Adjusting "Parking brake" and removing center console

[martcars]

What a great writeup on removing the center console. My wife set her wedding ring on the console and it fell through the slot in the boot for the parking brake lever. Gone! With your help on removing the console I managed to find the ring. It traveled down one of the support structure tunnels half way to the door and was not visible without removing the console, seat and pulling the carpet back and then using a dental mirror through one the holes in the tunnel to spot it. I'm sure the dealer would not have found it.

[Termite]

While trying to loosen the nuts on the cable in there, I dropped one of my small wrenches and it disappeared on me. I don't know when I will ever get to it!

[RAVABOY]

Originally Posted by Termite

While trying to loosen the nuts on the cable in there, I dropped one of my small wrenches and it disappeared on me. I don't know when I will ever get to it!

a magnetic reaching tool works wonders. . .

[kevcules]

Again.....good write up Ravaboy!

I adjusted the rear hand brake shoes on my 08 Rav Limited with little success. I also don't like the excessive amount of "clicks" before the shoes grab and they don't seem to hold very well either.
Since I was maxed out at the handle ,I decided to adjust the rear shoes by removing the rotor and sliding it back on until it was getting difficult to, then rotate the rotor to make sure there was no drag. (I've done this to many vehicles) Even with a tightly set shoe there is still too much movement in that handle for me and it doesn't hold the vehicle still on a hill. Whether you adjust the star wheel through the peep hole and back off, or remove the rotor and re-install,the result is the same. Adjust to get slight rubbing then back off a few clicks until no rubbing.
Soooo.....I will have to investigate whether I have a cable adjustment along the brake cable somewhere or I might have to do the RAVABOY method. Perhaps the cable has stretched , who knows, but I will get the slack out of the cable.
PS.....When I adjust my Corolla's rear brake shoes , it takes the slack out of the e-brake handle. That's one of the ways I can tell if the rear shoes need adjusting. I had this vehicle at the dealership for 2 recalls in the last year and both times the mechanic noted on my slip that "the rear brakes are adjusted too tight" . I'm surprised because all he had to do was turn my tires to see that weren't dragging at all. I'm guessing rookies.....In the old days.... ..... I saw a mechanic tighten the rear brake shoes till he could only spin the tire a half turn. Then he was happy. That sounds too tight to me but he said once you hit the brakes a few times, they aren't touching any more. That's still too tight for me....