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how do i go about adjusting my parking brake? Right now my car is sitting up on jackstands with the rear wheels off and trying to get the drum off. I can only get one screw out on eiter side. I'm going to try and heat them up a bit and then try. Do I even need to be inside to tighten up the parking brake? Thanks.

i would get a drum puller or a big hammer
yeah heat taking a torch near ur gas tank a great idea

close to my gas tank? not really, i am just putting it on the bolts to try and get them loose. But my original question is do i even need to take this off to adjust my parking brake?

Originally posted by maniac:
...But my original question is do i even need to take this off to adjust my parking brake?

No-- you actually adjust the parking brake from INSIDE the cabin. Instructions as follows from factory shop manual:

1. Before adjustment, start engine & depress brake pedal several times while vehicle is moving in reverse.

2. Turn off engine & from inside the car, remove the parking brake-lever cover. (1 screw I believe)

3. Remove the adjusting nut clip and turn the adjusting nut at the front of the parking cable.

cool thanks alot, i'll have a look at that

Just my luck, i tighten it up a bit, and as i pull up the lever to see if it has any effect, SNAP... Well there goes that cable. Time to taker in to the shop I think.

ha ha... that sucks a$$... mazda wants 85 a cable... around hear atleast...

What is the cable made out of? Maybe other options other then OEM....

you might be able to go down to a hardware store and get some kind of strong braided cable that has a rubber/silicone coating on it, i've seen some before you might be able to use that ... only hard part would be figuring out how to attatch the adjuster part in the cab of the car and the other end at the brake. but its worth a look at least. since it broke you should just pull it all out so you can compare it

If it is the front cable that broke you should be able to fix it yourself...I did my own it wasnt that hard...And where i live the cable onle cost $27 good luck

yeah i looked at it toay, and it was the front cable so i got it for 30 bucks and put it on, not too bad of a job if you move the exhaust piping out of the way. Had to file down the ends on the 2 rear cables so they would fit into the new front cable section.