How To Adjust Emergency Brake On Ford F-150?

The parking brake, usually called a handbrake or an emergency brake, is used in road vehicles to keep the car securely immobile when parked. A pulling mechanism fastened to a cable connected to two-wheel brakes is frequently used as a parking brake.

Sometimes the emergency brake is not working effectively, so you have to do some work around it.

In this article, find out all about the problem related to the emergency brake and see which steps are necessary to fix it.

Adjusting Emergency Brake On F-150: Key Takeaways

• You will adjust the emergency brake if your Ford F-150 is having difficulties remaining parked on slopes and it feels spongy and loose. 
• To tighten the emergency brake in F-150 you have to: turn off the engine, remove the cap, tighten the emergency brake, repeat on the other side, and test the emergency brake in the end.
• Do the tightening of the emergency brake if the parking brake is inoperative, or withdrawing the handbrake handle feels too simple.
• Ford F-150 adjusting parking brake cable typically costs $95 at the mechanic, but the cost may vary depending where you live. 

What Is an Emergency Brake?

Well, most of what you have to know about an emergency brake we already explained in the introduction to the article. The parking brake is used in road vehicles to keep the car securely immobile when parked

The parking brake cable, commonly referred to as the emergency brake cable, is made of an extremely thin steel cable. It attaches the parking brake shoes and levers.

The parking brake shoes press onto the brake drum or rotor when the parking brake is engaged because the cable pulls on them. The parking brake won’t function if the parking brake cable is too slack, and the cable must be tightened.

Adjusting Emergency Brake In F-150: Step-By-Step Guide

In the following few lines, you will learn how to adjust an emergency brake in your Ford F-150.

You might need to adjust the emergency brake if your Ford F-150 is having difficulties remaining parked on slopes and it feels spongy and loose. 

You don’t need to take it to a mechanic to perform this. Every vehicle’s braking system is crucial, so complete this repair correctly. Take advantage of the opportunity to check the condition of the other brake parts, as you will need to crawl beneath the truck to perform this modification.

Step 1. Turn Off the Engine 

Switch to drive and shut off the truck’s engine. Jack up the truck and chuck the front tires. Place jack stands under the vehicle.

Step 2. Remove the Cap

Look under one of the rear tires by climbing underneath the truck’s back. Look for a rubber cap under the axle and behind the brake dust cover. With the flat-head screwdriver, remove the cap.

Step 3. Tighten the Emergency Brake

Change the setting. The flat-head screwdriver is positioned beneath the cap by the star. 

If you turn the screwdriver clockwise, you will tighten the emergency brake, which you want to do. If you turn the screwdriver counterclockwise, you will loosen the emergency brake. 

Step 4. Repeat On the Other Side

Adjust the adjustment star in the same way on the other side of the truck. Change the two caps.

Step 5. Test the Emergency Brake 

Put the vehicle in neutral and let it down. Remove the chocks and engage the emergency brake. Check the emergency brakes’ holding power by moving the truck back and forth while in forward and reverse.

That’s it! You adjusted your emergency brake, and now you can continue with your parking adventures.

Don’t forget: 

• The parking brake should always be checked once the parking brake cable has been adjusted.
• The parking cable should be examined after adjustment to see whether it needs to be replaced, as It Still Runs explained.

Why Is Adjusting Emergency Brake Important?

The parking brake cable attaches your parking brake shoes to the parking brake handle. The parking brake cable is pulled taut when the parking brake handle is engaged. This causes the parking brake shoes to pull and grip into the rear brake rotors or drums.

This clamping effect protects your car when parked by preventing the wheels from moving. The strain produced while lifting the parking brake lever is insufficient to move the parking brake shoes if the parking brake cable has grown too slack.

As a result, the parking brake won’t function properly when you pull the lever.

Also, if you wondered what symptoms your F-150 will have if there is a need for adjusting the emergency brake, they are:

• The parking brake is inoperative.
• Pushing the parking brake lever is too simple.

How Much Does It Cost To Adjust the F-150 Emergency Brake At the Mechanic?

Ford F-150 Adjust Parking Brake Cable typically costs $95, with $0 for components and $95 for labor. Prices may change based on where you are.