Rear Drum/Parking brake question [replaced rear brakes, now parking brake won't hold]

[Swoop03]

I think this is the proper place to post this but anyways.

Just did my back brakes, which went by pretty easy thanks to this forum. I've never done or even seen drums like the ones on my 2014 Mirage DE 5 speed. Quick google search a few weeks ago let me know why I couldn't get my drum off and made me glad I didn't go buy bare drums I didn't need. I also now have a new tool, 30mm socket . Apparently I have every size around it but not a 30 or 1" 3/16 I think is the equivalent.

Everything works as it should and spins freely once put back together, hand brake works and I think it'll hold the car reasonably well.

My question is, now that I have new brakes on, the hand brake seems to go up a couple extra clicks than it did before and I can get the car to move with the brake on. It's a struggle but it didn't do that before. Is it a matter of letting the auto adjuster in the back do its work, breaking in the new pads, or should I pop the center console panel out and adjust the brake? I'm probably overthinking something here, but being unfamiliar with these style of drums I'll worry about something for about a hundred miles until I forget about it and realize I did the job right.

Wondering if maybe I accidentally got some grease on the pads or they just need broke in to my old drums. I didn't get new drums because of the price and the fact that my bearings are good, and there was hardly any wear on the drum itself. The pads were even what I would consider good, but they started to squeal. Im at 80k miles as well so it was time to check them as well. So for the price of pads, springs, and a little grease I didn't see a reason not to just put some new parts in. I also roughed up the drums a little bit with some paper to cut into any glazing that occured. If I had more time I might have set them up on my home lathe and cut them (it's ok, I'm a machinist by trade), but I didn't really see a need to, they aren't scored, burnt, warped or out of round.

Anyways, after that longwinded post that should have been like 2 sentences. It's dark now, I'm tired, and my baby daughter needs stuff from the store. The brakes do work but I'll probably leave it in gear for a bit along with the parking brake just to be cautious. Might be able to get back to anyone that posts here from my phone but might have to wait till tomorrow.

[foama]

Assuming you did it right, the mechanism installed correctly, the drum and lining fit, (for checking, place the new shoes into the removed drum, and the lining should mate the drum surface all way around) then you can check the lever-stroke.

Give the handbrake lever a good pull at about 25kg/45lb/200N and it should make 7 to 9 clicks.
To correct it, open the plastic cover over the rear very end of the floor console, and you shall find the 10mm self-locking adjustment nut. You can read it up in the FSM in section 36. You do have a copy of the FSM? If not, get one!

[Top_Fuel]

DIY: Adjusting the parking brake

[Eggman]

Let the self-adjuster do it's thing by stopping backwards a few times and see if that takes care of it. Do that before messing with the parking brake lever.

My 2¢.

[Swoop03]

Assuming you did it right, the mechanism installed correctly, the drum and lining fit, (for checking, place the new shoes into the removed drum, and the lining should mate the drum surface all way around) then you can check the lever-stroke.

Give the handbrake lever a good pull at about 25kg/45lb/200N and it should make 7 to 9 clicks.
To correct it, open the plastic cover over the rear very end of the floor console, and you shall find the 10mm self-locking adjustment nut. You can read it up in the FSM in section 36. You do have a copy of the FSM? If not, get one!

I do have a manual but it's so much easier to Google something and sometimes taking too people gives you better answers. I did check out the thread on adjusting it. I was surprised on how easy it seems to be. If my arm is calibrated correctly I got about 10 or 11 clicks at around 50 pounds of force applied.

I have it a few reverse stops last night, I'll try a couple more here today in a bit. The brakes definitely work and are stopping much better than before and everything is put on exactly the way I took the Factory ones off. I took lots of pictures. I doubt the previous owner had them serviced before 30k miles.

[Top_Fuel]

Remember that 2014-2015 Mirages sold in North America do not use traditional star-wheel adjuster mechanisms. Applying the brakes in reverse in a 2014-2015 isn't doing anything. The shoes in these years adjust outward just by applying the brakes.

Recall...




To adjust the shoes outward after a brake job in a 2014/2015 (North America), just step on the brakes hard multiple times and then pull up hard on the parking brake a few times. Once you've done that, the shoes should have moved out as far as they are going to. If you think you still have too many clicks in your parking brake, then you can adjust it.

[Swoop03]

Remember that 2014-2015 Mirages sold in North America do not use traditional star-wheel adjuster mechanisms. Applying the brakes in reverse in a 2014-2015 isn't doing anything. The shoes in these years adjust outward just by applying the brakes.

Recall...




To adjust the shoes outward after a brake job in a 2014/2015 (North America), just step on the brakes hard multiple times and then pull up hard on the parking brake a few times. Once you've done that, the shoes should have moved out as far as they are going to. If you think you still have too many clicks in your parking brake, then you can adjust it.

Ok thanks, I'll remember that. I've never dealt with this type of drum before this car. I'll give the parking brake a little tightening this weekend. It seems to have adjusted itself close to where it was before, or exactly where it was and I'm just being paranoid for some reason. I figure a small adjustment couldn't hurt. Now brakes are done, I need to make time yet for an oil change in my engine and tranny. Life's been a bit hectic for me lately and they're both overdue right now. Then I need to take care of some minor rust and paint bubbling on my rear fenders before it gets out of hand as well, then maybe I'll finally buy a fog light kit and take on that project. This forum has really made me realize how little I've actually been paying attention to my car lately, I'll have to get a to-do list and stick it in the car where I can see it or something.