2005 Envoy XL parking brake doesnt engage brakes

05EnvoyXL

Original poster
Member
Dec 27, 2012
107
Got my 05 Envoy XL SLT, noticed when i pulled up on the e brake handle the truck doesnt want to stop, just slows down...barely LOL what on earth can cause something like that? have all new pads, rotars, brake flush etc...just hope it isnt something serious concerning maybe the ABS module. any info is appreciated!

Michael
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
It's a simple mechanical adjustment to a traditional star wheel that helps mount the brake shoes inside the miniature drum inside the rear brake rotors. Not auto-adjusting like many drum brakes, but you have to remove the rear wheels, remove two spring clips that hold the rotors to the studs (discard the clips), then get inside and clean and inspect everything. If the shoes and drum surfaces look OK, just adjust the star wheel.

There is also an adjustment procedure for the lever to make sure the cable is properly adjusted at the front end, but in my experience, that is never enough to fix loose ebrakes.

Searching shows this and many other threads, both here and at trailvoy:

http://gmtnation.com/forums/topic/924-handbrake-issue/?hl=%2Bcable+%2Blever+%2Badjust#entry16661
 

AbsoluteZero

Member
Nov 21, 2011
211
Over the course of the Envoy's life I've adjusted the e-brakes (as described in Roadie's post) a couple times. Also as pointed out the adjustment procedure at the handle had no detectable effect. The most difficult part of the job was breaking loose the caliber retaining bolts. It's awkward to get a breaker bar (I had a 24" bar) in position plus the bolts have lok-tight so they come out hard all the way.
The "proper" way as listed in the manual is to mic the inside of the e-brakes's drum and adjust the shoes outward until the clearance is .050" (I'm recalling from memory) However the single use tool isn't something most will have in the set! So the procedure I used was to mark the star wheel at one section with red paint. Turn one full turn. Do both sides and reinstall the drum. Then try the e-brake handle for tightness. If still not applying turn the star wheel another 1/2 turn. Also I could feel how hard the drum was to put back on. Be careful not to apply the regular service brakes. Here's photo I took for future reference the second time I'd adjusted them:
 

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Fire06

Member
Dec 18, 2011
7,223
Envoy it ids easy to adjust. I put it off for a while thinking it would be to involved. It is not. It is as easy in the write ups as doing it. Should have done mine a long time ago.
 

CaptainXL

Member
Dec 4, 2011
2,445
AbsoluteZero said:
Over the course of the Envoy's life I've adjusted the e-brakes (as described in Roadie's post) a couple times. :

I take it you didnt adjust them due to wear. Right? In my mind these should never have to be adjusted as the shoes dont wear being stopped with the ebrake on.
 

AbsoluteZero

Member
Nov 21, 2011
211
CaptainXL said:
I take it you didnt adjust them due to wear. Right? In my mind these should never have to be adjusted as the shoes dont wear being stopped with the ebrake on.
I probably was conservative on the first adjustment, erring on the side off not inducing drag. The first adjustment was at 3 yrs and 28K miles and definitely improved the e-brake's function. My driveway has a slight slope. The e-brake had gotten to the point it wouldn't hold.
In order for adjusting the shoes outward to cause an improvement would suggest something had caused the clearance to increase.
 

RayVoy

Member
Nov 20, 2011
939
05EnvoyXL said:
when i pulled up on the e brake handle the truck doesnt want to stop, just slows down.
Michael, don't expect the parking brake to stop a moving truck. It does not have the surface, or the application pressures to stop the truck.
It is intended for application after stopping only.
 
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Mark20

Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
As a side question do all TBs &Voys trigger the warning chime if you try to engage the parking brake while moving or after just coming to a stop?
 

RayVoy

Member
Nov 20, 2011
939
Whenever the engine is running, in DRIVE and, I believe, the vehicle is moving.

I know it will chime is vehicle is moving, I don't remember if it will also chime if in DRIVE and stopped (it probably does).
 

Mark20

Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
If I wait a few seconds after stopping before putting the parking brake on it does not chime if I put the brake on right after stopping and putting the Voy in park, it chimes. As though there was an averager in the value it uses to determine if the Voy is moving or not.

My Silverado and old Pontiac van have foot brakes so it's a little hard to test to see if it does the same thing.
 

gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
RayVoy said:
Michael, don't expect the parking brake to stop a moving truck. It does not have the surface, or the application pressures to stop the truck.
It is intended for application after stopping only.

I agree and kindly disagree, the hand brake while designed to hold a stopped vehicle, has decent braking power to stop our rolling platforms. May not keep you from entering a ditch, but from hwy speeds it will and should stop the vehicle, mine does.

Granted it will take a toll on the minimal friction material and may cause an odor...but it should stop.
 

RayVoy

Member
Nov 20, 2011
939
Will, I guess if sufficient drag is applied to the rear wheels, it will eventually stop the truck. But, it is a "parking brake" and not the mis-termed "emergency brake".
BTW, no need to be "kind", skin is tough, :raspberry:


And, to the OP, it chimes if still applied (even just one, or two clicks of the ratchet) while in drive just to let the driver know it is applied.
 

gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
RayVoy said:
Will, I guess if sufficient drag is applied to the rear wheels, it will eventually stop the truck. But, it is a "parking brake" and not the mis-termed "emergency brake".

True, just wanted to point out that my hand brake will stop the vehicle at a decent rate, quicker than I anticipated given the braking area and weight of vehicle. Surely not something to continually practice given the high replacement cost of the parking brake shoes.
 

05EnvoyXL

Original poster
Member
Dec 27, 2012
107
As to what RayVoy said, the Envoy XL is a big b**** lol. When i pulled up on the e-brake it barely slowed and i mean barely. I know my ABS brake system runs flawless right now (brake fluid flush / new pads/rotars 2 mos ago) but god forbid i loose my ability to brake the Envoy by pressing the brake pedal . Isnt the e-brake suppose to provide enuff braking application to slow the truck in the event of a failure. Thats just my assumption LOL
 

RayVoy

Member
Nov 20, 2011
939
05EnvoyXL said:
Isnt the e-brake suppose to provide enuff braking application to slow the truck in the event of a failure.
Wellllll, it isn't an e-brake, it's just a p-brake (but as gmcman suggested, a well adjusted good brake shoe and a lot of pulling on the hand lever may slow you down.

It is only a parking brake; to be applied after the truck is stopped and the transmission is in PARK.
 

gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
05EnvoyXL said:
Isnt the e-brake suppose to provide enuff braking application to slow the truck in the event of a failure. Thats just my assumption LOL

As Rayvoy mentioned it's not designed to keep hauling you down from speed. The same setup on some German cars have much beefier shoes, these are a joke but work.

I know the XL is heavier but if yours will barely slow you down then you may have contaminated shoes or just an adjustment issue. When I adjust mine, I open the shoe and test against the rotor, press rotor flat and firmly against the axle flange and when it just barely, the first hint of contact.... scrapes then you are there...any scraping will quickly wear away, don't let it drag. I believe there should be a much larger gap but I like next to zero gap.
 

v7guy

Member
Dec 4, 2011
298
there's no slot in the backing plate to access the toothed wheel without removing the rotor?
 

Matt

Member
Dec 2, 2011
4,019
v7guy said:
there's no slot in the backing plate to access the toothed wheel without removing the rotor?

Nope. Have to remove that to get at it. :mad:
 

05EnvoyXL

Original poster
Member
Dec 27, 2012
107
oohh ok i gotcha. i work with audi and when u yank on their electronic parking brake it stops immediately. as long as you guys think its relatively fine im ok with it. i trust ya'll lol :yes:
 

LikeEnvoy

Member
Apr 17, 2012
128
Winnipeg, MB
The link http://gmtnation.com...rake-issue-946/ does not work; I get error 404.
I would like to check out this lever/cable adjustment because on my '07 the parking brake lever pulls all the way up to get any tension and barely holds in reverse, doesn't hold at all in drive.
I tapped the star wheels on the shoes around until it began binding then backed off but still the brake won't hold the truck when I let the foot brake off- so no different.
(one clicker spring broke too, but the star wheels are so tight that they probably will not move on their own.
 

Tiggerr

Member
Jun 6, 2013
1,324
Perrysburg, OH
Have you checked your cables? One could be broken, even inside the sheathing. Common occurrence in rust belt if they don't get used/lubed regularly.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Apr 24, 2017
5
Boston,MA
Got my 05 Envoy XL SLT, noticed when i pulled up on the e brake handle the truck doesnt want to stop, just slows down...barely LOL what on earth can cause something like that? have all new pads, rotars, brake flush etc...just hope it isnt something serious concerning maybe the ABS module. any info is appreciated!

Michael
Old thread but....
 

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