of the actuator, so that: (a) the parking brake shoes sit squarely atop the steel block, at the 9 o'clock position on the passenger-side brake dust shield (b) the rotor fits and (c) the parking brake works properly.
Indeed, the (too-) small photo in the Volvo Manual (p. 85) does not show the relevant detail. The FAQs are useless, because the description is vague. The term "abuts" is without meaning, as neither the shape of the actuator nor the location against which it is to rest are described.
In short, I find myself without guidance here, a first in a decade of working on 940s.
What I need is a very specific description of how the ends of the actuator - the part mounted with a removable pin at the end of the parking brake cables - are to be positioned relative to: (a) the steel block on the brake dust shield (b) the opening in the dust shield, through which the cable-end reaches the actuator and (c) the parking brake shoes. Without this description, I do not know how to position the actuator, so that it will move the brake shoes, when I raise the handle.
Thanks in advance, for any advice you can offer.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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I wish I had taken photos of the last time I did this. I do recall having to look at the intact (not-yet-disassembled) side to figure it out. When you DO figure it out, kindly send me the appropriate edits for the FAQ.
--
See the 700/900 "FAQ" at the menu bar top screen left side.
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Dear Lucid,
Hope you're well. I did look at those photos, which are helpful. They show: (a) the end of actuator, with the pivot pin, points upward, and (b) the outer edge of the "U" shaped end, rests on the outer side of the upper brake shoe.
Having replaced the rear brake pads - they had perhaps 1/8" (3 mm) of material left - I had hoped to restore the parking brake to good order.
That, alas, must wait. When I have the parking brake handle adjusted per the specs in the Manual, it does not hold. I think this is due to the displacement of the actuators.
However, there is neither a diagram that shows each actuator's position nor any description sufficiently precise to be useful.
Ultimately, I'll look at another 940, and see how the actuator is emplaced. The want of clarity in the Tech Manual makes time consuming, that which should be easy.
Thanks again for your helpful pointer.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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posted by
someone claiming to be trichard
on
Sun Apr 8 18:24 CST 2012 [ RELATED]
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try this:
get all the shoes and hardware in place.
place the rotor over the lower e brake show so it fits inside the rotor
looking down from the top use large flat blade screw driver to push lower the upper brake shoe while you keep the lower show safely inside the rotor.
the shoe assembly has a lot of wiggle movement in it.
i think you will expedite getting the rotor to cover the assembly without too much frustration
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Dear trichard,
Hope you're well. I started with the driver's side wheel. I cannot get the fitting at the end of the cable positioned, such that the rear-facing ends of the brake shoes sit directly atop the steel block, at the three o'clock position (as one faces the hub). Until I can get the brake shoes to seat properly on the steel block, no amount of force or leverage will get the rotor to fit.
I need very specific guidance as to how the cable's end-fitting should contact the ends the brake shoes. While there are slots at the end of the brake shoes, I do not know how (or if) those brake shoe slots fit into (or against) the fitting at the end of the cable.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Hello again Spook,
Reading through your dialogue here does impart some trepidation. I have started to remove the parking brake and immediately ran into a lower caliper mounting bolt that would not budge. It finally broke under the force of an impact wrench I had borrowed. Now I have the dubious pleasure of trying to remove the remains of the bolt [which broke off flush] from the axle housing.
It looks like I will have to remove the dust shield so that I can access the stub from the outside rather than having to work through the coil spring. The shield seems to be held in place by two bolts or nuts that I can see when observing the back of the dust shield. I am keeping my fingers crossed that these bolts/nuts are not frozen in place as well and that there is not something else holding the dust shield in place. Otherwise I might be looking at removing the rear coil spring so that I can properly access the stub.
Regardless, I finally got the rotor off with some serious pounding and my emergency brake shoes seem to be completely missing. I tried to follow the gist of your dialogue here but am still somewhat mystified by exactly what the issue was with your brake shoe installation. I couldn't seem to cut and paste some of the reference links provided but have been able to see the pictures kindly provided by Lucid and/or Steve and Trichard.
Any particular tips you have on removing and replacing the springs would be appreciated.
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Dear muskox37,
Hope you're well. Whenever tackling bolts that have never been loosened, it is a good idea to saturate them repeatedly - over several days - with PB Blaster, or a similar penetrating oil. These oils slowly work their way through micro-channels in the corrosion, weakening the corrosion bond.
If you have a Dremel Moto-tool (or similar item), you might be able to cut a slot into the stub of the caliper bolt, then the turn-out the stub, using a screw-driver.
The problem I had was with installing the replacement brake shoes. The expander - the part to which the emergency brake cable attaches - would not seat into the recess in the backing plate. As a result, the brake shoes would not fit inside the rotor. I solved the problem by yanking on the end of the emergency brake cable. Apparently, the mechanism had "snagged" somehow. The sharp tug freed the cable, so that the expander could fit into its recess. The brake shoes then fit correctly, and the rotor went atop them.
If you do not see the brake shoes, then I presume the emergency brake was not working properly, or at all. There should be two shoes, separated on one side by a small steel plate, with a lot in either end. At the other end, the brake shoes rest on a projection from the backing plate, against which the shoes are held by the springs, which fit into holes in the brake shoes.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Hello Spook,
Thanks for your quick reply. I worded that message poorly. The shoes were in place but there was absolutely no lining left on them. I had tried to adjust them but they would not hold of course, being metal upon metal. I have now managed to get them off the car. I am just using large screwdrivers to get the springs open. Do you have a better tool at hand?
I also removed the right side cable by disconnecting it at the join in the middle of the car. I was not sure exactly how to remove the pin that connects the cable to the actuator mechanism. I will try to remove it with a drift later this week. although I could just leave everything together because it all seems to be working okay.
I could not remove the dust shield but was able to get all bolts out without further breakage. I can now see the 'back end' of the broken bolt and will do what has to be done to get it out. First I am going to get a can of PB Blaster at the local Canadian Tire store.
Thanks again for your input.
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