92 Loyale. Recently changed front rotors, pads, and calipers, so it's all new up front. Oddly, I pulled on the e-brake after parking and something broke, allowing the brake handle to rotate up 30 degrees or so. Now it was so slack it wouldn't hold. I adjusted the e-brake between the seats and got it to kinda hold, but the right side is clearly longer than the left. It almost looks like most of the cable wires broke and only a few are left, and they unraveled a little, making it a little longer. Essentially, the cable got about a half inch longer, all of a sudden. I'm just guessing, here.

 

Is this what must have happened? Anything else come to mind that would cause this?

 

The normal hydraulically operated brakes are fine. They didn't change at all.

 

Thanks,

cnc

 

I should mention that the e-brake is on the front axle. The parts houses almost always say it has rear axle e-brake. Dunno why.....

Edited February 23, 20179 yr by cnc

I never had one of those cables break, but it's possible.  Maybe there is a crack or damage that let water in and rusted it out.   I never had to adjust the nut on the brake lever thing either.  After replacing pads, cycling the brakes a number of times always seems to get them all back to normal.

 

Maybe double check the 2 brake end levers for how far they move from release to pulled.  If the cable broke, one should not be pulled as far.

I did notice that the two cables looked to be different lengths where they hook onto the handle. They were roughly equal, then something popped and the handle went way up. I had no braking, and then I adjusted it way tighter and got some brake action. The cable looks fine out at the wheel. When I release the brake handle, the cable retracts like you'd expect it to.

cnc

When you replaced everything, how did you get the pistons retracted into the calipers?

 

I'll have to compare 2 cables, but I don't remember them being different lengths. It's normal to have to cycle both paying and service brakes a number of times after replaceing the pads, etc. Not normal to need to adjust. Also if a cable broke, it should not be able to pull at all, just be slack.

Perhaps the caliper was twisted when reinstalled.. I'm thinking that's what I did.. It was working after brake job for a short time.. Funny thing is I had an emergency slam the brake situation and I heard a pop and felt it.. and that's when my problem started. So I let my passengers freak out when I roll on hills when I park ... then I put it in gear.. going back to revisit soon enough.. I hear the drivers rear bearing or shoe acting up

DaveT: I replaced the calipers, rotors, and pads all at the same time. Hence, the pistons just pushed all the way back with my little finger. I think I also adjusted the e-brake at the same time and all was working fine. I don't know what I could have done differently.

 

Len: Not sure what you mean by 'twisted'. They only go on one way, don't they?

That's odd. The normal loyale caliper pistons have to be screwed back in. Pressing with any kind of real force will break the adjuster inside that keeps the parking brake working as the pads wear down.

I put brand new calipers, including pistons. The pistons were probably pushed all the way in to start, plus the screw operation just adds some length as the pads wear, right? Everything came together and behaved as normal, including the e-brake. The best way I can describe what happened next is to say that as if by magic, the cable instantly lengthened by a half inch or so.It still functions, retracts, etc. It's just longer. Wondering if most of the cable strands broke, but a few were left and they unraveled a bit, thereby making it a little longer. Hoping someone on the board has a clue.

Like DaveT says.... you cannot just push the pistons back in... you have to screw them in.    

 

Len: Not sure what you mean by 'twisted'. They only go on one way, don't they?

 

They do only go on one way.. I was meaning .. as we hang them up out of the way to work on them and when we put them back on the cable and the hose get twisted if we don't watch what we are doing.. possibly but not probable.. I think there is a clip that either broke or the cable detached from around the caliper it's self..