How to Adjust Emergency Brakes on a 1992 Grand Marquis

The rear brakes on your 1992 Grand Marquis are self-energizing servo-type drum brakes equipped with an automatic self-adjuster and auxiliary parking brake system. As the rear brake shoes wear, the distance between the shoes and the drum's friction surface increases. This along with stretching of the parking brake cables can cause the parking brake not to function properly. Adjustment of the parking brake is done in two stages, beginning with adjusting the brake shoes and ending with adjusting the cables to compensate for stretch.

Instructions

1

Release the parking brake and block the front wheels using wheel chocks placed behind the front tires. Raise and support the rear of the car with a floor jack placed under the center of the rear differential. Position the jack stands under the frame at the rear of the car and lower the Grand Marquis onto the stands to prevent accidents.

2

Slide under the rear of the car and locate the back side of the brake system backing plate to which the brake shoes are attached. Remove the small black plug located in the adjusting slot on the lower portion of the brake system backing plate by prying it out with a small screwdriver.

3

Insert a brake-adjusting spoon into the slot in the backing plate and rotate the adjuster wheel upward to adjust the clearance between the brake shoes and the drum. Rotate the wheel as you adjust the brakes. The shoes are properly adjusted when you feel a slight drag on the wheel caused by the shoes contacting the drum.

4

Apply the parking brake. If the parking brake fully engages after three to six clicks of the ratcheting mechanism, the parking brake is functioning properly. If the parking brake needs further adjustment, release the parking brake and adjust the parking brake cable.

5

Locate the parking brake cable adjuster by following the cable from the backing plate up toward the front of the Grand Marquis until you find the adjuster located on the driver's side frame rail. Loosen the 13-mm jamb nut on the adjuster with a wrench. Grasp the threaded cable end with a pair of pliers and turn the 13-mm adjuster nut until there is about 1 inch of travel when you pull down on the cable. Tighten the adjuster jamb nut.