Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 19:06:34 +0100 From: "Kjell Krakenes" <kjell.krakenesnopsamad-optronics.no> Subject: Re: Emergency Brake Tightening
I have work quit a lot with the front brakes on my Saab 99 which has the same type of brake. Some of the replies to your questions are not entirely correct. Here is how the mechanism works, and what to do when changing the pads and/or the discs. The hand brake mechanism pushes the pistons and the pads of the disc brakes systom onto the discs. This is unique for Saab, as far as I know. All other cars with disc brakes have separate drums for the hand brake. The hand brake is adjusted automatically as the pads wear. The adjustment takes place when you use the ordinary (foot) brakes. Because of the automatic adjustment mechanism, you have to reset the brakes before you can replace the pads. This is done by screwing the pistons back into the caliper. There is a special tool for this. This tool is cheap and can be bought from Saab. You may improvise something if the tools is not available. You will not be able to replace the worn pads with new thicker ones unless the piston is screwed back. There is no other way you can makes space for the new pads in the space left by the old worn ones. When you have changed the pads, you must follow roughly the following procedure before you should drive the car. Pull the hand brake lever many times to strecthes the wires. Then press the brake pedal about 50 times to engaged the automatic adjustment mechanism of the hand brake system. This should remove any free play. To check this pull the hand brake lever a few times. It should now be fully engages after 5-8 nothces. Normally this should be all you need to do. There should be no need to adjust the hand brake wires. To check if the wires need adjustment, look at the front brake calipers. The hand brake wire is attached to a short lever on the caliper. When the hand brake is fully released, this lever shall still be "hanging" from the wire. It shall not rest against the caliper. If it rests against the caliper, the wire must be thightened. Thighten the wire until this lever is barely free from the caliper. There shall be an air space of appr. 0.5mm +/-0,1mm between the lever and the the caliper. Saab stresses that this is very important, but my own experience is that it does not matter very much. Follow Saabs recomendation, and you should be fine. Since this system is unique for Saab, it may be that your mechanics was not familiar with it and therefore have adjusted the wires. This may explain why you now have problems. To check what has happened, check that he actually have changed the pads. If yes, look at the calipers and check the free play of the wires are as described above. Adjust as described above, if necessary. Good luck Kjell When changing the pads and/or the discs you have to do the following Alexandre Manfull <amanfullnopsamatlantic.net> wrote in message news:3828CBBE.52E9C726nopsamatlantic.net... > Hi: > > I just had the front rotors and brake pads replaced on a 1986 Saab 900. > The mechanic (not the usual one) seems to have gummed up the adjustment > on the emergency brake. On a very gentle downhill, with the motor > running, the gearshift (manual) in neutral and the emergency brake set, > the car drifts backwards. That's never happened before. > > I've heard that if I drive forward slowly with the emergency brake set, > it will tighten the brake. I've tried this on my flat, 15' driveway a > few times with no perceived improvement. Is this a Saab folk tale or am > I doing this improperly? > > Any other remedies not involving my taking the car back to the shop are > welcome. > > Thanks for your help. > > Alexandre >
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