The parking brake prevents a car from moving when it is parked. The brake is a vital component of a vehicle and requires constant care. A brake will begin to fail when the rubber hose covering the cables begins to wear out. This allows water, salt and other debris to get on the metal cable, causing it to rust and break. If this occurs the parking brake should be replaced immediately before the vehicle is used again. To find the correct parking brake for your car, consult the owner's manual.
Use a screwdriver to remove the boot covering from the bottom of the parking brake. If the covering is leather, simply unzip it.
Pull out the two cables attached to the parking brake. Each cable is connected to one of the rear tires.
Use a lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts on the tire. Raise the car on the jack and remove the lugs to access the wheel drum.
Remove the emergency brake cable connected to each drum. Each brake system consists of two separate cables.
Use a socket wrench to loosen the tension nut holding the cable to the emergency brake. Pull the cable away from the brake.
Loosen the anchor nut from the equalizer bar and remove the other end of the cable. Replace the broken cable with the new one.
Run the cable through the tension nut and tighten to hold in place. Make sure the cable is not slack before reattaching the parking brake cover.
