Park Brake H'ware Replacement
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 245
Likes: 2
From: Hope Indiana
Park Brake H'ware Replacement
I got my parking brake shoes off without a problem. Seems the actuator lever is seized up. So I got a stainless hardware kit.
My question is, how in the world do you get the actuator lever through the backing plate and out without removing the spindle? I was under the imression that it was possible, but I can't figure it out.
I feel like I've been doing one of those brain teaser puzzles for the last hour.
How big of a PIA to remove the spindle?
My question is, how in the world do you get the actuator lever through the backing plate and out without removing the spindle? I was under the imression that it was possible, but I can't figure it out.
I feel like I've been doing one of those brain teaser puzzles for the last hour.
How big of a PIA to remove the spindle?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,229
Likes: 656
From: Thunder Bay
Removing the spindle requires about $500 worth of new tools if you're lucky. If you're not, it requires a 50 ton press. (I'm not kidding - that's how I got mine apart.) The good news is you probably don't need to remove the spindle. (Although if its been more than five years and 30,000 miles since the wheel bearings were repacked, you should be doing it anyway.) If you remove the four nuts behind the spindle, you can get the brake backing plate and the caliper bracket loose. Once you do, you can get the actuating lever assembly in if you're willing to bend the brake backing plate slightly as you do it. You can straighten it as you rebolt everything together. Good luck.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 576
Likes: 3
From: Muskegon MI
Loosen it up, bend the backing plate to get to it. Don't try to take out the spindle unless you're serious about re-doing the entire trailing arm. Bending the backing plate is also the only way to get to one of the hold down pins.
