i went ahead and reinstalled the e-brake handle. it just didnt sit right with me to not have it. with the center console in it does make it more bearable then it was without. but it is still uncomfortable and when i move my foot from the brake the the gas i end up moving the ebrake handle up. i sat and played with it alot today and discovered that my handle has a total of 14 rachet notches. if i have it up 8-9 notches i can drive and move my leg quite comfortably and that leaves enough pull left to securely engage the ebrake. my question now is: can anyone think of a way to keep the handle from going down those last 8-9 notches so when i disengage the ebrake there is something that stops the handle physically from going all the way down and allows it to rest in the position i want it to?

 

PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTMENT
This vehicle uses a bent nail type park brake cable tension equalizer Bent Nail Park Brake Cable Tension Equalizer The bent nail tension equalizer it to be used only one time to set the park brake cable tension. If the park brake cables require adjustment during the life of the vehicle, a NEW tension equalizer MUST be installed before doing the park cable adjustment procedure.

Remove screws attaching rear of center console assembly to console bracket Attaching Screws At Rear Of Center Console
NOTE: For access to the 2 screws attaching the front of the center console to the forward console, the shifter boot or PRNDL plate must be removed from the center console. Refer to Body Components Section in Group 23 Body of this service manual.

Remove the 2 screws attaching the front of the center console to the forward console Attaching Screws At Front Of Center Console
Raise park brake hand lever assembly as high as it will go for required clearance to remove center console.
Remove center console assembly from vehicle.
Lower park brake lever handle.
Loosen adjusting nut Park Brake Lever Output Cable Adjustment Nut on park brake cable output cable. This will take tension off output cable, allowing it to be easily removed from tension equalizer.
CAUTION: Discard output cable retaining clip after removing it from park brake cable tension equalizer. Retainer is not to be re-used, a new retainer is to be installed when attaching output cable to tension equalizer.

Using a screwdriver Output Cable To Equalizer Retaining Clip unlatch the park brake output cable retainer. Then remove cable retainer from park brake cable tension equalizer.
Remove the park brake cable tension equalizer from the park brake lever output cable and the rear park brake cables Brake Cables And Tension Equalizer
CAUTION: A new cable tension equalizer must be installed when adjusting park brake cable tension.

Install a NEW park brake cable tension equalizer on the park brake lever output cable and rear park brake cables Brake Cables And Tension Equalizer
CAUTION: A new park brake lever output cable retainer must be used when installing output cable on cable tension equalizer. Cable retainer usage is required to ensure output cable can not separate from tension equalizer.

Install a new park brake lever output cable to tension equalizer retaining clip Cable Retainer Installed On Tension Equalizer on tension equalizer. The cable retainer Cable Retainer Installed On Tension Equalizer must be closed and securely latched.
Cable tension, for the parking brake system is to be correctly adjusted using the following steps.
Position park brake lever so it is in the fully released position.
Tighten adjusting nut Park Brake Lever Output Cable Adjustment on park brake lever output cable Park Brake Lever Output Cable Adjustment until 12mm millimeters of thread is out past top edge of adjustment nut Park Brake Lever Output Cable Adjustment
Actuate the park brake lever to its fully applied position (15 clicks) 1 time and then release.
NOTE: Actuating the park brake lever to its fully applied position 1 time after tightening the adjustment nut will yield (stretch) the bent nail portion of the tension equalizer approximately 1/4 inch. This process will correctly set the park brake cable tension.

Check the rear wheels of the vehicle, they should rotate freely without dragging.
After the park brake cable tension has been properly adjusted, check for free play in park brake lever. Park brake hand lever should feel firm at all clicks, with a maximum of 15 clicks of lever travel possible.
Install the center console back in the vehicle.
Install the 2 screws attaching the front of the center console to the forward console Attaching Screws At Front Of Center Console
Install screws attaching rear of center console assembly to console bracket Attaching Screws At Rear Of Center Console
Install shifter boot or PRNDL plate back in the center console.

 

i know how to adjust an ebrake cable but didnt know on these cars that i couldnt reuse the nut adjustment nut for the cable. what i need ideas for is to get the ebrake handle to not drop down lower then the 8th or 9th rachet notch.