Can't get the brake bud out of the pedal in order to replace cable. Any tips

 

yep, the ebrake is auto adjusting. So there is a big coil spring in the middle of it. You reach under the van by the drivers door and grab the cable where it come out the other end. Pull it out and clamp a vise grip or something on it. When you get to the right spot, you should be able to wedge a screw driver or punch in the auto adjuster to hold it in place. Then remove the vise grip and you'll have plenty of slack.

 

REMOVAL

1. Raise and support the vehicle. (Refer to LUBRICATION & MAINTENANCE/HOISTING - STANDARD PROCEDURE).
2. Manually release the automatic self-adjusting mechanism tension of the parking brake lever (pedal) assembly. (Refer to 5 - BRAKES - STANDARD PROCEDURE).
3. Remove the intermediate and left rear park brake cable from the park brake cable equalizer (Park Brake Cable Attachment To Equalizer).
4. Remove the front park cable housing retainer from body outrigger bracket (Front Park Brake Cable Attachment To Body). Cable is removable by sliding a 14 mm box wrench over cable retainer and compressing the three retaining fingers. Alternate method is to use an aircraft type hose clamp and screwdriver.
5. Lower vehicle.
6. Remove the left front door sill molding.
7. Remove the left front kick panel for access to the park brake cable and park brake pedal assembly.
8. Lift floor mat for access to park brake cable and floor pan. Pull the seal and the park brake cable (Front Park Brake Cable At Floor Pan) out of the floor pan of vehicle.
9. Pull parking brake cable strand end forward and disconnect button from clevis. Tap cable housing end fitting out of pedal assembly bracket.
10. Remove cable retainer from the parking brake lever (pedal) assembly bracket.
11. Pull front parking brake cable assembly out of vehicle through hole in floor pan.

STANDARD PROCEDURE - PARKING BRAKE AUTOMATIC ADJUSTER TENSION RELEASE

The parking brake lever (pedal) mechanism used in this vehicle is designed so that the automatic adjuster is not required to be locked out when servicing the parking brake lever (pedal) or the parking brake cables.
This parking brake lever (pedal) mechanism is designed so that the adjuster mechanism will rotate only half a turn when the tension is released from the parking brake cable. This eliminates the requirement to lock out the automatic adjuster when servicing the parking brake lever (pedal) mechanism and cables.
Use the following procedure to release the tension from the parking brake cables and the automatic adjuster in the parking brake lever (pedal) mechanism.

1. Release the parking brake.
2. Raise and support the vehicle. (Refer to LUBRICATION & MAINTENANCE/HOISTING - STANDARD PROCEDURE)
3. If equipped with Fold-in-floor seating, perform the following:
   1. Clamp an appropriate pair of locking pliers on the front parking brake cable strand approximately 25 mm (1 inch) forward of the button at the equalizer (Location To Grasp Cable At).
   2. Grasp the equalizer and pull rearward on it until enough slack is present to disconnect the equalizer from front or rear cables. While holding the front cable in this position using the locking pliers, disconnect the equalizer from cables (Parking Brake Cable Equalizer).
   3. Ease up on the front cable tension allowing the lever automatic self-adjusting mechanism to pull the front cable strand forward. This action allows the adjuster mechanism to rotate around to its stop, removing tension from the adjuster and front parking brake cable.
   4. Remove the locking pliers from the front parking brake cable as necessary.
4. If not equipped with Fold-in-floor seating, perform the following:
   1. Grasp the exposed section of the front parking brake cable and pull rearward on it.
   2. While holding the cable in this position,
   3. Clamp an appropriate pair of locking pliers on the front parking brake cable strand just rearward of the second body outrigger bracket (Locking Out Automatic Adjuster).
   4. Disconnect the parking brake cables from the parking brake cable equalizer (Parking Brake Cable Attachment To Equalizer).
   5. Remove the locking pliers from the front parking brake cable as necessary. This action allows the adjuster mechanism to rotate around to its stop, removing tension from the adjuster and front parking brake cable.

 

wow! impressive. You guys are good!