parking brake not working well

[Jason Garrett Young]

Check the nut underneath the parking brake handle.  There is a nut that can
be tightened to take up the slack in the cable.  When you first lift your
handle, is it *really* loose, i.e. has no resistance at all?  If so, then
this is definitely the problem.

***that wouldn't cause one side to work well and the other side not too.

See if that helps.  My nut keeps going loose and I have to keep tightening
it.

*** :-)

  Too much slack in the cable can cause the symptoms you're seeing
- the caliper closing with pedal but not parking brake.

***  but only one side?