Re: [Chevelle-list] Need help with brake part identification

[Danny Wilsher]

Another thing this does is it tells you when your shoes or pads are getting worn. Like if the back shoes are getting bad and your pedal has to move more fluid to make the shoes contact the drums, then the piston will move in the bore more than normal and cause the electrical contacts to make and turn on the brake light. This can be temporarily fixed by adjusting your brake shoes if there is enough shoe left to still stop you safely. If not then new shoes will fix you up nicely and turn off the light.  ����� ..............  ----- Original Message ----- From: Bill Lessenberry To: The Chevelle Mailing List Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2003 4:40 PM Subject: RE: [Chevelle-list] Need help with brake part identification At 02:17 PM 11/30/2003 -0500, you wrote: Hi Tom,   Ok, that makes sense too - but how does the warning light work in conjunction with it?   -Graham. The distribution block has a piston in it, like a wheel cylinder piston, that is centered in the bore of the block by springs.  When the system is functioning properly, there is an equal amount of pressure on both sides of the piston, keeping it from moving.  If one side (front or rear) of the brake system is leaking, then the pressure difference when you apply the brakes will cause the piston to compress the springs & move in the bore.  When it moves far enough, it touches the contact in the block and lights up the parking brake lamp on the instrument panel.  You will also notice a big drop in the brake pedal and a whole lot more pedal effort and distance is needed to stop.  If you get stopped without hitting anything, you may need a lot of detergent to clean your britches. :-))   BL