Jeff Strickland

"Phil Schuman" <pschuman_NO_SPAM_ME@interserv.com> wrote in message
news:%ivZg.16030$e66.11121@newssvr13.news.prodigy. com...
> My wife has a 2001 jeep grand cherokee.
> We had the brakes done yesterday - new pads -
> and now the emergency brake handle can hardly be pulled up.
>
> I can do it, but my wife can barely lift the handle,
> and then, can hardly release it.
>
> What might they have done that would cause
> the emergency brake cable to be tighter than before...
>

They adjusted it.

It sounds like they adjusted it too tightly. Go back and ask them to adjust
a bit less tight.




> Just as a side issue - my wife ALWAYS puts the brake on -
> What effect does this have compared to the auto trans in Park ?
>

I seldom set the brake. (It's called a Parking Brake, NOT an Emergency
Brake, by the way.) Proper use would be to select P and set the brake. On
the few occasions when I actually use the parking brake, I depress the brake
pedal to set the brakes, then GENTLY pull the handle to hold them when I
take my foot off the pedal. When I return to the vehicle, I depress the
pedal to put the application force on the hydraulic system, then pull up on
the parking brake handle SIMUTANIOUSLY operating the release button. This
transfers the braking force from the mechanical system of cables and levers
and moves it back to the hydraulic system, making the mechanical system a
bit easier to operate.

I sometimes check the parking brake by selecting R or N (if on a hill, such
as my driveway) and make sure the brakes holds the vehicle from moving. (If
you select R, and the vehicle remains in place, select N to remove stress
from the drivetrain, then select P before you shut the motor off.)

Micah

If I'm driving something with an automatic and leaving it on a hill (or
a standard, for that matter) i put the shifter in neutral first, then
apply the parking/emergency brake, let my foot off the brake pedal, put
my foot back on the brake pedal, and shift it into park (or 1st. or
reverse.). the way i see it, it's putting the weight of the car on the
brakes, which are easily replaced, instead of the drivetrain... not so
easily replaced.

'Course, I'm a little obsessive about leaving cars parked on hills...
It probably dates back to when I was 15 and my parking brake failed...
I watched my Jeep roll backwards into my mother's living room. Since
then, I've parked my jeep as many as 20 blocks away from my actual
destination just to keep it on a level surface. 5 years later and I
just finished fixing all the body damage three weeks ago.

Micah

If I'm driving something with an automatic and leaving it on a hill (or
a standard, for that matter) i put the shifter in neutral first, then
apply the parking/emergency brake, let my foot off the brake pedal, put
my foot back on the brake pedal, and shift it into park (or 1st. or
reverse.). the way i see it, it's putting the weight of the car on the
brakes, which are easily replaced, instead of the drivetrain... not so
easily replaced.

'Course, I'm a little obsessive about leaving cars parked on hills...
It probably dates back to when I was 15 and my parking brake failed...
I watched my Jeep roll backwards into my mother's living room. Since
then, I've parked my jeep as many as 20 blocks away from my actual
destination just to keep it on a level surface. 5 years later and I
just finished fixing all the body damage three weeks ago.

Micah

If I'm driving something with an automatic and leaving it on a hill (or
a standard, for that matter) i put the shifter in neutral first, then
apply the parking/emergency brake, let my foot off the brake pedal, put
my foot back on the brake pedal, and shift it into park (or 1st. or
reverse.). the way i see it, it's putting the weight of the car on the
brakes, which are easily replaced, instead of the drivetrain... not so
easily replaced.

'Course, I'm a little obsessive about leaving cars parked on hills...
It probably dates back to when I was 15 and my parking brake failed...
I watched my Jeep roll backwards into my mother's living room. Since
then, I've parked my jeep as many as 20 blocks away from my actual
destination just to keep it on a level surface. 5 years later and I
just finished fixing all the body damage three weeks ago.

mabar

If you are that concerned about parking on hills, just leave your front
wheels turned hard left or hard right against a curb or other solid object
when parked.

Tom

"Micah" <mgoodenbour@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161420413.387798.234760@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
snip
>
> 'Course, I'm a little obsessive about leaving cars parked on hills...
> It probably dates back to when I was 15 and my parking brake failed...
> I watched my Jeep roll backwards into my mother's living room. Since
> then, I've parked my jeep as many as 20 blocks away from my actual
> destination just to keep it on a level surface. 5 years later and I
> just finished fixing all the body damage three weeks ago.
>

mabar

If you are that concerned about parking on hills, just leave your front
wheels turned hard left or hard right against a curb or other solid object
when parked.

Tom

"Micah" <mgoodenbour@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161420413.387798.234760@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
snip
>
> 'Course, I'm a little obsessive about leaving cars parked on hills...
> It probably dates back to when I was 15 and my parking brake failed...
> I watched my Jeep roll backwards into my mother's living room. Since
> then, I've parked my jeep as many as 20 blocks away from my actual
> destination just to keep it on a level surface. 5 years later and I
> just finished fixing all the body damage three weeks ago.
>

mabar

If you are that concerned about parking on hills, just leave your front
wheels turned hard left or hard right against a curb or other solid object
when parked.

Tom

"Micah" <mgoodenbour@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161420413.387798.234760@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
snip
>
> 'Course, I'm a little obsessive about leaving cars parked on hills...
> It probably dates back to when I was 15 and my parking brake failed...
> I watched my Jeep roll backwards into my mother's living room. Since
> then, I've parked my jeep as many as 20 blocks away from my actual
> destination just to keep it on a level surface. 5 years later and I
> just finished fixing all the body damage three weeks ago.
>

Jeff Strickland

"Micah" <mgoodenbour@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161420413.387798.234760@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> If I'm driving something with an automatic and leaving it on a hill (or
> a standard, for that matter) i put the shifter in neutral first, then
> apply the parking/emergency brake, let my foot off the brake pedal, put
> my foot back on the brake pedal, and shift it into park (or 1st. or
> reverse.). the way i see it, it's putting the weight of the car on the
> brakes, which are easily replaced, instead of the drivetrain... not so
> easily replaced.
>
> 'Course, I'm a little obsessive about leaving cars parked on hills...
> It probably dates back to when I was 15 and my parking brake failed...
> I watched my Jeep roll backwards into my mother's living room. Since
> then, I've parked my jeep as many as 20 blocks away from my actual
> destination just to keep it on a level surface. 5 years later and I
> just finished fixing all the body damage three weeks ago.
>


I'm not sure I would jump through the hoops you do when setting the parking
brake, but I support the idea of placing the weight on the brakes instead of
the drive train. Having said that, I seldom use the parking brake, but I
seldom park on a hill where I am concerned about the drivetrain strain.

Jeff Strickland

"Micah" <mgoodenbour@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161420413.387798.234760@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> If I'm driving something with an automatic and leaving it on a hill (or
> a standard, for that matter) i put the shifter in neutral first, then
> apply the parking/emergency brake, let my foot off the brake pedal, put
> my foot back on the brake pedal, and shift it into park (or 1st. or
> reverse.). the way i see it, it's putting the weight of the car on the
> brakes, which are easily replaced, instead of the drivetrain... not so
> easily replaced.
>
> 'Course, I'm a little obsessive about leaving cars parked on hills...
> It probably dates back to when I was 15 and my parking brake failed...
> I watched my Jeep roll backwards into my mother's living room. Since
> then, I've parked my jeep as many as 20 blocks away from my actual
> destination just to keep it on a level surface. 5 years later and I
> just finished fixing all the body damage three weeks ago.
>


I'm not sure I would jump through the hoops you do when setting the parking
brake, but I support the idea of placing the weight on the brakes instead of
the drive train. Having said that, I seldom use the parking brake, but I
seldom park on a hill where I am concerned about the drivetrain strain.

Jeff Strickland

"Micah" <mgoodenbour@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161420413.387798.234760@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> If I'm driving something with an automatic and leaving it on a hill (or
> a standard, for that matter) i put the shifter in neutral first, then
> apply the parking/emergency brake, let my foot off the brake pedal, put
> my foot back on the brake pedal, and shift it into park (or 1st. or
> reverse.). the way i see it, it's putting the weight of the car on the
> brakes, which are easily replaced, instead of the drivetrain... not so
> easily replaced.
>
> 'Course, I'm a little obsessive about leaving cars parked on hills...
> It probably dates back to when I was 15 and my parking brake failed...
> I watched my Jeep roll backwards into my mother's living room. Since
> then, I've parked my jeep as many as 20 blocks away from my actual
> destination just to keep it on a level surface. 5 years later and I
> just finished fixing all the body damage three weeks ago.
>


I'm not sure I would jump through the hoops you do when setting the parking
brake, but I support the idea of placing the weight on the brakes instead of
the drive train. Having said that, I seldom use the parking brake, but I
seldom park on a hill where I am concerned about the drivetrain strain.