4 years later and this video is still helping people. Just got mine back from the shop with a failed attempt to adjust. Now I’ll be able to do it right myself. Thanks so much for this comprehensive video. Just the right amount of info for a non-mechanic! Plenty of stuff in here I wouldn’t have known about.
Don't need to remove the rotor just chalk the front wheels as shown and put the car in neutral so you can rotate the rotors, then remove the rubber plug on the rotor and using a flat head screw driver turn the star adjuster several clicks and then turn the rotor to see if the park brake shoes are staring to rub the hat part of the rotor. If it's not tight enough go a couple more clicks if it's too tight back off a few until it's just barely rubbing and you are good to go!
Very glad you called it a parking brake and not an emergency brake. I tell my students that think of it this way "if you don't set your parking brake each time you park your vehicle, you may end up with an emergency". And it applied to any kind of vehicle: car, truck, forklift, ATV, etc. Wheel chocking and jack stands are another learned practice that must be done every time. Thanks!
I've been dissatisfied with my parking brake since I purchased the truck back in 2012. Always seemed worthless and like you my driveway is at a steep incline. I'm changing out the rear pads today and stumbled across this great step by step video. Thank you for posting this!!
After tinkering for an hour and failing to get the parking brake working I watched your video and knocked it out! Thank you for an amazing detailed how-to
Isn't it nuts?? This is really a fix where one has to strictly follow a specific procedure for it to work right. Most cars are fairly straightforward but on the Tundra it MUST be done the way I've shown it otherwise you get sub optimal performance.
@@piercedasian I appreciate Toyotas outlook of keeping things simple and functional...this is a case that they took it too far! get an auto adjuster in there please!
I 100% agree. Parking brakes typically don't have an auto adjuster but it would cost them pennies to put one in every car. Auto adjust every time you used the parking brake just like how good old drum brakes were designed!
Thanks for this video. I have been struggling with a non-working parking brake for what seems like forever. After I found your video and attempted to follow it, it became apparent that something else was wrong. Living in New England and having to deal with snow, sand and salt gives rise to lots of rust. The adjuster, under the driver's door, was so rusted that it hardly moved. I didn't even try to clean it up and make it work, I just got a new one (it was cheap, about $28). I also replaced the spring that connects it to the rear cables too. Now my parking brake is adjusted correctly and works like a dream! If anyone else has this problem, here are few notes and tips: The rear cables have little cylinders on the ends that fit into the adjuster. These will be corroded and stuck, I just used a screwdriver to bend the adjuster so I could get them out. The adjuster is held to the frame rail with 2 bolts that go through the frame rail into 2 nuts that are spot welded under the frame rail. I soaked them for a day with PB Blaster. They came out, but seemed very tight the whole way out. Once out, it looked like they red Loctite on the threads. So, some heat would have probably helped with that. I also used a tap and die set to clean up all the threads on the 2 bolts that attach it to the frame rail, plus the adjuster nut, the jam nut and the threads on the front cable that goes through the adjuster arm. Well worth the time to do that as it made re-installation so much easier. I believe all of these were M8. (can't recall if they are 1.0 or 1.25 pitch) For installation, clean up the rear cable ends well so they will slide back into the new adjuster. Attach the outside (closest to the door) cable first then attach the inner (closest to the center of the truck) second. Then put in the two bolts that hold it to the frame rail. Finally, adjust the cable as described in this video to give you that tiny gap at the top of brake shoes near the stop block. Oh, and once the new adjuster was in, I sprayed white lithium grease on all the articulation points and then sprayed everything with a coat of T9 anti corrosion protectant. I hope that helps keep the rust at bay. I will check it after each winter to re-lubricate.
glad you were able to figure out your parking brake! Wow that is a lot of work to get a parking brake fixed but to your point your climate takes its toll on your truck components. Good on you for sharing your tips and experiences. That helps everyone reading this page! Good idea to check your parking brake cables yearly. Does frequent washing of the undercarriage help slow the rusting down? Where I live we do use salt in the winter but I make sure that every week I take my truck in for a wash specifically targeting the areas that build up junk underneath.
I use the truck in the spring/summer/fall to tow my trailer. Winter I only use it in bad weather, so it doesn't get a lot of miles on it per year. I don't wash it as much as I should, that's for sure. But, I will try to be better about that and see if it helps curb the rust. I got it used, so I really don't know the condition of the adjuster at that time. It could have been all rusted up before I bought it. It was 3 years old when I bought it.
- Thanks for posting the RIGHT WAY to adjust Tundra parking brakes. Excellent detailed description and camera viewing positions makes it easy to understand for many of those who want to attempt this DIY adjustment.
Thank you for this easy to follow instruction. I have owned my Tundra since 2007 and never felt that the parking brake worked well. I just completed the procedure and what a difference. I look forward to viewing your other videos.
stay tuned for a TRD sway bar installation video that actually SHOWS YOU how to install the sway bar vs. those that only talk about it and only show bits and pieces of the install... I'm actually doing it next weekend so stay tuned for new content.
👍🤌🤌🤌🤌👍👍👍👍👍After watching your video 3 times, I decided to do the adjustment. Good God !! I feel Immortal. you have an amazing video on how to do this the right way. I bought the truck 2 years ago and didn't like the parking brake from that point on. only because i decided to replace the rotors and pads, i said lets see what we can do to fix this.12 videos and 2 days later, you turned me into a smartest DIYer ever. THANK YOU SO MUCH my man..👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Not only was this very helpful, I can’t say enough about the quality of this video. FANTASTIC JOB!!! Clean, Clear, and Concise with no extra fluff. Hit all of the important points. Great job and thank you!
glad you liked my video! Yeah it is amazing how this truck and practically every Tundra left the factory in this state. Glad you got things sorted out.
If there was a 6-star rating, this video is worth it. Perfectly explained, perfectly filmed, perfect in every respect. You, sir, will make a great teacher (if you are not one already).
Well done my friend. This is exactly the kind of video I was looking for. Precise, step by step, easy to follow & accurate to include all torque specs. Even the small tid bit about the little rubber dust boots. It's videos like yours that allow people like me to save thousands! You just saved me $140 Thank you friend!
Glad you liked the my video. It is amazing how some folks thumbs down this video for unknown reasons. It is the ONLY proper adjustment video on TH-cam that I've seen so far and my method works flawlessly. Probably b/c I am verbose and include a lot of details and some folks hate that. Oh well, haters always gonna hate. What matters is you got your parking brake fixed for free!
Just finished changing out brake shoes and adjusted the parking brake the way you described. It went flawlessly! Thanks for posting the video. Your the man!
5* Rating. You solved my problem which originated in the Chilton Toyota Tundra 2007-12 Sequoia 2008-12 "68610" ->Brakes section->9-21 item->12 Parking brake - adjustment. It states "All parking brake systems are self adjusting; automatic adjusters compensate for brake shoe wear." When you explained there is no lever to adjust the star wheel and therefore is Not self-adjusting, I was liberated. You sir, are a Great Canadian.
The guys at Chilton amaze me at how inaccurate some of their documentation can be. Then again the guys that built the damn truck got it all wrong too so I guess it's a draw between Chilton and factory toyota techs! Glad you liked my vid. Share with all your friends!
I have a 2010 that has never had a parking brake. The adjustment at the dealer when I first purchased the truck and took it back for adjustment only caused the truck to drive with the brakes on all the time, they adjusted the cable only. I had to loosen the cable in order to drive. I just found your video and will finally adjust my brakes properly. Wish I would have found it so many years ago.
This video helped me out too, I'm about to try and replace my rear break pads and rotors on my 2015 Tundra, no one really talks about adjusting the emergency break, very thorough video!
Thanks for taking the time and best of all thoroughly explaining the solution to this problem. I bought my Tundra used and sure enough had this issue from day one. I did not notice this until parked on a slight hill. It could have rolled who knows where. Finally got around to fixing it. Works great now!
that's awesome that your truck actually has a parking brake now. I have no idea how the guys at Toyota let this one go. I seriously shake my head every time a Tundra shows up at my garage.
I purchased my used 2007 Tundra in 2009. Since I've had the truck the parking brake never really engaged properly. I've taken it to a couple of shops in an attempt to correct/improve the parking brake performance. The results of those visits never improved the issue. Mechanics would mostly fiddle with the cable mechanism under the driver side. I've been towing a 22 foot boat since I've had the truck. In that time, my routine at the boat had launch was a pain in the ass. I'd have to send out my son and have him chalk the truck tires because I feared my truck would possibly slip into the lake along with the boat if I hadn't taken such measures. Zero confidence in the parking brake That had been the case until today, the day I came across your awesomely detailed video presentation. I followed it to the T and a couple hours later, absolute success! From Zero to 100 confidence in my parking brake and the satisfaction of completing the job myself under your direction. Thank you so very much for taking the time to share your experience and knowledge in such a well explained/detailed manner.
wow since 2009 you've had a terrible parking brake? Mind blowing how pretty much every Tundra (and even possibly other models) left the factory in the manner that it did. I am so glad to hear that you've got renewed confidence in the parking brake. Toyota makes a great truck it is just that the pesky parking brake is a nuisance. Glad it all got sorted out for you.
Excellent Video! I know it takes quite a bit of effort to produce something like this, and showing every step along with the tips leaves nothing to chance. I look forward to more of your Mtce vids on the Tundra. Cheers and thank you!
Glad you liked the vid. Yes it takes a HUGE amount of time to document, edit and publish the video BUT.. it is well worth it when guys like yourself learn something from it. That is why I go to such great lengths to make these videos. When I die one day I can say that I did something positive for society. Thanks for watching :)
Excellent! I had asked 2 different independent shops to properly adjust my emergency brake and they kinda shrugged their shoulders and said its as good as it gets. Both shops have lost my future business.
Thank you! Video was very well done. My parking brake on my 2007 Tundra was siezed. The back parking brake cables had been replaced just before I bought the truck. So, I replaced the front cable, the cable pivot assembly located underneath the driver size door, and the parking brake pads, springs, and adjusters on both sides. Your video helped me replace the parts and then, most importantly, properly adjust the parking brake, which is not intuitive. Also, as I was watching you make the adjustment on the cable pivot assembly under the driver's door, I observed a blue spring in the background that my truck didn't have (it must've been removed when they replaced the back cables before I bought the truck.) I went out and bought the spring from Toyota, and the end result was a perfectly operating and perfectly adjusted parking brake assembly on a 13 year old truck, which is a great thing. Again, thank you for taking the time to make and post this video. I would not have done this job right without it and would've been missing a key spring.
I'm so glad to hear that your parking brake has been completely fixed and working 110%. The tundra is truly a great reliable truck and with a bit of TLC that these things will run forever.
Excellent information. Thanks for sharing. I'm planning to do my daughter's tundra this week. I wondered, is there a reason that the caliper needs to be removed from the bracket? Could the assembly be removed as a whole?
I recently upgraded my 4th gen 4Runner brakes to 5th gen pads, rotors, calipers. After about 10 miles of driving this terrifying, rhythmic clunking developed which after a few days and a couple mechanics has led me to believe that my parking brake is causing the issue. The forums have told me that the 5th gen rotors in the rear have a larger hub size (less than 2 mm) and that could cause the rotor to be off center. Which, may be true, and I have ordered 4th gen calipers just in case. But after watching your excellent video, I think an extensive overhaul of the parking brake may be all I need. Thank you so much for posting this.
hmm, this is interesting. I don't know much about toyota brake swaps but it sounds cool! I used to do swaps on a lot of the Hondas. If you follow my adjustment vid you will most certainly have an awesome parking brake. Every person that's followed this vid has said their parking brake works like it should :)
Turns out that I had two problems. One was that one of the retaining spring on the parking brake was bent and was causing it to scrap and catch on the hub. Also switched to 4th gen rotors and fixed all the issues. Thanks again for your video. As far the the upgrade goes: bigger pads and caliper and bigger rotors up front has made a HUGE difference in stopping power for me.
Thank you so much for an excellent video with lucid explanations! You've set a gold standard for car maintenance instructional videos, in my opinion. I will be able to tinker with my 2001 Sequoia's parking brakes with confidence.
we don't get that much snow and salt. We're already in a region that gets above freezing temps most of the winter and we only use salt as needed which isn't often. If I lived in eastern Canada then that is a totally different story. They use a LOT of salt.
I live in Eastern Canada, Yes, we use a lot of salt. I wish I saw this video about two weeks ago. Spent over $700. at the local dealers to have the cables installed. Now, I will adjust my e-brake properly. Thanks for sharing.
The best video on this subject I've found. It's very clear, concise and great explanation each step of the way. Great job. And thank you. Have you done a video of replacing the brake shoes yet?
Thank you for an outstanding video. I've been taking parts off the back of my truck all afternoon to find the source of an intermittent rubbing noise. I'm pretty sure at this point at its the parking brake. It's obvious from looking at the mechanisms how the basics work, but I didn't know how to properly adjust it.You're video will allow me to do that (once it stops raining). I rely on TH-cam a lot to help me with my vehicles, and your video is among the best that I've seen. Your camera work is great - good angles, lighting, and steady shot. Likewise for the audio; clear and easy to understand. I appreciate your before-and-after demos and, of course, proper focus on safety. P.S. Thanks for mentioning the torque specs on the caliper mounting bolts. That information isn't always readily available online (or, god forbid, even lug nut torque in the owner's manual) and I like to snug them by the book.
glad you liked the video! This specific video is one of my more detailed ones because there is a fair bit of adjustments and checks involved. The rubbing noise on the Tundra CAN also be related to a faulty rear axle bearing. I experienced this weird rubbing noise on turns emanating from the rear of my truck and when I took it to the dealership and told them my suspicions that they confirmed I was 100% correct that the rear axle bearing had failed and was causing the rubbing noise. New bearing and all is good. Rear bearing failures on the Tundra are a known issue so if your parking brake once adjusted properly still sounds like it rubbing then chances are that it can be a bad bearing.
For posterity, my noise turned out to be the... back plate?... of the parking brake. I'm not sure what the name of the part is, but I'm talking about the piece of metal that the shoes/springs/adjuster/etc. are attached to. Once I removed the rotor / parking brake drum, I could see some grooves in the back plate where the drum was rubbing. I bent it a few mm out of the way, and the noise is gone. Thanks for the tip about the axle bearing. I assume that the intermittent nature of my noise was just due to normal stresses on the wheels when cornering. I couldn't cause the noise, nor detect any play in the wheel, by jiggling things by hand when up on the jack stands; I needed the weight of the truck to manifest the problem. That said, perhaps my bearing is starting to wear, and this is just an early symptom. I'll keep a closer eye on them from now on. At any rate, a nice by-product of this endeavor is a pair of well-tuned parking breaks. The brakes themselves are dialed in, the pedal slack is gone, and I freed a bunch of rusted parts where the cables come together under the driver's door. And best of all, I found the missing third key in a hide-a-key while I was under there! Now my wife won't have to come rescue me the next time Iock my own keys in the cab (and in the ignition, no less - thanks a lot, Toyota). TL;DR - Thanks a lot for your follow-up about the axle bearing.
All I can say is wow, I consider myself pretty mechanically inclined when it comes to cars/trucks but I was doing this wrong for years. A big THANK YOU from this Tundra owner.
You're most welcome. The way I look at it is Toyota were the once that botched that parking brake from the factory and their factory trained techs don't necessarily know how to adjust them right either. I'm just glad I am able to show the folks here how to do it right so their parking brake does what it is intended to do!
I can't thank you enough. Thank you man. My Tundra failed inspection due to the emergency brake not holding. I took it to the dealer and their adjustment was as you said, not well done the car was the same. I will do my own this weekend. Thank you so much.
It really amazes me how toyota trucks and suvs leave the factory or the dealership in the manner that they do. I'm just glad I figured it out and was able to teach the world how to do the job right :)
Thanks for subscribing Ethan. It amazes me at how Toyota let ANY of their trucks out of the factory with a piss poor parking brake like this. Even when I had multiple trips to the stealership the techs there could not for the life of them get it right so I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands.
$300?? wow that's mental! What a rip off. Do it yourself and do it right. I'll be the guys at the shop don't even know how to adjust the p-brake properly.
Thank you. Good, clear instruction that helped with my 2016 Highlander. If there is such a thing as an award for best DIY instruction, I would nominate this video.
the gap is to ensure the upper portion of the shoes is tensioned correctly such that when you DO actuate the parking brake that the show extends fully against the inside of the rear discs. If you didn't create the tiny gap and only adjust the star wheel then you could run into a situation where there is: 1. too much cable slack 2. The lower portion of the shoes may only contact a portion of the rear disc brake assembly. The idea here is to ensure your "reference starting point" is precise. You'll notice that I un-tensioned the cable, only to re-tension it to get the cable to JUST tighten enough to start moving the shoes. It is definitely easier to explain in person than it is via text on a youtube comments section.
Warning if you try this. You have to leave the key in the ignition to keep the transmission in neutral so be sure to do this before you remove the break caliper. If you press the break ( to move the gear shifter) after removing the caliper the piston will move out of the caliper and you will have to rent a compression tool to get it back in place. Update I found out you can compress the caliper piston with a large C clamp if you have one and avoid the trip to the auto parts store.
This is a VERY VERY good pointer! Luckily I have never had this happen on my truck but you're absolutely correct in saying this. Thanks for calling that out.
Great video. You explained everything succinctly and clearly. When I changed the pads on the rear of my 2007 Tundra I only adjusted the parking brakes from the outside of the drum. I didn't take the rotor off to see inside and assumed it was self adjusting. No wonder my parking brake sucks. I now have another to do item on my list. At least now I can do it right. Thanks.
Glad you liked the video. Yes it is REMARKABLE at how bad the factory parking brake is. You've gotta get your baseline parking brake adjusted right and you have to repeat the process whenever you put new brake rotors on as the clearances on brake rotors are slightly different which WILL impact parking brake performance.
My tundra failed state inspection on a faulty parking brake. Watched this great DIY on adjusting it. Followed step by step and it worked. Great video!!!
2009 Tundra Base Model. Followed your instructions the 't' and mine works great now! Thank You for all the time and effort you put into the vid! And double thanks for mentioning torque specs!
glad you liked my video! Yep, the Toyota Tundra factory should follow my vid so that people that buy their trucks shouldn't have to adjust it on their own!
Just finished performing this on my 07 Tundra, night and day difference. The parking brake actually works now, and holds the vehicle in place when in Drive, Reverse, Neutral, Downhill, or Uphill. The only thing that threw me off was when i was under the truck and tightening the adjustment screw, it took quite a few turns to get the 1/32 spacing as suggested in the video. Once again, thank you for the detailed video, much appreciated!
Glad my video helped and MORE importantly that your truck's parking brake now works perfectly. What were the folks at Toyota thinking when they were building this truck??
Just did my brakes today after watching your awesome video. The e-brake has never worked like this--even new! The dealer adjusted it under warranty, but with no success. Thanks!
Yeah I hear that a lot from people and it blows my mind that Toyota would even allow something like this to leave the factory AND dealership with what is essentially a non-functioning parking brake.
Bought a 13 Rock Warrior a few days ago. Parking brake went to the floor and wouldn't hold the truck. Adjusted it today with your video. Better than new!! Thanks!!
that's great news. Doesn't surprise me at all that your Rock Warrior's parking brake doesn't hold. Did any of Toyota's trucks parking brake work from factory? probably not...
Well done... Replacing my brakes this week and got stuck on getting the rear rotors off... Learned a lot more along the way. Thanks! BTW, loved the professional video, and the "dicked around" bit LOL!
Thanks so much for the video. It was exactly what I was looking for. I am about to replace the rear pads and rotors and now I'll get the parking brake adjusted while I have it all apart. Awesome job on the video.
Wow perfect?! So glad you liked the video. It amazes me how Toyota let their trucks leave the factory in the state that they did. Unbelievable that more than 10 years since the 2nd gen tundra rolled off the line that none of their parking brakes worked properly. NONE all the way up to present day.
Thanks a bunch for the video. Just had to do a full four wheel brake job on our Tundra and used your parking brake adjustment instructions and the parking brake has never worked better!
This is the best DIY video I have ever viewed, on any topic!. I have been screwing with my parking brakes for a while, just spinning the star wheels, with no improvement. I think the cable adjustment got screwed up in the past (not me, I didn't know where it was!), and there's a huge gap between the shoes and the base block. I will take another shot at it tomorrow.
I have the same issue on a 2010 with 102K miles. I think mine is actually seized up behind the cable adjustment. Star screwed in and huge gap at the top... Can't even get the rotor back on. Lots of salt in PA... Seeing a good bit of rust.
So I sprayed the cable adjuster with penetrating fluid a few times, letting it soak in between sprays, then backed off the cables all the way with no problems. I was concerned that the salt here in MA would have made it more difficult than it was. The gap on the drivers side would not go as small as I would have liked, even though the cables and levers seemed to be moving freely. The passenger side was good. Set the star wheels, and re-adjusted the cables. Parking brake now works well!
I know this is an old video but it just helped me a ton! My parking brake has never worked correctly. You made it clear and easy what to do and look for. Thanks again.
Nice video on rear brake adjustment. Very well explained with all considerations (including safety). Was curious where you obtained information regarding Toyota recommendations and specs (e.g., torque specs, etc.). Thank you.
I followed your instructions and enjoyed the results. It is time for me to do it again. I watched the video again and hope to have a good working parking brake again. - Thank you for the video, I managed to see how to comment on the video but know how to subscribe to your videos.
glad you've subscribed to my channel. Why did you have to adjust the parking brake again? Normally you don't need to adjust again unless you like driving with your parking brake engaged, you've replaced the rear rotors or someone's screwed with your parking brake adjustments.
I was driving my 2012 Tundra today and the right rear wheal started smoking. New rotors and pads were put on just two months ago - i don't suspect those. I suspect that something happened to the ebreak. I feel that I can now take a look at it since it is Saturday night and I can work on it Sunday - no parts - just adjustments I hope. Watching your video let me know that these breaks are very similar to electric breaks on a horse trailer (as far as the construction goes). Excellent instructional video. If I could I would have given it two thumbs up.
Glad you liked my video Mark. Yeah the parking brake adjustments outlined by the Toyota service manual is useless at best. I bought the truck from Toyota and specifically asked them to tighten up the parking brake and they said "yep we did that and all is good". I go to pickup my truck and what do I discover? Parking brake is still useless. Rather than wasting my time with the dealership (which is only following the factory approved instructions) that I took it upon myself to adjust it. Lo and behold the first kick at the can resulted in a perfect parking brake. Amazes me how Toyota can let their trucks leave the factory in the state they're in. Two thumbs up? wow you're very kind! Consider subscribing or at least sharing my vids with others as it would help me out huge!
Awesome video. I just purchased a used 2011 Tundra and the first thing I noticed was how weak the parking brake was. Will be using this procedure to get that "peace of mind" :)
I commented earlier on what an excellent "how to" video this is. Great pics and the audio is 100 %. My parking brake on my 07 has not worked in 20 years. I replaced the cables and the 2 to 1 linkage bracket. Mechanic buddy could not figure out why it did not work normally. I watched this video and followed it. Now I can lock the rear wheels on gravel. Holds on a hill while parked. I see there are 73 thumbs down.... must be 73Toyota dealers. lol.
I'm so glad it helped your issue! Yes it seems like EVERY Tundra that I have ever worked on suffers from a misadjusted parking brake cable. You'd think that Toyota truck assemblers would get this right but they don't and it surprises me at how many mechanics don't know how to adjust the parking brake properly.
Dude thank you so much I learned so damn much and now that stupid star wheel thing makes sooooo much more sense. The book can only teach me so much but this was very very helpful. Thank you for putting the time to record this. I have an 08 tundra and I just failed my inspection because of the damn parking brake!! Now I’m gonna be able to fix it because you hooked us all up with knowledge. Thanks bro
my response is super late BUT I still read the comments. I'm super glad my video was educational for you. In fact the feedback from this video has been nothing but positive that I think Toyota should really consider using it for a factory training video b/c I swear every tundra and sequoia from the factory has a non functioning parking brake!
My 2007 Mazda 3 sport has different e brake set-up, which is not a disc-drum combination. Nonetheless, you pointed out the importance of how to adjust the e brakes and I found your demonstration the most intensive than many videos that I have watched. And yes, you mentioned that there is problem with many technicians who don't do or don't know this procedure. I had one garage quote me $900 for replacing the cable. I was in doubt and declined the service. Then I started to research.
Glad you liked my video! Yes there are a lot of incompetent or dishonest techs out there. This is WHY I fix my own cars and even do my OWN warranty work on my new car b/c I don't trust anyone to touch my vehicles.
Glad you watched the whole thing! If you follow my instructions exactly that it is a guarantee your parking brake will work like a proper parking brake!
Thank you very much for making this video! Unfortunately, after following your procedure exactly as you suggested, I still have literally no parking brake functionality. I'm at a complete loss at this point. The first thing I noticed was that the entire adjuster arm mechanism under the driver's door was rusted tight. Nothing was pivoting like it should and I didn't want to do all the other work without fixing this problem first. So, I removed the rusty part and replaced it with a brand new one. I also cleaned up the cable adjusting rod threads and loosened both the stop nut and barrel nut so as to have no tension on the cables before I began the rest of the job. I decided as long as I was going to do this, I'd put in brand new shoes and pads right away. I bought Raybestos shoes and a Raybestos hardware kit. I completely cleaned everything, installed the new shoes and hardware and adjusted everything exactly as you detailed. I then finished the rear brake job and bolted my wheels back on. When I got into the vehicle and applied the parking brake, I was pretty excited, as that pedal felt more solid than it ever had before. Sadly, when I put the truck in drive, it rolled forward as though there was no parking brake engaged whatsoever. At this point, I don't know what my next step should be. I can't imagine that anything else could be rusted, as it appears the rest of the cabling system is enclosed inside of rubber or plastic hose (from the adjuster arm mechanism to the parking brake pedal up front and from the adjuster arm mechanism to each of the two rear wheels). Do you think I should start by adjusting the threaded rod on the adjuster mechanism to put more tension on the cables going to the rear wheels? Any suggestions you could provide would be greatly appreciated. This parking brake issue has been a thorn in my side since I bought the truck new in 2007. It never worked well from the start, but at least it held "somewhat" when it was new. Over the years, it held less and less...and it finally got to the point that it didn't hold at all. Believe it or not, I only have 38,000 miles on the truck! You read that correctly...as I have several motorcycles and another car that I drive regularly. One final bit of info....here is a link to the video I followed to install the new adjuster arm mechanism under the driver's side door: th-cam.com/video/pJ_Yxpr2Zps/w-d-xo.html
This is an excellent video my guy! By far one of the best how to videos I've seen on the interwebs, I can really appreciate this. I have a 2016 is it generally the same concept? Ha! I just look at the discription and got my answer. Even the description is loaded with information, good on you man keep it up! Thanks alot!!
if you know anyone who works on moto/bicycles and is any good, their cable adjustment skills come in handy. in my case i have had lots of janky bikes needing constant adjustment. thanks for confirming the tension direction, upwards! also, the 12mm metric bolt tip was nice.
Finally, a video to solve this problem I have always had with my 07 Tundra. First thing tomorrow onto the lift and under the truck. Thanks for a great video.
I just did this to my 2017 Tundra today thanks to your video. The e brake has always been lame. I know a lot of people never use it but with a trailer on hills and such I use it a ton.
100% agree on the fact that the tundra (and similar) truck has the worst parking brake settings from the factory. You may as well be selling a truck without one b/c that's how well it worked. I got off my butt to fix mine after I got a trailer b/c it is super dangerous to rely solely on the parking pawl in the transmission to hold all that weight. Glad it worked out for you.
Thanks for taking the time to put this walkthrough together! I'm replacing my rear rotors and pads on my 07 Tundra dc and want to tackle the parking brake adjustment while I have it all apart. It has never been right (go figure) but I never use it here in Florida unless I'm at the ramp launching my boat. I think this procedure should work for my wife's FJ as well (4 wheel disc brakes). The parking brake was never right and now it won't set when you pull up on the brake lever beside the console. I gave up on the "stealership" working on our vehicles when they jacked up my alignment and destroyed my factory alloys with an impact gun. It was bad enough they didn't torque them to 97 ft-lbs. either. I had to get a 1/2" breaker bar to free up my lug nuts when I installed my new rims/tires. I guess the techs are under the gun to get every non-warranty job out as quickly as possible in order to make money.
yep the procedure shown basically applies to any toyota (or car for that matter). FJ has a lot of similarities to the Tundra brake system so I suspect you will get very similar parking brake performance improvements.
Thank you for video. Emergency brakes never worked on my truck since brand new. I do need my emergency brakes for launching my boat at the boat ramp. I tried adjusting cable as you mentioned and it only helped a little. I have even driven my truck by accident with emergency brakes engaged until truck starts vibrating on the road. I have not done your adjusting instructions yet but I know its going to work. Thank you again for your detailed video.
yeah I don't get why Toyota's quality control team allowed this to slip out of the factory since 2007 (possibly even earlier). Just remember that there is no shortcuts to my procedure. Some folks by their own admission didn't exactly follow my instructions and guess what.... their brakes still don't quite work right. It wasn't until they followed it EXACTLY as shown that their parking brakes now work flawlessly. Just letting you know so you don't make the same rookie mistakes as a few of my viewers have inadvertently done. Good luck!
I’ve had always had a problem with my e-brake and the repair shop said the same thing about the cable. Thank you so much for the detailed information. I’ll have mine fixed with when I put on my new rotors this week rotors.
Yeah it is remarkable how BAD Toyota set the parking brake specs at the factory. Completely unacceptable. You'll be SUPER happy with the ebrake when you're done adjusting. My e-brake years later still works perfectly.
I seem to have the exact same issue with my 2013 hilux. In sweden we dont have a yearly inspection on new cars until after three years. So it worked out well for toyoto who i payed for a three year guarantee and service deal with... Thank you for your video!
As I've said before, there's a special place in heaven for those who take the time to help the rest of us DIYers out.
lol, glad you like my vids. I try very hard to make quality training vids and not the crap that many TH-camrs create that misguide their viewers.
I'm flattered by your words!
This guy is amazing but why that comment? You wanna send him to heaven way too quick lol
Eight years later and you still helping folks out. Thanks for solving my parking brake and intermittent hub heating issues
4 years later and this video is still helping people. Just got mine back from the shop with a failed attempt to adjust. Now I’ll be able to do it right myself. Thanks so much for this comprehensive video. Just the right amount of info for a non-mechanic! Plenty of stuff in here I wouldn’t have known about.
Glad you found the video useful. It always amazes me at how many people (including seasoned mechanics) can't get this adjustment right.
Don't need to remove the rotor just chalk the front wheels as shown and put the car in neutral so you can rotate the rotors, then remove the rubber plug on the rotor and using a flat head screw driver turn the star adjuster several clicks and then turn the rotor to see if the park brake shoes are staring to rub the hat part of the rotor. If it's not tight enough go a couple more clicks if it's too tight back off a few until it's just barely rubbing and you are good to go!
Very glad you called it a parking brake and not an emergency brake. I tell my students that think of it this way "if you don't set your parking brake each time you park your vehicle, you may end up with an emergency". And it applied to any kind of vehicle: car, truck, forklift, ATV, etc. Wheel chocking and jack stands are another learned practice that must be done every time. Thanks!
I've been dissatisfied with my parking brake since I purchased the truck back in 2012. Always seemed worthless and like you my driveway is at a steep incline. I'm changing out the rear pads today and stumbled across this great step by step video. Thank you for posting this!!
glad you got it working properly!
After tinkering for an hour and failing to get the parking brake working I watched your video and knocked it out! Thank you for an amazing detailed how-to
Isn't it nuts?? This is really a fix where one has to strictly follow a specific procedure for it to work right. Most cars are fairly straightforward but on the Tundra it MUST be done the way I've shown it otherwise you get sub optimal performance.
@@piercedasian I appreciate Toyotas outlook of keeping things simple and functional...this is a case that they took it too far! get an auto adjuster in there please!
I 100% agree. Parking brakes typically don't have an auto adjuster but it would cost them pennies to put one in every car. Auto adjust every time you used the parking brake just like how good old drum brakes were designed!
Thanks for this video. I have been struggling with a non-working parking brake for what seems like forever. After I found your video and attempted to follow it, it became apparent that something else was wrong. Living in New England and having to deal with snow, sand and salt gives rise to lots of rust. The adjuster, under the driver's door, was so rusted that it hardly moved. I didn't even try to clean it up and make it work, I just got a new one (it was cheap, about $28). I also replaced the spring that connects it to the rear cables too. Now my parking brake is adjusted correctly and works like a dream!
If anyone else has this problem, here are few notes and tips:
The rear cables have little cylinders on the ends that fit into the adjuster. These will be corroded and stuck, I just used a screwdriver to bend the adjuster so I could get them out. The adjuster is held to the frame rail with 2 bolts that go through the frame rail into 2 nuts that are spot welded under the frame rail. I soaked them for a day with PB Blaster. They came out, but seemed very tight the whole way out. Once out, it looked like they red Loctite on the threads. So, some heat would have probably helped with that.
I also used a tap and die set to clean up all the threads on the 2 bolts that attach it to the frame rail, plus the adjuster nut, the jam nut and the threads on the front cable that goes through the adjuster arm. Well worth the time to do that as it made re-installation so much easier. I believe all of these were M8. (can't recall if they are 1.0 or 1.25 pitch)
For installation, clean up the rear cable ends well so they will slide back into the new adjuster. Attach the outside (closest to the door) cable first then attach the inner (closest to the center of the truck) second. Then put in the two bolts that hold it to the frame rail. Finally, adjust the cable as described in this video to give you that tiny gap at the top of brake shoes near the stop block.
Oh, and once the new adjuster was in, I sprayed white lithium grease on all the articulation points and then sprayed everything with a coat of T9 anti corrosion protectant. I hope that helps keep the rust at bay. I will check it after each winter to re-lubricate.
glad you were able to figure out your parking brake! Wow that is a lot of work to get a parking brake fixed but to your point your climate takes its toll on your truck components. Good on you for sharing your tips and experiences. That helps everyone reading this page!
Good idea to check your parking brake cables yearly. Does frequent washing of the undercarriage help slow the rusting down? Where I live we do use salt in the winter but I make sure that every week I take my truck in for a wash specifically targeting the areas that build up junk underneath.
I use the truck in the spring/summer/fall to tow my trailer. Winter I only use it in bad weather, so it doesn't get a lot of miles on it per year. I don't wash it as much as I should, that's for sure. But, I will try to be better about that and see if it helps curb the rust. I got it used, so I really don't know the condition of the adjuster at that time. It could have been all rusted up before I bought it. It was 3 years old when I bought it.
- Thanks for posting the RIGHT WAY to adjust Tundra parking brakes. Excellent detailed description and camera viewing positions makes it easy to understand for many of those who want to attempt this DIY adjustment.
Glad it was helpful!
Your video was exactly what I needed to see. Very thorough. Very detailed. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge!
glad you liked my vid. Thanks for watching!
You're most welcome thanks for watching!
Thank you for this easy to follow instruction. I have owned my Tundra since 2007 and never felt that the parking brake worked well. I just completed the procedure and what a difference. I look forward to viewing your other videos.
stay tuned for a TRD sway bar installation video that actually SHOWS YOU how to install the sway bar vs. those that only talk about it and only show bits and pieces of the install... I'm actually doing it next weekend so stay tuned for new content.
👍🤌🤌🤌🤌👍👍👍👍👍After watching your video 3 times, I decided to do the adjustment. Good God !! I feel Immortal. you have an amazing video on how to do this the right way. I bought the truck 2 years ago and didn't like the parking brake from that point on. only because i decided to replace the rotors and pads, i said lets see what we can do to fix this.12 videos and 2 days later, you turned me into a smartest DIYer ever. THANK YOU SO MUCH my man..👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Np! Thanks for stopping by.
Not only was this very helpful, I can’t say enough about the quality of this video. FANTASTIC JOB!!! Clean, Clear, and Concise with no extra fluff. Hit all of the important points. Great job and thank you!
glad you liked my video! Yeah it is amazing how this truck and practically every Tundra left the factory in this state. Glad you got things sorted out.
If there was a 6-star rating, this video is worth it. Perfectly explained, perfectly filmed, perfect in every respect. You, sir, will make a great teacher (if you are not one already).
Wow, thanks! I'm not a teacher but I certainly like teaching!
Well done my friend. This is exactly the kind of video I was looking for. Precise, step by step, easy to follow & accurate to include all torque specs. Even the small tid bit about the little rubber dust boots.
It's videos like yours that allow people like me to save thousands! You just saved me $140
Thank you friend!
Glad you liked the my video. It is amazing how some folks thumbs down this video for unknown reasons. It is the ONLY proper adjustment video on TH-cam that I've seen so far and my method works flawlessly. Probably b/c I am verbose and include a lot of details and some folks hate that. Oh well, haters always gonna hate. What matters is you got your parking brake fixed for free!
I m ordinary guy and I got knowledge how to fix my car emergency brake. Thanks lot.
Great job
Happy to help
Just finished changing out brake shoes and adjusted the parking brake the way you described. It went flawlessly! Thanks for posting the video. Your the man!
Followed your video and my parking brake now works!!!! To top it off my brakes no longer squeal. That’s a huge improvement on both!!!
Thanks
glad it all worked out for you!
5* Rating. You solved my problem which originated in the Chilton Toyota Tundra 2007-12 Sequoia 2008-12 "68610" ->Brakes section->9-21 item->12 Parking brake - adjustment. It states "All parking brake systems are self adjusting; automatic adjusters compensate for brake shoe wear." When you explained there is no lever to adjust the star wheel and therefore is Not self-adjusting, I was liberated. You sir, are a Great Canadian.
The guys at Chilton amaze me at how inaccurate some of their documentation can be. Then again the guys that built the damn truck got it all wrong too so I guess it's a draw between Chilton and factory toyota techs! Glad you liked my vid. Share with all your friends!
I have a 2010 that has never had a parking brake. The adjustment at the dealer when I first purchased the truck and took it back for adjustment only caused the truck to drive with the brakes on all the time, they adjusted the cable only. I had to loosen the cable in order to drive. I just found your video and will finally adjust my brakes properly. Wish I would have found it so many years ago.
Absolutely fantastic video showing every single movement. You are amazing and using correct terminology on what the parts are.
Thank you very much!
Just performed this on my 2014. Worked like a charm. Appreciate you taking the time to share with us.
You're most welcome. Thanks for watching!
This video helped me out too, I'm about to try and replace my rear break pads and rotors on my 2015 Tundra, no one really talks about adjusting the emergency break, very thorough video!
Glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for taking the time and best of all thoroughly explaining the solution to this problem. I bought my Tundra used and sure enough had this issue from day one. I did not notice this until parked on a slight hill. It could have rolled who knows where. Finally got around to fixing it. Works great now!
that's awesome that your truck actually has a parking brake now. I have no idea how the guys at Toyota let this one go. I seriously shake my head every time a Tundra shows up at my garage.
I purchased my used 2007 Tundra in 2009. Since I've had the truck the parking brake never really engaged properly. I've taken it to a couple of shops in an attempt to correct/improve the parking brake performance. The results of those visits never improved the issue. Mechanics would mostly fiddle with the cable mechanism under the driver side. I've been towing a 22 foot boat since I've had the truck. In that time, my routine at the boat had launch was a pain in the ass. I'd have to send out my son and have him chalk the truck tires because I feared my truck would possibly slip into the lake along with the boat if I hadn't taken such measures. Zero confidence in the parking brake
That had been the case until today, the day I came across your awesomely detailed video presentation. I followed it to the T and a couple hours later, absolute success! From Zero to 100 confidence in my parking brake and the satisfaction of completing the job myself under your direction. Thank you so very much for taking the time to share your experience and knowledge in such a well explained/detailed manner.
wow since 2009 you've had a terrible parking brake? Mind blowing how pretty much every Tundra (and even possibly other models) left the factory in the manner that it did. I am so glad to hear that you've got renewed confidence in the parking brake. Toyota makes a great truck it is just that the pesky parking brake is a nuisance. Glad it all got sorted out for you.
Absolutely terrific video Sir. Well needed by Tundra owners.
glad you liked my vid. Thanks for watching :)
Just did the adjustment following these instructions and it went smoothly and was fully effective. My parking brake actually works now.
glad you got it fixed.
Excellent Video! I know it takes quite a bit of effort to produce something like this, and showing every step along with the tips leaves nothing to chance. I look forward to more of your Mtce vids on the Tundra.
Cheers and thank you!
Glad you liked the vid. Yes it takes a HUGE amount of time to document, edit and publish the video BUT.. it is well worth it when guys like yourself learn something from it. That is why I go to such great lengths to make these videos. When I die one day I can say that I did something positive for society.
Thanks for watching :)
Excellent! I had asked 2 different independent shops to properly adjust my emergency brake and they kinda shrugged their shoulders and said its as good as it gets. Both shops have lost my future business.
Great job!! One of the best videos I've seen. Great detail and very easy to follow. Thanks for taking the time to demo this.
glad you liked the video. You're most welcome and thank YOU for watching.
Thank you! Video was very well done. My parking brake on my 2007 Tundra was siezed. The back parking brake cables had been replaced just before I bought the truck. So, I replaced the front cable, the cable pivot assembly located underneath the driver size door, and the parking brake pads, springs, and adjusters on both sides. Your video helped me replace the parts and then, most importantly, properly adjust the parking brake, which is not intuitive. Also, as I was watching you make the adjustment on the cable pivot assembly under the driver's door, I observed a blue spring in the background that my truck didn't have (it must've been removed when they replaced the back cables before I bought the truck.) I went out and bought the spring from Toyota, and the end result was a perfectly operating and perfectly adjusted parking brake assembly on a 13 year old truck, which is a great thing. Again, thank you for taking the time to make and post this video. I would not have done this job right without it and would've been missing a key spring.
I'm so glad to hear that your parking brake has been completely fixed and working 110%. The tundra is truly a great reliable truck and with a bit of TLC that these things will run forever.
Excellent information. Thanks for sharing. I'm planning to do my daughter's tundra this week. I wondered, is there a reason that the caliper needs to be removed from the bracket? Could the assembly be removed as a whole?
I recently upgraded my 4th gen 4Runner brakes to 5th gen pads, rotors, calipers. After about 10 miles of driving this terrifying, rhythmic clunking developed which after a few days and a couple mechanics has led me to believe that my parking brake is causing the issue. The forums have told me that the 5th gen rotors in the rear have a larger hub size (less than 2 mm) and that could cause the rotor to be off center. Which, may be true, and I have ordered 4th gen calipers just in case. But after watching your excellent video, I think an extensive overhaul of the parking brake may be all I need. Thank you so much for posting this.
hmm, this is interesting. I don't know much about toyota brake swaps but it sounds cool! I used to do swaps on a lot of the Hondas. If you follow my adjustment vid you will most certainly have an awesome parking brake. Every person that's followed this vid has said their parking brake works like it should :)
Turns out that I had two problems. One was that one of the retaining spring on the parking brake was bent and was causing it to scrap and catch on the hub. Also switched to 4th gen rotors and fixed all the issues. Thanks again for your video.
As far the the upgrade goes: bigger pads and caliper and bigger rotors up front has made a HUGE difference in stopping power for me.
Thank you so much for an excellent video with lucid explanations! You've set a gold standard for car maintenance instructional videos, in my opinion. I will be able to tinker with my 2001 Sequoia's parking brakes with confidence.
glad you liked my vid. Thanks for watching!
man how i envy you guys that don't have to deal with snow and salt.
we don't get that much snow and salt. We're already in a region that gets above freezing temps most of the winter and we only use salt as needed which isn't often. If I lived in eastern Canada then that is a totally different story. They use a LOT of salt.
I live in Eastern Canada, Yes, we use a lot of salt. I wish I saw this video about two weeks ago. Spent over $700. at the local dealers to have the cables installed. Now, I will adjust my e-brake properly. Thanks for sharing.
Just finished successfully adjusting the parking brake on my Tundra following the steps in this video. Many thanks!
The best video on this subject I've found. It's very clear, concise and great explanation each step of the way. Great job. And thank you.
Have you done a video of replacing the brake shoes yet?
glad you liked my vid. Thanks for watching! Sorry no vid on replacing brake shoes yet.
Excellent video, did this repair while bleeding and working on brakes today, parking brake works like it never has since 2008. thanks man!!!
What a great video! Thanks for your knowledge and time that you put into this.
you're most welcome. Thank you for watching!
Thank you for an outstanding video.
I've been taking parts off the back of my truck all afternoon to find the source of an intermittent rubbing noise. I'm pretty sure at this point at its the parking brake. It's obvious from looking at the mechanisms how the basics work, but I didn't know how to properly adjust it.You're video will allow me to do that (once it stops raining).
I rely on TH-cam a lot to help me with my vehicles, and your video is among the best that I've seen. Your camera work is great - good angles, lighting, and steady shot. Likewise for the audio; clear and easy to understand. I appreciate your before-and-after demos and, of course, proper focus on safety.
P.S. Thanks for mentioning the torque specs on the caliper mounting bolts. That information isn't always readily available online (or, god forbid, even lug nut torque in the owner's manual) and I like to snug them by the book.
glad you liked the video! This specific video is one of my more detailed ones because there is a fair bit of adjustments and checks involved. The rubbing noise on the Tundra CAN also be related to a faulty rear axle bearing. I experienced this weird rubbing noise on turns emanating from the rear of my truck and when I took it to the dealership and told them my suspicions that they confirmed I was 100% correct that the rear axle bearing had failed and was causing the rubbing noise. New bearing and all is good. Rear bearing failures on the Tundra are a known issue so if your parking brake once adjusted properly still sounds like it rubbing then chances are that it can be a bad bearing.
For posterity, my noise turned out to be the... back plate?... of the parking brake. I'm not sure what the name of the part is, but I'm talking about the piece of metal that the shoes/springs/adjuster/etc. are attached to. Once I removed the rotor / parking brake drum, I could see some grooves in the back plate where the drum was rubbing. I bent it a few mm out of the way, and the noise is gone.
Thanks for the tip about the axle bearing. I assume that the intermittent nature of my noise was just due to normal stresses on the wheels when cornering. I couldn't cause the noise, nor detect any play in the wheel, by jiggling things by hand when up on the jack stands; I needed the weight of the truck to manifest the problem. That said, perhaps my bearing is starting to wear, and this is just an early symptom. I'll keep a closer eye on them from now on.
At any rate, a nice by-product of this endeavor is a pair of well-tuned parking breaks. The brakes themselves are dialed in, the pedal slack is gone, and I freed a bunch of rusted parts where the cables come together under the driver's door. And best of all, I found the missing third key in a hide-a-key while I was under there! Now my wife won't have to come rescue me the next time Iock my own keys in the cab (and in the ignition, no less - thanks a lot, Toyota).
TL;DR - Thanks a lot for your follow-up about the axle bearing.
I can't thank you enough for posting this video! Thank you for helping me stay safe!
you're most welcome!
All I can say is wow, I consider myself pretty mechanically inclined when it comes to cars/trucks but I was doing this wrong for years. A big THANK YOU from this Tundra owner.
You're most welcome. The way I look at it is Toyota were the once that botched that parking brake from the factory and their factory trained techs don't necessarily know how to adjust them right either. I'm just glad I am able to show the folks here how to do it right so their parking brake does what it is intended to do!
Excellent video, great step by step. Much thanks.
thanks for watching!
thank you, 6 years later and IT WORKED! more confident now. This will help trasmission so much.
You're most welcome!
i will email this vid to my mechanic for his continuing education points,,,
lol ok :)
I can't thank you enough. Thank you man. My Tundra failed inspection due to the emergency brake not holding. I took it to the dealer and their adjustment was as you said, not well done the car was the same. I will do my own this weekend. Thank you so much.
It really amazes me how toyota trucks and suvs leave the factory or the dealership in the manner that they do. I'm just glad I figured it out and was able to teach the world how to do the job right :)
@@piercedasian to follow up, I may have adjusted it too much because now my truck shakes after 55mph :(
Thank you for this! Very helpful, detailed, and clear. Appreciate the help!
glad you enjoyed my vid. Thanks for watching!
This is the best parking brake adjustment KT video I found on the youtube so far. Liked and Subscribed!
Thanks for subscribing Ethan. It amazes me at how Toyota let ANY of their trucks out of the factory with a piss poor parking brake like this. Even when I had multiple trips to the stealership the techs there could not for the life of them get it right so I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands.
great video... i just failed inspection because of parking break and these a holes want $300 to fix... gonna do it for free myself :)
$300?? wow that's mental! What a rip off. Do it yourself and do it right. I'll be the guys at the shop don't even know how to adjust the p-brake properly.
Thank you. Good, clear instruction that helped with my 2016 Highlander. If there is such a thing as an award for best DIY instruction, I would nominate this video.
glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but why is the gap is necessary? Why not just adjust the star wheel on both sides?
the gap is to ensure the upper portion of the shoes is tensioned correctly such that when you DO actuate the parking brake that the show extends fully against the inside of the rear discs. If you didn't create the tiny gap and only adjust the star wheel then you could run into a situation where there is:
1. too much cable slack
2. The lower portion of the shoes may only contact a portion of the rear disc brake assembly.
The idea here is to ensure your "reference starting point" is precise. You'll notice that I un-tensioned the cable, only to re-tension it to get the cable to JUST tighten enough to start moving the shoes. It is definitely easier to explain in person than it is via text on a youtube comments section.
i get it now, thanks. and great video!
Excellent video. It clearly explains how parking brake works. Best DIY video I've ever seen. Very helpful. Thank you.
glad you liked my video!
Clear video I had ever seen .
Warning if you try this. You have to leave the key in the ignition to keep the transmission in neutral so be sure to do this before you remove the break caliper. If you press the break ( to move the gear shifter) after removing the caliper the piston will move out of the caliper and you will have to rent a compression tool to get it back in place. Update I found out you can compress the caliper piston with a large C clamp if you have one and avoid the trip to the auto parts store.
This is a VERY VERY good pointer! Luckily I have never had this happen on my truck but you're absolutely correct in saying this. Thanks for calling that out.
@@piercedasianwhy put the truck in neutral? I just lift from the diff and use jackstands under the axle on both sides.
Thank you for the detailed method. I was struggling with the e-brake not working after a rear brake change. This approach fixed it!
Great video. You explained everything succinctly and clearly. When I changed the pads on the rear of my 2007 Tundra I only adjusted the parking brakes from the outside of the drum. I didn't take the rotor off to see inside and assumed it was self adjusting. No wonder my parking brake sucks. I now have another to do item on my list. At least now I can do it right. Thanks.
Glad you liked the video. Yes it is REMARKABLE at how bad the factory parking brake is. You've gotta get your baseline parking brake adjusted right and you have to repeat the process whenever you put new brake rotors on as the clearances on brake rotors are slightly different which WILL impact parking brake performance.
You can also use two of the bolts from your front skid plate to remove it
My tundra failed state inspection on a faulty parking brake. Watched this great DIY on adjusting it. Followed step by step and it worked. Great video!!!
Glad it helped!
2009 Tundra Base Model. Followed your instructions the 't' and mine works great now! Thank You for all the time and effort you put into the vid! And double thanks for mentioning torque specs!
glad you liked my video! Yep, the Toyota Tundra factory should follow my vid so that people that buy their trucks shouldn't have to adjust it on their own!
Just finished performing this on my 07 Tundra, night and day difference. The parking brake actually works now, and holds the vehicle in place when in Drive, Reverse, Neutral, Downhill, or Uphill. The only thing that threw me off was when i was under the truck and tightening the adjustment screw, it took quite a few turns to get the 1/32 spacing as suggested in the video. Once again, thank you for the detailed video, much appreciated!
Glad my video helped and MORE importantly that your truck's parking brake now works perfectly. What were the folks at Toyota thinking when they were building this truck??
Just did my brakes today after watching your awesome video. The e-brake has never worked like this--even new! The dealer adjusted it under warranty, but with no success. Thanks!
Yeah I hear that a lot from people and it blows my mind that Toyota would even allow something like this to leave the factory AND dealership with what is essentially a non-functioning parking brake.
Bought a 13 Rock Warrior a few days ago. Parking brake went to the floor and wouldn't hold the truck. Adjusted it today with your video. Better than new!! Thanks!!
that's great news. Doesn't surprise me at all that your Rock Warrior's parking brake doesn't hold. Did any of Toyota's trucks parking brake work from factory? probably not...
Well done... Replacing my brakes this week and got stuck on getting the rear rotors off... Learned a lot more along the way. Thanks!
BTW, loved the professional video, and the "dicked around" bit LOL!
Thanks so much for the video. It was exactly what I was looking for. I am about to replace the rear pads and rotors and now I'll get the parking brake adjusted while I have it all apart. Awesome job on the video.
glad you liked it and good luck with your repair job :)
You know I hate using the word perfect, but you absolutely deserve it. Thank you for the detailed explanation.
Wow perfect?! So glad you liked the video. It amazes me how Toyota let their trucks leave the factory in the state that they did. Unbelievable that more than 10 years since the 2nd gen tundra rolled off the line that none of their parking brakes worked properly. NONE all the way up to present day.
Thanks a bunch for the video. Just had to do a full four wheel brake job on our Tundra and used your parking brake adjustment instructions and the parking brake has never worked better!
Glad it helped!
Explains how the drum brake works and therefore the fix makes sense. First video I've seen to do this so thank you very much.
Glad it helped!
This is the best DIY video I have ever viewed, on any topic!. I have been screwing with my parking brakes for a while, just spinning the star wheels, with no improvement. I think the cable adjustment got screwed up in the past (not me, I didn't know where it was!), and there's a huge gap between the shoes and the base block. I will take another shot at it tomorrow.
yep, how Toyota let this go through quality control is beyond me. Ridiculous to say the least.
I have the same issue on a 2010 with 102K miles. I think mine is actually seized up behind the cable adjustment. Star screwed in and huge gap at the top... Can't even get the rotor back on. Lots of salt in PA... Seeing a good bit of rust.
So I sprayed the cable adjuster with penetrating fluid a few times, letting it soak in between sprays, then backed off the cables all the way with no problems. I was concerned that the salt here in MA would have made it more difficult than it was. The gap on the drivers side would not go as small as I would have liked, even though the cables and levers seemed to be moving freely. The passenger side was good. Set the star wheels, and re-adjusted the cables. Parking brake now works well!
Couldn't have asked for a better instructional video you did an awesome job brother. Thank you
thanks! That is so kind of you. Thank you for watching!
This was an excellent video, i have delt with poor brake performance for 2 years. Even paid a shop to fix it, they didn’t.. thank you very much.
Glad it helped
I know this is an old video but it just helped me a ton! My parking brake has never worked correctly. You made it clear and easy what to do and look for. Thanks again.
Great to hear!
This is a fantastic video, well articulated and extremely thorough. Thank you very much, it was extremely helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Nice video on rear brake adjustment. Very well explained with all considerations (including safety). Was curious where you obtained information regarding Toyota recommendations and specs (e.g., torque specs, etc.). Thank you.
Followed this video and did the adjustment on my 2010 Sequoia 5.7. Parking brake works so much better now, thanks for the awesome video!
glad it all worked out for you. Thanks for watching!
I can’t believe how helpful this was. Thank you seems insulting. Here we go. THANKS SO MUCH.
I followed your instructions and enjoyed the results. It is time for me to do it again. I watched the video again and hope to have a good working parking brake again. - Thank you for the video, I managed to see how to comment on the video but know how to subscribe to your videos.
glad you've subscribed to my channel. Why did you have to adjust the parking brake again? Normally you don't need to adjust again unless you like driving with your parking brake engaged, you've replaced the rear rotors or someone's screwed with your parking brake adjustments.
I was driving my 2012 Tundra today and the right rear wheal started smoking. New rotors and pads were put on just two months ago - i don't suspect those. I suspect that something happened to the ebreak. I feel that I can now take a look at it since it is Saturday night and I can work on it Sunday - no parts - just adjustments I hope. Watching your video let me know that these breaks are very similar to electric breaks on a horse trailer (as far as the construction goes). Excellent instructional video. If I could I would have given it two thumbs up.
Glad you liked my video Mark.
Yeah the parking brake adjustments outlined by the Toyota service manual is useless at best. I bought the truck from Toyota and specifically asked them to tighten up the parking brake and they said "yep we did that and all is good". I go to pickup my truck and what do I discover? Parking brake is still useless. Rather than wasting my time with the dealership (which is only following the factory approved instructions) that I took it upon myself to adjust it. Lo and behold the first kick at the can resulted in a perfect parking brake. Amazes me how Toyota can let their trucks leave the factory in the state they're in.
Two thumbs up? wow you're very kind! Consider subscribing or at least sharing my vids with others as it would help me out huge!
Awesome video. I just purchased a used 2011 Tundra and the first thing I noticed was how weak the parking brake was. Will be using this procedure to get that "peace of mind" :)
Glad you liked the video. Yes the Tundra/Sequioa parking brakes SUCKED from the factory so yes, this procedure will ensure it will be ROCK solid.
Great video. I can't believe on trucks this new they did not install a self adjuster for the parking brake. Will be doing this next weekend. Thanks.
Yeah it's crazy isn't it? I would like to see self adjusters on future Tundra's. This is absolutely unacceptable on ANY vehicle.
I commented earlier on what an excellent "how to" video this is. Great pics and the audio is 100 %. My parking brake on my 07 has not worked in 20 years. I replaced the cables and the 2 to 1 linkage bracket. Mechanic buddy could not figure out why it did not work normally. I watched this video and followed it. Now I can lock the rear wheels on gravel. Holds on a hill while parked. I see there are 73 thumbs down.... must be 73Toyota dealers. lol.
I'm so glad it helped your issue! Yes it seems like EVERY Tundra that I have ever worked on suffers from a misadjusted parking brake cable. You'd think that Toyota truck assemblers would get this right but they don't and it surprises me at how many mechanics don't know how to adjust the parking brake properly.
Thank you for the detailed explanation on how to properly adjust the parking brake on Toyota vehicles.
You're welcome. Toyota should use my video as a factory training video!
Fantastic walk-through. I did this today on my 2008. Worked like a charm.
Glad it helped
Best helpful video I found in entire TH-cam search thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Dude thank you so much I learned so damn much and now that stupid star wheel thing makes sooooo much more sense. The book can only teach me so much but this was very very helpful. Thank you for putting the time to record this. I have an 08 tundra and I just failed my inspection because of the damn parking brake!! Now I’m gonna be able to fix it because you hooked us all up with knowledge. Thanks bro
my response is super late BUT I still read the comments. I'm super glad my video was educational for you. In fact the feedback from this video has been nothing but positive that I think Toyota should really consider using it for a factory training video b/c I swear every tundra and sequoia from the factory has a non functioning parking brake!
My 2007 Mazda 3 sport has different e brake set-up, which is not a disc-drum combination. Nonetheless, you pointed out the importance of how to adjust the e brakes and I found your demonstration the most intensive than many videos that I have watched. And yes, you mentioned that there is problem with many technicians who don't do or don't know this procedure. I had one garage quote me $900 for replacing the cable. I was in doubt and declined the service. Then I started to research.
Glad you liked my video! Yes there are a lot of incompetent or dishonest techs out there. This is WHY I fix my own cars and even do my OWN warranty work on my new car b/c I don't trust anyone to touch my vehicles.
Kip Black A very concise and accurate explanation of the proper "E" brake adjustment. Thanks for taking the time to do such a GREAT video as well.
Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching.
Great instructional video. I just bought a 2007 Tundra and was wondering about this very issue. I'll be adjusting my parking brake very soon.
yeah weird that Toyota let the truck out of the factory with a parking brake adjusted so poorly.
At first I was like damn this video is 30 min.
Then I found myself watching it in it's entirety. Super helpful 👍👍
Glad you watched the whole thing! If you follow my instructions exactly that it is a guarantee your parking brake will work like a proper parking brake!
by far the best and most thorough explanation out there. However the lack of response to my comment hurts.
Thank you very much for making this video! Unfortunately, after following your procedure exactly as you suggested, I still have literally no parking brake functionality. I'm at a complete loss at this point. The first thing I noticed was that the entire adjuster arm mechanism under the driver's door was rusted tight. Nothing was pivoting like it should and I didn't want to do all the other work without fixing this problem first. So, I removed the rusty part and replaced it with a brand new one. I also cleaned up the cable adjusting rod threads and loosened both the stop nut and barrel nut so as to have no tension on the cables before I began the rest of the job. I decided as long as I was going to do this, I'd put in brand new shoes and pads right away. I bought Raybestos shoes and a Raybestos hardware kit. I completely cleaned everything, installed the new shoes and hardware and adjusted everything exactly as you detailed. I then finished the rear brake job and bolted my wheels back on. When I got into the vehicle and applied the parking brake, I was pretty excited, as that pedal felt more solid than it ever had before. Sadly, when I put the truck in drive, it rolled forward as though there was no parking brake engaged whatsoever. At this point, I don't know what my next step should be. I can't imagine that anything else could be rusted, as it appears the rest of the cabling system is enclosed inside of rubber or plastic hose (from the adjuster arm mechanism to the parking brake pedal up front and from the adjuster arm mechanism to each of the two rear wheels). Do you think I should start by adjusting the threaded rod on the adjuster mechanism to put more tension on the cables going to the rear wheels? Any suggestions you could provide would be greatly appreciated. This parking brake issue has been a thorn in my side since I bought the truck new in 2007. It never worked well from the start, but at least it held "somewhat" when it was new. Over the years, it held less and less...and it finally got to the point that it didn't hold at all. Believe it or not, I only have 38,000 miles on the truck! You read that correctly...as I have several motorcycles and another car that I drive regularly. One final bit of info....here is a link to the video I followed to install the new adjuster arm mechanism under the driver's side door: th-cam.com/video/pJ_Yxpr2Zps/w-d-xo.html
This is an excellent video my guy! By far one of the best how to videos I've seen on the interwebs, I can really appreciate this. I have a 2016 is it generally the same concept?
Ha! I just look at the discription and got my answer. Even the description is loaded with information, good on you man keep it up!
Thanks alot!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
if you know anyone who works on moto/bicycles and is any good, their cable adjustment skills come in handy. in my case i have had lots of janky bikes needing constant adjustment. thanks for confirming the tension direction, upwards! also, the 12mm metric bolt tip was nice.
Finally, a video to solve this problem I have always had with my 07 Tundra. First thing tomorrow onto the lift and under the truck.
Thanks for a great video.
you're most welcome.
I just did this to my 2017 Tundra today thanks to your video.
The e brake has always been lame.
I know a lot of people never use it but with a trailer on hills and such I use it a ton.
100% agree on the fact that the tundra (and similar) truck has the worst parking brake settings from the factory. You may as well be selling a truck without one b/c that's how well it worked. I got off my butt to fix mine after I got a trailer b/c it is super dangerous to rely solely on the parking pawl in the transmission to hold all that weight. Glad it worked out for you.
Thanks for taking the time to put this walkthrough together! I'm replacing my rear rotors and pads on my 07 Tundra dc and want to tackle the parking brake adjustment while I have it all apart. It has never been right (go figure) but I never use it here in Florida unless I'm at the ramp launching my boat.
I think this procedure should work for my wife's FJ as well (4 wheel disc brakes). The parking brake was never right and now it won't set when you pull up on the brake lever beside the console.
I gave up on the "stealership" working on our vehicles when they jacked up my alignment and destroyed my factory alloys with an impact gun. It was bad enough they didn't torque them to 97 ft-lbs. either. I had to get a 1/2" breaker bar to free up my lug nuts when I installed my new rims/tires. I guess the techs are under the gun to get every non-warranty job out as quickly as possible in order to make money.
yep the procedure shown basically applies to any toyota (or car for that matter). FJ has a lot of similarities to the Tundra brake system so I suspect you will get very similar parking brake performance improvements.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video, better than going to school.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for video. Emergency brakes never worked on my truck since brand new. I do need my emergency brakes for launching my boat at the boat ramp. I tried adjusting cable as you mentioned and it only helped a little. I have even driven my truck by accident with emergency brakes engaged until truck starts vibrating on the road. I have not done your adjusting instructions yet but I know its going to work. Thank you again for your detailed video.
yeah I don't get why Toyota's quality control team allowed this to slip out of the factory since 2007 (possibly even earlier). Just remember that there is no shortcuts to my procedure. Some folks by their own admission didn't exactly follow my instructions and guess what.... their brakes still don't quite work right. It wasn't until they followed it EXACTLY as shown that their parking brakes now work flawlessly. Just letting you know so you don't make the same rookie mistakes as a few of my viewers have inadvertently done. Good luck!
Excellent Video and instructions for us garage mechanics. Save me a trip to the dealer and a few bucks.
Thanks much!
glad you liked my video!
Thank you for an excellent step by step demonstration. There will be a place in Heaven for you sir!
No problem! Thanks for watching.
I’ve had always had a problem with my e-brake and the repair shop said the same thing about the cable. Thank you so much for the detailed information. I’ll have mine fixed with when I put on my new rotors this week rotors.
Yeah it is remarkable how BAD Toyota set the parking brake specs at the factory. Completely unacceptable. You'll be SUPER happy with the ebrake when you're done adjusting. My e-brake years later still works perfectly.
I seem to have the exact same issue with my 2013 hilux. In sweden we dont have a yearly inspection on new cars until after three years. So it worked out well for toyoto who i payed for a three year guarantee and service deal with...
Thank you for your video!
Glad you liked my video. Thanks for watching!
very informative video for us back yard mechanics, very detailed steps on explaining every thing, i rate this video 5 stars
Glad you like my vid!
This video is so so so good...thank you thank you thank you thank you for being so thorough in explaining how the whole system works!
Glad you liked the vid! Thanks for watching!