[Victor]

Some modern cars with electric parking brakes are quite complicated and require you to access the diagnostics before you can work on them. Adjusting the Antara parking brake is easy, only requiring basic hand tools. Thought I'd post some pictures showing how to do the basic adjustment then some more showing the system with the brake disc / drum removed and what lies underneath.

To do routine adjustment, first and foremost Remember all the safety precautions like using wheel chocks, axle stands etc, So jack up the vehicle and remove rear wheel(s). Locate the rubber plug in the drum section and remove it to allow access the rotary brake adjuster. The correct location for each side is shown in the photos but you may need a small pencil beam torch to see the adjuster inside.

Using a screwdriver, rotate the adjuster teeth, turning the drum occasionally and tapping it with a rubber mallet as you do to keep centralising the shoes. Lock the drum up tight then back off the adjuster until it rotates freely. It's quite easy to back it off too much and lose precious adjustment so practice with it and get the shoes as close as possible to the drum without causing any heavy drag. A little light rubbing is usually acceptable.

CAVEAT: If you tow a caravan or carry heavy loads make sure you leave the drum completely free to rotate.

Edited by: Victor

 

[Victor]

Drivers side:

 

[Victor]

This is what the adjuster looks like;

 

[Bigjohnsparky]

Ah Victor
Excellent info for others with hand brake troubles
Do I see a workshop manual in the making

 

[volrider]

Great post, I love pictures as it really does do more than a thousand words

I will keep this one in mind, thanks again Victor and any other service pics gratefully received i.e. routine servicing etc. Sorry sounds like I am putting work your way

 

[Victor]

First time I did my parking brake the car was less than a year old, I found the brake wasn't holding too well and decided to strip it down and have a look inside. To remove the disc / drum you have to first remove the caliper and its mounting bracket. Here's a pic of the bolt sizes and the torque settings for tightening:

Remove the caliper in the usual way followed by the mounting bracket.

You also need to remove the T30 Torx bit grub screw from the disc / drum

Edited by: Victor

 

[Victor]

The brake drum was rusty and dirty because it's never used during normal braking, it's only applied when the vehicle is stationary so doesn't get the cleaning action that the disc gets with the foot brake. The brake drum friction surface needed to be cleaned up before it would work properly.

 

[Victor]

Photo of the parking brake with the disc / drum removed showing the parking brake shoes and adjuster.

 

[Dulac]

Victor, well done indeed and thank you for your trouble.

 

[Victor]

Victor, well done indeed and thank you for your trouble.

You're welcome bud, I've had these pics in my computer for a while and been meaning to get them together and put them into the one thread for easy reference.

Coming soon My Thoughts on Changing the Antara Oil Filter

 

[volrider]

Thanks Victor, I was amazed to see the issues after only one year!!

 

[Victor]

In truth I wasn't put off by it Volrider, just cleaning and adjustment required, plus I had the experience of knowing how it all went together back there. Don't know if you noticed but the rear hubs on mine have splines in them, same as the 4 wheel drive cars so I guess they share the same hubs. I was a bit surprised to see how much they had corroded but it's no biggie 'cos they don't do anything.

 

[Bigjohnsparky]

Nice job putting pics as everyone like pictures plus taking the time to put all this info together and sharing it with the forum

hopefully it will help some members and save them parting with there hard earned cash.

Are the splines not used to show wheel movement ie electric handbrake release on movement detected or ABS sensor monitors braked wheels locking up or on 4x4s which monitors wheels slipping. As I have been led to believe that this is how such information is given to sensors via these splines fitted to each wheel and if splines get muck or build up between teeth then sensors cannot pick up correct information required ?

Edited by: Bigjohnsparky

 

[Bigjohnsparky]

Nice job putting pics as everyone like pictures plus taking the time to put all this info together and sharing it with the forum

hopefully it will help some members and save them parting with there hard earned cash.

Are the splines not used to show wheel movement ie electric handbrake release on movement detected or ABS sensor monitors braked wheels locking up or on 4x4s which monitors wheels slipping. As I have been led to believe that this is how such information is given to sensors via these splines fitted to each wheel and if splines get muck or build up between teeth then sensors cannot pick up correct information required ?

Hahaha eyesights going think it's a age thing lol the splines they are not but air gaps to help stop the disc getting to hot and warping

The splines I was thinking about are in wheel bearing housing

Edited by: Bigjohnsparky

 

[Victor]

Dang, ye beat me to it. I was just about to say the ABS reluctor ring - or tone ring as it is sometimes called – on the back of the Antara is a toothed ring (male pattern) fitted around the inboard face of the hub. The splines (female pattern) on my hub are internal and meant to engage with the drive shaft of the all wheel drive models.


BTW I hear you can buy the whole bearing and hub thingy with the ABS sensor in it for about the same price as a sensor itself. Crazy innit?

 

[Bigjohnsparky]

Dang, ye beat me to it. I was just about to say the ABS reluctor ring - or tone ring as it is sometimes called – on the back of the Antara is a toothed ring (male pattern) fitted around the inboard face of the hub. The splines (female pattern) on my hub are internal and meant to engage with the drive shaft of the all wheel drive models.


BTW I hear you can buy the whole bearing and hub thingy with the ABS sensor in it for about the same price as a sensor itself. Crazy innit?

Yep it is crazy on some replacement parts
And the rest is just me being me

 

[BWT]

Thanks VictorVery informative post just done the rear on the mates Antara 29000 miles needed pads all round I got 55000 out of the fronts on my Merc. Are the pads very poor quality as supplied by GM?

 

[Victor]

Thanks Victor, Very informative post just done the rear on the mates Antara 29000 miles needed pads all round I got 55000 out of the fronts on my Merc. Are the pads very poor quality as supplied by GM?

Glad you found it of some help BWT - of course you'd also find a 4 lb lump hammer to be equally helpful. Don't know about the Antara pads, I used Ferodo Premier pads on recommendation from a sensible guy I knew in TMS Auto Parts but they change the make up of the materials periodically. I see Ferodo's latest offering is Eco-Friction, like the Premier pads but minus the copper. They're supposed to have up to 17% more stopping power (if you believe their sales people) but, significant;y, they've been fitted as original equipment on Mercedes-Benz C-Class since March 2014 and Audi A4 since September 2015 so can't be bad. Don't know abot the £££££££££££££'s though.

 

[Andy w]

Thanks a lot victor .. I've just adjusted my electric hand brake by following your excellent post .. with pictures .. it started to roll back on a hill yesterday .. did it this morning job done .
Thanks again .

 

[Shoferka]

I can't see any pictures, anyone know why?