W211 parking brake cable adjustment ... how to release it?

james2747

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I was fitting new parking brake shoes yesterday and thought it would be a quick and easy job … BUT!!
Took the old shoes off and even managed to easily remove the little spring clips that hold shoes on.
The alloy pivot post (that has a metal clip over it) had quite a bit of white alloy corrosion, so I was giving it a good clean up and when doing this I needed to move the parking brake cable out of the way a few times but as I did this I must have pushed the inner cable inwards. I heard a few clicks from under the car. Now the cable is too short to clip back on to the parking brake pivot mechanism. I assume I must have activated some auto adjuster.
Is it possible to release the auto adjuster (and where is it?) or is there any easy trick to allow me to pull the inner cable back out again?
 

Oldspanners

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C CLASS 2004 C180
I was fitting new parking brake shoes yesterday and thought it would be a quick and easy job … BUT!!
Took the old shoes off and even managed to easily remove the little spring clips that hold shoes on.
The alloy pivot post (that has a metal clip over it) had quite a bit of white alloy corrosion, so I was giving it a good clean up and when doing this I needed to move the parking brake cable out of the way a few times but as I did this I must have pushed the inner cable inwards. I heard a few clicks from under the car. Now the cable is too short to clip back on to the parking brake pivot mechanism. I assume I must have activated some auto adjuster.
Is it possible to release the auto adjuster (and where is it?) or is there any easy trick to allow me to pull the inner cable back out again?
Here's the diagram https://mercedes.7zap.com/en/eu/fg/car/e-klasse/e+270+cdi/66g/210016/fg/0/0/42/0/145/0/0/
Perhaps the pedal has moved down, try pulling the release and moving the pedal back up with your foot below it.
 

DREAMER NO2

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W124 2.6E M103 1989
James you will need to get under the car to find this auto adjuster see pic . Then release the cable . It means removing the heat shield and it sits above the prop shaft .You best bet is to check the operation out on you tube video for the best way to go about it .I only know this through google search .The adjuster is no 200 scan.jpg
 
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J

james2747

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Here's the diagram https://mercedes.7zap.com/en/eu/fg/car/e-klasse/e+270+cdi/66g/210016/fg/0/0/42/0/145/0/0/
Perhaps the pedal has moved down, try pulling the release and moving the pedal back up with your foot below it.
Thanks for your reply Oldspanners … much appreciated.
The parts list info is excellent … link now copied for future use.
Had to do it the hard way in the end (see Dreamer 2 reply) … removing heat shields and messing about with the adjuster underneath. I'm amazed there was nothing in the Haynes manual telling you to be careful not to push the cable in … perhaps they don't expect dingbats like me to be messing about with it ... and I thought I was a competent car D.I.Y'er !!
 

Wighty

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Thanks for your reply Oldspanners … much appreciated.
The parts list info is excellent … link now copied for future use.
Had to do it the hard way in the end (see Dreamer 2 reply) … removing heat shields and messing about with the adjuster underneath. I'm amazed there was nothing in the Haynes manual telling you to be careful not to push the cable in … perhaps they don't expect dingbats like me to be messing about with it ... and I thought I was a competent car D.I.Y'er !!
You are a competent diyer now buddy !
 
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james2747

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E270 CDI 2003
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James you will need to get under the car to find this auto adjuster see pic . Then release the cable . It means removing the heat shield and it sits above the prop shaft .You best bet is to check the operation out on you tube video for the best way to go about it .I only know this through google search .The adjuster is no 200 View attachment 51430

Thanks Dreamer 2
Thanks for 'get at it underneath' advice … I was previously told to take a panel out after removing the rear seat.
What a bugger of a job that was …. real pain in bum getting at the adjuster and even after reading the manual for a few times I still wasn't sure … however managed to release a ratchet holding the cable in and recovered enough to get the brake shoes connected up again. Not sure the brake is working as well as before … even with my new brake shoes … but its back together again.
Your help much appreciated.
 

Oldspanners

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Thanks for your reply Oldspanners … much appreciated.
The parts list info is excellent … link now copied for future use.
Had to do it the hard way in the end (see Dreamer 2 reply) … removing heat shields and messing about with the adjuster underneath. I'm amazed there was nothing in the Haynes manual telling you to be careful not to push the cable in … perhaps they don't expect dingbats like me to be messing about with it ... and I thought I was a competent car D.I.Y'er !!
Nothing like experience!
I remember doing a gearbox many years ago with a workshop manual, reading carefully through each paragraph and doing it by the book. Got to one part about removing synchromesh hubs, told to push back the outer ring, which released a barrage of spring loaded ball bearing detents around the garage.
Turned the page where it said first ensuring that the detents are secured!
Older now and a little wiser, when I remember to read ahead.
 

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