Not sure if it's applicable for you, but I had a problem with a weak parking brake on my 68. I went underneath where the cable comes through from the brake handle above and tightened the bolts down by the 'wishbone' that goes to the rear wheels. It might just be a temporary fix, but it at least made my brake functional.


Hud

 

I've posted here because what your going through I went through. I put all the time and effort in to rebuild the parking brake and then not to have it hold, well that was a disappointment. I have the assembly manual, factory service manual, Chiltons, Hayes, read on the forums, etc. I've done many drum break jobs over the years and this parking break is a non-hydraulic cable driven drum break assembly. The adjuster (at base of shoes) moves the lower portion of the brake shoes out to minimize the clearance between the drum and the shoes. The cable / lever pulls the upper two shoes out into contact with the drum providing the breaking force when the cable is applied. What I've previously discussed is what would be described as contouring the brake shoes much like what would be done to new brake shoes (by driving the car). Between getting the right clearance of the parking brake shoes to the drum optimized and then getting the cable as tight as possible with out actually applying and pull force on the shoes this should give you a working parking brake. Lots of luck, Russ.

 

Thanks again Russ. I want to try this over the weekend. The problem is the dang rotor without the hole in it. I haven't yet taken the front wheels off to see if bubba put it up there, but if I only have the one rotor I'm kind of screwed. I'll pull the fronts off tonight and see what I find.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

Well if you had a drill press you could drill your own holes. Or maybe take to a machine shop. Pull both rotors, set one on top of the other(place them drum to drum) mark holes and then drill the holes. Use sharp bits and oil to cut / cool. That would get you the ability to adjust both wheels. Just be sure to drill very slowly and let the bit do the cutting. Russ

 

Here is an idea....and worth a try unless you plan on gettign a correct rotor for the rear. Take the rotor that is correct from the other side and use it to set your shoes on the one side...then put the bogus rotor on it and then put the rotor back on the side you took it off of.

DUB

 

I thought of this also many years ago...but them you can not confirm that the rotor is still balanced if drilled. I have seen slight drill holes in them and actually a tube beaten down into the cooling fin area....so there is some test they must do to make sure the rotor is balanced to an acceptable amount.

I would think that this would work...but I know if I tried to do this...the assembly would be out of balance and I would have to go buy a new rotor again anyway...that is just my luck.

DUB

 

Yes, if miss-drilled there is a possible balance issue. If the transfer of the holes is done properly and then the transferred holes are centered well and the holes are drilled on a press in steps there should be no issue with balance. Also, to be clear while only one hole is needed two MUST be drilled (for balance). That's one reason I suggested a machine shop as I don't know the capabilities / equipment set of the OP.

 

"Assuming" the rotor IS balanced to begin with, why not drill another hole 180 degrees from the hole you just drilled?? I would hafta think that this would be so close to being balanced that it would be fine......

 

Two holes are drilled out in the rotor for this. Not just one.

Logic would make us 'think' that the rotor would still be balanced...but crazier things have happened.

DUB

 

Ok guys, here's the update....

DUB, I don't know if I had mentioned it but that was exactly what I did the first time around after I got the pins straightened out and all. I took the correct rotor to the other wheel, adjusted, then put it back on the other wheel. It was a little trickier, but I did manage to get it.

Now, on to this weekend... I kind of took a variety of the suggestions you guys gave me and this is what did:
Now I know I did a decent adjustment at the wheel, but I was pretty sure I didn't put nearly enough tension at the equalizer. So, using a little of what rbermann said, I began to tighten the equalizer screw a little at a time, and each time going and trying to turn the wheels by hand (rear wheels jacked up.) I had the brake handle in the second click, so when I got to the point that there was a little bit of drag at the wheels, I stopped tightening the screw. I then released the brake, checked the wheels again by hand and they were free. Then pulled the handle the full 14 clicks, and those wheels did NOT move. So I went for a drive, burnished the pads again since this time I was definitely getting some drag that I didn't have the first time around. I went to a street with a pretty good slope, put it in Neutral, pulled the P brake and it held!!!! I did it!! I don't know if this is the "book" way, but it works and I can have piece of mind now that it won't roll back in my garage and hit the door. I do think it could use a few more threads tightened at the equalizer, and I'll do the same method with the brake in the second click. But, I do have a functioning brake now and I'm thrilled. This was the hardest job ever, but man what a sense of satisfaction!

Thanks to all of you for helping me. There is no way I could have done this without all your help. I hope this thread helps others in the future!

Danny

 

Danny,

I'm glad you got your parking brake to work. Sometimes you just have to figure it out for your self when following the instructions doesn't work. This will be an excellent write up for other forum members who have trouble getting their parking brake to work. Now onto the next project. Happy motoring, Russ

 

Danny,

Depending on you set up the initial tension on the cable...
you will more than likely need to go a bit more on the nut for the cable tension.

The reason being is that you did the cable adjustment first...and then burnished the shoes...which changes what you did initially....because you did remove some material on the shoes when you burnished them. BUT..as I wrote above...it depends on how much drag you originally set it up with.

Having done countless parking brakes on Corvettes....I have acquired a 'feel' for how much drag when I set up the adjusters so when I go and burnish the shoes...I can get the correct specs rather quickly and do not have to re-visit the adjusters.

The main thing here is...I am SUPER GLAD to read that you achieved success!

DUB

 

Thanks again DUB! Yeah I'll tighten the nut a little bit more. I just don't know how much and when I should stop tightening. I don't have a force gauge so I'm kind of guessing at this point.

 

That is all it can be at this point...because without a force gauge...all you can do it to get it to work to your satisfaction.

If you have someone who fishes....see if they have one where they weight their catch...and hopefully it goes up high enough if you are concerned.

DUB

 

I'll tighten it a bit more this weekend and call it a day. I'm not really planning on parking it on any hills any time soon, so as long as it holds well in the garage, that's really all I am trying to achieve here.

Thanks again. I'm just happy it works. When I first saw those bent pins and called you, I really didn't know if/when I'd be able to get it done. Just happy it works!

Danny

 

Hello,

I know this is a 4 year old thread, but have the instructions to perform this process been posted anyplace? I am in the middle of a parking brake project and could use the help to replace the bent pin and parking brake actuating lever.

THANKS