Rear disk brake, how to loosen emergency brake cable tension

[littleneckhalfshell]

2001 Buick avenue ultra with rear disk brakes. Trying to release emergency brake cable tension so we can replace the rear brake pads. Where is the adjuster located?

 

[Kevandkaye]

I believe the rear cylinders rotate backwards. As the pads wear, the cylinders rotate out, like a screw. You need to get something (pliers) in the two "V" grooves on the face of cylinder and turn it back inward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmzuVdNntYQ

 

[ryenie]

2001 Buick avenue ultra with rear disk brakes. Trying to release emergency brake cable tension so we can replace the rear brake pads. Where is the adjuster located?

Tension should be released by releasing the parking brake. I don't know that you can adjust the parking brake outside of cycling the parking brake pedal off and on a few times (procedure given in shop manual), which would only adjust it outwards, not inwards. After removing the guide pin bolts you should be able to pry the caliper off, it's a tight squeeze but unless the caliper is frozen it should come off without having to run the piston back in. If the pads or rotor have grooves in them it might require a little force and finagling, but if you can spin the tire, the caliper isn't locked onto the rotor to the point you need to back the piston off before removing it from the vehicle.

 

[Kevandkaye]

I was under the assumption he was trying to get the calipers around the new pads, but maybe they're stuck? Wasn't very clear.

 

[ryenie]

I'm not exactly sure what part he's stuck with, but either way, the twisting not compressing is still important info. There is a spring and lever arm on the rear caliper, pretty sure it's the ratcheting mechanism for the caliper piston. Push the pedal and it rotates the piston outwards. When you release the brake, it releases the lock lever allowing the piston to rotate enough the other way enough to release the pressure applied to the pads. I'm also having a hard time finding a helpful video, all the ones i see show you which bolts to remove, then show the caliper dangling with no visual support to show how they removed the caliper from the bracket, or the whole assembly from the hub as some take the bracket off too or what to do if the parking brake actually is stuck engaged how to manually release the locking or ratcheting mechanism.