Parking Brakes
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: Eugene OR
Parking Brakes
So I'm having trouble getting my parking brakes to disengage properly. I'm hoping someone around here can help 
What I've set up to test has been to put the car on jack stands, pull the rear wheels, remove the calipers and put two lug nuts back on to hold on the rotors.
Probably not pertinent, but last year I replaced all of the parking brake hardware between the shoes with stainless. I'm also running VanSteel offset trailing arms. Everything else is stock and original.
What I'm seeing is that the parking brake handle in the car will properly pull the small levers (that connect to the other end of the cables) that actuate the brakes but those small levers do not return to the back position when I disengage the brake lever in the car.
I've used white lithium grease and a lot of back-and-forth to free up the cables where they go through the sheaths from the body to the trailing arms, but there still doesn't seem to be enough spring power to retract the brake shoes.
What's my next step?
What I've set up to test has been to put the car on jack stands, pull the rear wheels, remove the calipers and put two lug nuts back on to hold on the rotors.
Probably not pertinent, but last year I replaced all of the parking brake hardware between the shoes with stainless. I'm also running VanSteel offset trailing arms. Everything else is stock and original.
What I'm seeing is that the parking brake handle in the car will properly pull the small levers (that connect to the other end of the cables) that actuate the brakes but those small levers do not return to the back position when I disengage the brake lever in the car.
I've used white lithium grease and a lot of back-and-forth to free up the cables where they go through the sheaths from the body to the trailing arms, but there still doesn't seem to be enough spring power to retract the brake shoes.
What's my next step?
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 549
Likes: 5
From: punta gorda florida
parking brakes
did you replace cables also
You might try getting a large hose clamp and putting them around the brake shoes so you can see what is really happening in there when you pull and release the brakes the hose clamps will keep the brake shoes from over extending just an idea
there is not really alot of movement there any way
You might try getting a large hose clamp and putting them around the brake shoes so you can see what is really happening in there when you pull and release the brakes the hose clamps will keep the brake shoes from over extending just an idea
there is not really alot of movement there any way
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: Eugene OR
Interesting... So you're saying that it's okay to let the shoes get kicked back in when you move the car? My worry is that they would drag and cause a bunch of heat.
I did not replace the cables, but I lubed the @#&$ out of them and they seem to move as freely as one can expect from a cable of that thickness.
I did not replace the cables, but I lubed the @#&$ out of them and they seem to move as freely as one can expect from a cable of that thickness.
Last edited by Schaggy; May 8, 2010 at 02:05 AM.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 549
Likes: 5
From: punta gorda florida
Interesting... So you're saying that it's okay to let the shoes get kicked back in when you move the car? My worry is that they would drag and cause a bunch of heat.
I did not replace the cables, but I lubed the @#&$ out of them and they seem to move as freely as one can expect from a cable of that thickness.
I did not replace the cables, but I lubed the @#&$ out of them and they seem to move as freely as one can expect from a cable of that thickness.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Sorry to ask this....but "how" are you releasing the parking brake? The 'release' button alone won't do the job. You will need to press on that button while you apply [tighten] the cable a bit to get the button to release. Then..while still holding the button 'in'...release the apply arm.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: Eugene OR
I am not sure what you mean kick back in I think you need to replace the cables I went through sames issue the spring on the end of cable does the return so everything must be very free and there isnt much movement in the shoes themselves just enough clear the inside of the drumso they dont rub. I even used the special lube for speedo calbes I think the rust from years of service just hold the inner cables enough that it wont work ergo new calbes PM me if you want to I'll be happy to discuss my results with you
The cables move freely after lubing them up with white lithium grease, so this isn't the problem. What I'm wondering now is if the brake release spring power should come more from the springs in the brake shoe setup or from the large spring at the back of the centerline cable.
Any idea there?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: Eugene OR
Sorry to ask this....but "how" are you releasing the parking brake? The 'release' button alone won't do the job. You will need to press on that button while you apply [tighten] the cable a bit to get the button to release. Then..while still holding the button 'in'...release the apply arm.
That make more sense?
Last edited by Schaggy; May 11, 2010 at 11:23 AM.
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