Method of tensioning park brake cables

A method of tensioning a park brake system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• positioning a tension indicating device between an adjuster and an adjusting nut of the park brake system when the park brake system is disposed in a slack position to remove slack from a plurality of park cables of the park brake system without applying the park brake system, wherein the tension indicating device includes an axial spacing length between the adjuster and the adjusting nut that is equal to a desired adjustment distance of the park cables;
• tightening the adjusting nut until the tension indicating device indicates that the park cables include a tension equal to an offset tension level to define an index position of the adjusting nut;
• and
• removing the tension indicating device from between the adjuster and the adjusting nut, thereby introducing slack into the park cables equal to the axial length of the tension indicating device to reduce the tension in the park cables to a target tension level;
• wherein the tension indicating device includes a mechanical tension indicating tool, and wherein tightening the adjusting nut until the tension indicating device indicates that the park cables include a tension equal to the offset tension level includes tightening the adjusting nut until the mechanical tension indicating tool yields and releases the adjusting nut;
• and
• wherein the mechanical tension indicating tool includes a body portion configured to restrain the adjusting nut a distance from the adjuster equal to the axial spacing length until the park cables reach the offset tension level, and wherein tightening the adjusting nut until the mechanical tension indicating tool yields is further defined as tightening the adjusting nut to compress the body portion of the mechanical tension indicating tool between the adjuster and the adjusting nut until the body portion expands radially to release the adjustor nut.