Most of the information contained in this article can be found in the article by Fred Di Matteo on rear brake adjustment reprinted on page 10. I felt it worthwhile to rework Fred's article slightly to change its focus from rear brake to handbrake adjustment and present just the essential facts in an enumerated style.
Tools for this procedure include:
1) With the transmission in neutral, carefully jack up the rear of the car and support the car on two jack stands so the rear wheels can move freely.
2) Make sure that the handbrake cable isn't too tight. The cable runs through two actuating levers, one on top of the left brake caliper and the other on top of the right caliper. The cable is correctly adjusted if there is no tension applied to the actuating levers and the cable is not excessively slack. Since the handbrake cable will have to be checked again after the pad-to-rotor clearances are set, for now just make sure the cable isn't too tight. Modify the position of the adjusting nut (3) and locknut (2) to ompensate if the cable is too tight (see figure at right).
3) Working on the right caliper, remove the plastic dust cap with a 17mm wrench (CCW). Then use the 17mm wrench to loosen the locknut behind the dust cap (CCW). Turn it enough to loosen it, but no more (see figure at right).
4) Insert the 5mm hex wrench into the socket-headed screw and turn it clockwise (CW) to withdraw the outboard piston enough to insert the 0.003 inch feeler gauge between the outboard pad and brake rotor. Then turn the 5mm hex wrench counterclockwise (CCW) until the pad-to-rotor clearance is 0.003 inch. Leave the feeler gauge in place while completing step 5.
5) Using the 7mm socket, turn the adjusting screw clockwise (CW) to withdraw the inboard piston enough to insert the second 0.003 inch feeler gauge between the inboard pad and brake rotor. Then turn the screw counterclockwise (CCW) until the pad-to-rotor clearance is 0.003 inch.
6) Check that the clearance set in step 4 is still 0.003 inches. If it's not, readjust it. If it is, insert the 5mm hex wrench into the socket-headed screw and tighten the 17mm locknut. The hex wrench is used to prevent the screw from turning while tightening the locknut.
7) If your're replacing the brake pads, clean the guides so the pads slide in and out freely. Also, make sure rotor discs are not warped and thicker than replacement spec.
8) Working on the left caliper, remove the plastic dust cap with a 17mm wrench (CCW). Then use the 17mm wrench to loosen the locknut behind the dust cap (CCW). Turn it enough to loosen it, but not more.
9) Insert the 5mm hex wrench into the socket-headed screw and turn it clockwise (CW) to withdraw the outboard piston enough to insert the 0.003 inch feeler gauge between the outboard pad and brake rotor. Then turn the 5mm hex wrench counterclockwise (CCW) until the pad-to-rotor clearance is 0.003 inch. Leave the feeler gauge in place while completing step 9.
10) Using the 7mm socket, turn the adjusting screw counterclockwise (CCW) to withdraw the inboard piston enough to insert the second 0.003 inch feeler gauge between the inboard pad and brake rotor. Then turn the screw clockwise (CW) until the pad-to-rotor clearance is 0.003 inch.
11) Check that the clearance set in step 8 is still 0.003 inches. If it's not, readjust it. If it is, insert the 5mm hex wrench into the socket-headed screw and tighten the 17mm locknut. The hex wrench is used to prevent the screw from turning while tightening the locknut.
12) Carefully replace the plastic dust caps using the 17mm wrench.
13) Recheck the handbrake cable adjustment. The cable is correctly adjusted if there is no tension applied to the actuating levers and the cable is not excessively slack. Modify the position of the adjusting nut and locknut to compensate for a cable that is too tight or too loose.
14) Go park on a hill.