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Ebrake issues

Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Messages
187
Location
Crossville, TN
After installing new pads and replacing the right rear brake caliper, my ebrake is not holding good. It holds a little, but not much. I've read through some forums, but can't figure it out. Both rear cables were hooked at the T, but the handle had to be pulled higher that the console will allow to hold the car on a slight incline. Some people have complained about not getting enough slack in the short cable from the handle, it's like mine has too much. With it having too much, it takes too much pull on the handle to pull the rear cables. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.
 
The cable is not out of place on the handle. As for the cables to stretch, why would they after the brake job? This car has always had a great ebrake. Thanks for the advice.
 
It's been many moons since I did the rear brake pads and rotors on my Contour, but I do remember having to open up the rear calipers and turn out the pistons a bit to set the e-brake clearance - pads to rotor, not tight, but enough that you could slip a piece of paper between the pads and rotors. It would probably self-adjust in time, but I wanted the e-brake to work right when the job was done. I've had to do the same operation with other rear disc cars, which is actually all of my fleet. I looked today, and the Ford Contour shop manual says nothing about this, but I've seen it in the manuals for my other cars.

Pull the caliper release pin, rotate the caliper up, turn out the piston a bit, making sure one of the notches in the piston face drops over the tab on the back of the brake pad, then slip the caliper back into place and check the pad to rotor drag. Once the clearance is set, the e-brake should work normally and the cable slack should be back to normal.
 
I just had to replace both of my rear calipers because they wouldn't hold the car with everything else working and doing what you described. If they pull so far back that the rubber boot is squished all the way on the cable at the caliper the caliper is the problem. Do not twist the e brake on while it does not have the brake pads and rotor under it, it will ruin there set up and it is hard to get back together properly. You may want to return the caliper and get another. But that being said on one of the new ones I did have to do what gmorrell said and adjust it out a bit. But that caliper wouldn't even come down even after bleeding it so the brake wouldn't have been working even if I hadn't.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I robbed a handle off of my parts car and it will hold it now, but it has to be at the highest level you can get it to. I will definitely do this when I get a free minute. I appreciate the help.
 
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