Bedding In ... PARKING BRAKE SHOES ?!

[Mako Koiwai]

I replaced the rotors and the rear parking brake shoes. The handle seems nice and firm now. It only goes about half way up compared to ALL the way up before I replaced the rear shoes. BUT it isn't doing a very good job of holding the Z-06 on a slope. One has to really pull up on it very hard for it to hold. Doesn't seem right.

I was conservative in setting the parking brake shoe adjuster, wanting to make sure there was no rubbing. And the handle does feel good in terms of travel.

I can't find anything about bedding in parking brake shoes. Why should one? It's for holding the car from a stand still, not for slowing the car down. But I did go ahead and do some mild bedding in to see if that would help. Basically just using the hand brake to come to a stop from a roll up to stop lights. But there is very little braking force being generated.

I've heard the Vette Parking Brake is anemic ... but this seems like it would be dangerous in San Francisco!

[Mark Duerst]

The parking brake is not very good.

Don't park on a hill and be careful in grid if there is any slope.

I believe Leslie met Gary that way.

[Steve Abbott]

I've owned 4 C5 Corvette's. All of them is like your description. I have a fairly steep driveway at my house. Karen's car has rolled back a few times. We now have a 2x4 3ft. long and drive over it before we stop the car.

Steve A.

[Steve Towers]

Mine barely works at all. Been lousy since I bought the car. I just leave it gear on slopes. It is a wee problem on some ax lots if I want to leave the engine running while parked.

Supposedly, lifting up/down on the handle 5-6 times will re-tension the cable. Might help. Don't know for sure.

[Leslie Cohen]

I have owned 2 c5 z06s. Replacing parts, adjusting, etc. will not fix the design. Parking brake will not hold car. Always put car in gear. Never leave car running in neutral with parking brake up on even the mildest of slopes - can guarantee the car will roll. Ask the c5 my car rear ended. Or ask my foot that my own car rolled over. 

[Mako Koiwai]

Thanks Guys ... keeping a chock block in the car for now on

[Bob Pl]

Thanks Guys ... keeping a chock block in the car for now on

You can use 2 hands to pull up harder, that helps a bit, in grid make a small wood block with a tether attached & chock the car, tether goes into the car. When you leave grid, reverse an inch pull the block into the car. If you don't need the engine running just leave in gear.

Of course none of this fixes the sorry parking brake, you would need to address that with GM.

Best of luck with that.