Parking Brake SNAFU

[JGM70]

The same goes for plumbing under the sink, etc.

 

[MassHoe04]

More than once, I have hit the FWD/REV button on my impact wrench! Usually happens when I am in an odd position and shifting from one hand to another.

But for caliper and hub bolts, I tend not to use impact wrench. Manual breaker bar only. I have used heat from a propane torch on a couple of different vehicles.

This may not be by-the-book, but...
I put anti-seize on caliper bracket and hub bolts, then get them "good'n tight" with a couple of light taps on the wrench with a hammer when attaching is usually tight enough for me.
Never had calipers or hubs fall off or come loose. Having to recently take calipers and rotors off and put them back on about 5 times in the last 3 days... It is nice to not have to heat them with a torch to get the bolts out each time to loosen up Loc-Tite.

 

[WestLinnYukon]

Mine were really in there is well and when I finally got them out there was some crazy pink thread locker, although I think they my have used JB weld instead... I used a 24 inch breaker bar and an impact socket, and applied a significant amount pressure. My Dewalt impact with 4amp battery is incredibly strong, often breaking loose things that even my breaker cant, if you need an excuse for a new tool

 

[MassHoe04]

Got a Dewalt XR three years ago at a pawn shop for $180 with battery and charger. I try doing things with wrenches or breaker bars first, if I am not sure if something will spin out without snapping.
Brakes... Since I have done them and put anti-seize, I can get calipers off and back on in a couple of minutes.

 

[PatDTN]

Just another point to consider. I was parking my Tahoe on a steep hill and really stood on the parking brake. Something went pop and my foot went to the floor. No parking brake. In East Tennessee!

Eventually I took the rear brakes apart and couldn't see anything. I looked at the pedal mechanism. Nothing. The cables were all intact. I thought. Finally started squeezing my way along the rubber sleeve that protects the cable directly under the driver seat area. There was a soft spot! I pulled on the cable and found out it had corroded inside the sleeve.

Parking brake still sucks because it's so hard to adjust.

 

[MassHoe04]

Just another point to consider. I was parking my Tahoe on a steep hill and really stood on the parking brake. Something went pop and my foot went to the floor. No parking brake. In East Tennessee!

Eventually I took the rear brakes apart and couldn't see anything. I looked at the pedal mechanism. Nothing. The cables were all intact. I thought. Finally started squeezing my way along the rubber sleeve that protects the cable directly under the driver seat area. There was a soft spot! I pulled on the cable and found out it had corroded inside the sleeve.

Parking brake still sucks because it's so hard to adjust.

I had already installed new e-brake adjusters, strung new rear and intermediate cables, tried multiple adjustments and made no progress before bring it over for the mechanic to deal with.

My mechanic buddy finally figured out that I wasn't losing my mind or doing anything wrong after all. He found the inside "hat" of the rotors had some variance in the clearance from the inside to the area the shoe is supposed to contact. When the shoes were set to barely scrape by the lip of the rotor as it goes on... All of a sudden there was too much clearance inside the hat to get a grip! New rotors solved the problem. He told me he loves how easy these rigs are to work on (as do I), but the e-brakes on this series of GM trucks (and certain Ford trucks) can be a "real pain" to get dialed in.