Hello all.

I have an 89 4Runner V6 that i just completed a suspension/brake overhaul on, and am having trouble with getting the parking brake to work.

The rear wheel bearings and seals were shot, and the axle was leaking into the drums, so i ended up replacing EVERYTHING on the rear axle, to include the bearings, seals, wheel cylinders, drums, and shoes. I even took apart the bellcranks, and cleaned and lubricated them.

Everything was set up correctly, and the auto adjusting mechanisms work properly as you pull the parking brake handle. I was able to do this until the adjusters expanded the shoes outward, to the point where it doesn't click against the star wheel anymore.I made some slight adjustments to the centerlink on the cables, but there wasn;t much slack to start with, and now the cables are nice and taught.

Well after finishing up, the parking brake won't hold the truck even on the slightest incline, and the handle pulls right out with little resistance to it's maximum point.... so is there another adjustment point i am missing? the factory service manual doesn't really help, because it just describes the cable adjustments as: "make sure the travel is correct"

The rear shoes have self adjusted so they sound as if they are just barely contacting the drums with no pedal pressure.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

 

Might have to adjust the parking brake lever itself?? I'm guessin the technology hasn't changed much over the years. Should be an adjusting nut once you take off the center console...
Sounds like your hand lever is really loose. Downstairs it all sounds right what you did.

 

There is a Intermediate lever in front of the fuel tank .

You can take up slack there .

Cables do stretch might be time for new .

 

I didn't think to check the handle itself! Although it looks like there is not any adjustable parts of it up in that area, I did find that my brake pedal height was pretty low so I adjusted that while I was at it.

And I did take a look at the intermediate level by the gas tank and made the needed adjustments, although since everything is nice and tight, i think i'm gonna have to go with you that the cables are likely stretched beyond their usable life! Especially considering that I am at nearly 300,000 miles, and that my dad bought this truck new, so i know that the cables are the originals.

 

I recently replaced mine (the cable from the axle to the tank) after dealing with what I thought was sticky bell cranks

In turns out the cable was frayed and jamming inside the sleeve