P500 Parking brake play and adjustment

[GreatNorth]

It feels like handle comes up too much before I feel much resistance. Picture is at bottom stop.

Manual specifies 40-65 mm of play before resistance is felt pulling up handle.

I measure 35 mm up from stop at ~50 mm before lever on back caliper starts moving.

But there’s no real resistance at that point. Going by feel, I feel resistance at about 65 mm above bottom stop. Lever goes back down to 20 mm from stop and has to be pushed down the rest of the way.

Would play be the 35 mm before lever at back starts moving (tighter than 40-65 mm spec in manual), or 65 mm where I start feeling resistance (and at upper limit of spec)?

Is this play adjusted via wing nut where cable connects to lever at back caliper, or elsewhere?

 

[lee]

The adjustment is at the wingnut on the caliper like you said.
The wingnut stops every 180 degrees - it's not continuously adjustable.

When the service manual says resistance is felt they mean what you feel when moving the handle.
Play, slack and taking up the slack in the caliper mechanism is baked in to that (no need to think too much).

The lever moves up some before the ratchet even starts to do anything.
And, just FYI, I get 3 clicks till the parking brake is set (it's not the official method, just a point of reference.

 

[GreatNorth]

Thanks @lee, that makes sense. If I reduce play by 20-25 mm it’ll be at lower end of spec, need to be pulled up 10-15 mm from stop before moving lever on caliper, and maybe even go down the last 20 mm to stop on its own. Will give it a try.

 

[GreatNorth]

I tightened wing nut at back caliper 4.5 turns which took out 25 mm free play (looks to be 5 mm per half turn). Lever at rear caliper now begins moving at about 10 mm up from stop, just barely before parking brake light switch trips--not nearly far enough before switch to be dragging the brake without light coming on. I feel tension at 40 mm up, and first ratchet click is at 85 mm up. Handle now goes down to bottom stop on it's own when I let go. Feels perfect!

 

[GreatNorth]

Got full turns and half turns mixed up on that last post—would be about 2.5 mm per half turn or about 5 mm per turn.

I just tried the parking brake on a 17 degree slope (31% grade) with a heavy load of wet poplar logs and 1 ratchet click held it. I felt better adding a second click though 😅