It seems that some people have different ideas as to how your E-brake should work. Some think you should only be able to pull it back 10-12 clicks and have it hold you tight even while giving it gas.
Some say 14-18 clicks and some up to 20 is real good and it's just right if it holds you while it's just ldeling and others feel if it holds the vehical on an incline (hill) then it's just right.
I like mine to be about 14-16 clicks and hold me while just giving it a little gas or enough to make the truck just start to raise.
What's your preference on this subject? Mike

 

well here in TX when they do the e-brake test they do it like you say 14-16 clicks accelerate a little till it raises....if it holds it passes, if not it fails....and needs adjusting.......thats the way I've always seen them do it. I'm under the assumption that to keep the e-brake adjusted that it needs to used when in park? dunno really.....

 

the number of clicks your e-brake should move before being completely applied is different on different trucks.

it's even different on different yotas from different years.

according to my FSM, my 94 4x4 should have 11 to 17 clicks. a 94 2wd is supposed to have between 12 and 18 clicks.

so, you will have to find out how many clicks you should get on a 2001 tacoma specifically (or at least trucks of the same generation).

a good general test of the e-brake, though, is just to park ona pretty steep incline and apply the e-brake. it should hold your truck from rolling down the hill.

 

On my '02 it is 3-6 clicks to hold on a steep hill.

The kid up the block can pull his Taco brake to 17 pulls before it grabs nice.
Mine won't ratchet up to 17.

 

Wow! That has got to be the tightest E-brake I have ever heard of. My 01 Tacoma with new breaks all the way around will work greak at 12 clicks and I thought that was tight!
I'm sure that LittleRed Toyota is right about how each one can have different specs to go by.
My question was ment to be more on the line as to what you feel is a correctly adjusted E-break as far as clicks and "holding ability"? Mike

 

The Taco up the block has about 12 pulls on new brakes. Now mine pulls to nine.

His are a lot different from mine.

 

Thanks for the info 4-Runnin' Freak. Mike

 

Just in case you are wondering or care, I pulled off my rear wheels and drums and cleaned them up and adjusted the rears to hold at threee clicks.

The drums take some rocking back and forth to get them back on, but three clicks on the parking brake is where the dealer always adjusted them to.

 

Thats a good way to do it but you have to be careful or your brakes shoes will be rubbing all the time without you knowing it and they can heat up and cause bad gas milage. It sounds like you have yours adjusted just right.
In some cases you can have stretched cables and even if the brakes are adjusted fine you can still have to much travel in the E brake handle.
Have a good and thanks again for the info Mike

 

There has been A LOT of discussion on this issue before. IMHO, the amount of 'clicks' it takes to grab is not as important as the fact that it holds. As long as you aren't all the way to the end of the travel with the handle and it holds on a modest incline, you should be good to go. IMHO, adjusting the e-brake to grab too quickly will just cause your rear brakes to wear prematurely. What ever the manual calls for is a good guideline. I just don't allow myself to get too anal about one or two clicks either way as long as the e-brake functions.