My 69 RR has a disc brake conversion from SSBC - the ones with built in parking brake.

I've failed inspection twice now because they say that car lacks stopping power when I apply the parking brake

I tried to "re clock" the spring that sits on the backside of the caliper first one notch then two - and tightened up the adjuster bolt so the tires just could be moved by hand. Felt firm. Applied the parking brake - and I could not move the tires at all. Same on both sides. Car back on ground, started it up but same result - no stopping power at all...


So question
Can I adjust it anywhere else than on the adjustment bolt, just before the cable divides into left and right caliper and the re clocking of the spring?

Any other ideas?

Here in the states the PARKING brake is designed to hold a parked vehicle, not to stop one that is moving in any reasonable distance. Not sure what Sweden is looking for.

The law http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/393.41

That all being said, the calipers self adjust by using the parking brake. As the pad wears the use of the parking brake, when parked, will allow a ratchet mechanism in the caliper to take up the extra clearance between the pads and rotor.

Here it needs to hold the vehicle still at a 16% incline which they test by putting the car in drive and see if it crawls away.

Are you saying that it cannot be done at all with this brake setup?

16% is pretty steep but it should be doable. You need to adjust the pistons in the calipers. IIRC, SSBC is real bad about not mentioning that. I took a look at SSBC's site and here's what they have to say.

"Parking Brake Adjustment
a) The caliper pistons adjust hydraulically by pumping the pedal. When a hard pedal is
achieved, there should be a clearance between the pads and rotor of 1/32” to 1/16”.
NOTE: IF THE PISTONS BECOME EXTENDED TOO FAR, THE INNER BRAKE PAD CAN BE REMOVED AND THE PISTON
CAN BE SCREWED BACK INTO THE CALIPER USING NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS OR A CALIPER ADJUSTING TOOL AVAILABLE AT MOST PARTS STORES.
b) Make sure the parking brake lever is in the full released position.
c) Take up the slack in the parking brake cables by adjusting the nut on the threaded rod
under the car. Cables should be adjusted until they are taught but not enough to move
the parking brake levers on the calipers.
d) Move the parking brake handle through its full travel several times. The parking brake
should hold the car from rolling but create no brake resistance when in the full released position. Make sure the brake lever is returned all the way when the parking brake is released."

If your pad to rotor clearance is good and you either have too much slack in the cables or not enough throw in the parking brake end of the setup. What are you using to actuate the parking brake? The OEM foot pedal?

As for "emergency brake", it was never intended, nor designed to perform that function. It is a holding brake, nothing more. Wishing it were something else is futile.

That's the problem with aftermarket stuff, a lot of it fails to actually be an improvement on the OEM stuff. Not to mention the engineering really is not there.

There are two levers in the parking brake system, one at the foot pedal, the other at the caliper. If you lengthen the lever at the pedal you will get more travel of the lever at eh caliper, assuming you are not already maxing out the travel there, this might help.

Here's a link to a Mustang rear caliper that might help you figure out what it's supposed to do.

http://forums.corral.net/forums/general-...king-brake.html

You'll notice that as you use the parking brake it tends to screw the piston out of the caliper, this is to take up slack in the system. If the piston is too far in, like on new or rebuilt calipers, you may have to unscrew the piston out some, or work the parking brake setup till the slack is out, then the parking brake will hold.

Hard to tell for sure from their picture, but it looks like they are using the GM p-brake mechanism in that caliper. If so, here is an article written by a Mech. Engineer on how to get them to function at their best: http://classicbroncos.com/tech/rear-disc-brakes-cadillacgm-calipers
Note that he has since abandoned that type of p-brake assembly and gone to the Explorer system of a drum type p-brake internal to the rotor's hat.