How do you adjust the parking brake on a 2008 dodge caravan? I messed up the right rear brake caliper on my wifes van. Put a new one on and it seemed to be working fine, until I set the parking brake and then the new caliper wouldn't release. I climbed under the van and pulled on the cable and it released. Set the brake again and it stuck again, pulled on the cable and it released. How do I get it to release on it's own?

 

PARKING BRAKE AUTOMATIC ADJUSTER TENSION RESET
1. Raise the vehicle to a comfortable working position and support.


2. Wipe the front parking brake cable strand clean at the intermediate bracket area.

CAUTION: Do use any type of sharp instrument directly on the cable strand to hold it in place. Damage to the cable strand or coating can occur.


3. Clamp an appropriate pair of pliers on the front parking brake cable button only and pull the cable stand rearward until it stops, then grasp the front cable strand and hold it in this position. Remove the pliers from the button.




4. While holding the front cable in this position, install the equalizer (attached to both rear cables) on the front parking brake cable.
5. Release the grasp on the front parking brake cable.
6. Lower the vehicle.
7. Apply and release the parking brake lever one time. This will seat the parking brake cables and allow the auto adjuster in the parking brake lever mechanism to correctly tension the parking brake cables.

 

In an effort to replace my rear calipers with rusty stuck pistons, I tried the above procedure and the button on the end of the cable would not budge rearward at all. I removed the equalizer bracket that connects the three cables together and tried again, no luck. At least I was able to remove the calipers.

After replacing both of my rear calipers my e-brake cables appeared to be about 1 to 2" too short to reinstall the see-saw equalizer that connects the three cables together.

Following the procedure in the 2008 factory service manual, I forcefully pushed the front cable back into it's sheath as far as it would go (fully retracted). You can hear a a ratcheting sound when doing this. I then pulled the front cable button rearward as far as it would go. It wound up stopping in the same spot as I began. No luck, about 1 to 1-1/2" short of installing the equalizer.

I have not found a way to reset the auto-adjuster. Neither procedure worked.

Any ideas????