How strong is the emergency brake?

[RamVenture]

Question guys, how strong is your emergency brake "parking brake"? I notice when parking my RV trailer on incline and engaging the emergency brake the whole rig would still more. When I went to put the truck in drive I would hear the crunching sound from the transmission shifting from park to drive. The parking brake pedal had a lot of travel and was planning adjusting it but hadn't got around to it. Last week I accidentally forgot to put the truck in park after engaging the parking brake and the truck started moving like it wasn't even engage. I decided to take it to the tire shop before something bad happens. After getting the parking brake adjusted it now has a lot less travel. I did the same test, with the parking brake engaged and the truck in drive at idle the truck will still move forward on its own although much slower. Is this a sign the E-brakes are shot or is the engine at idle too much force for them to hold?

 

[Ozymandias]

Go to a better workshop, the E-brake must be capable to hold Truck & Trailer in a 12% incline.
Mine does.

But I also stomp that pedal down with all the force i have as far as I can. I think that's the idea behind it...

 

[AH64ID]

Mine holds my truck/trailer on an incline at 20K+ GCW.

 

[RamVenture]

Ok sounds like my emergency brake isn't holding properly and probably need to be replaced. I will try stomping on it to see if it's my weak foot. I'm guessing it will help but not the solution.

 

[RamVenture]

Maybe it was my weak foot. Took the truck back out around the block and pressed down hard on the E-brake pedal and it held the truck in drive. Need to go test the E-brake on some steep hills and see how it holds. Lesson learned, press down hard.

 

[Turbo Terry]

Always good things to know

 

[Ozymandias]

Maybe it was my weak foot. Took the truck back out around the block and pressed down hard on the E-brake pedal and it held the truck in drive. Need to go test the E-brake on some steep hills and see how it holds. Lesson learned, press down hard.

I guess the pedal came down way farther then before yes?

 

[RamVenture]

Yes it did. I was in a hurry leaving the shop and did a quick test of the pedal and felt resistance almost immediately. At first I thought it was over adjusted, but when i got home and tested it and it didn't hold the truck in drive I was a bit perplexed. When it put force on the pedal now I would say it goes down almost as far as it used to.

 

[Tuesdak]

Is an axle seal leaking and the parking brake oiled up? Adjusted may have been just the cable or did they look at the parking brake shoes and verify they are "dry"?

 

[Regcabguy]

Question guys, how strong is your emergency brake "parking brake"? I notice when parking my RV trailer on incline and engaging the emergency brake the whole rig would still more. When I went to put the truck in drive I would hear the crunching sound from the transmission shifting from park to drive. The parking brake pedal had a lot of travel and was planning adjusting it but hadn't got around to it. Last week I accidentally forgot to put the truck in park after engaging the parking brake and the truck started moving like it wasn't even engage. I decided to take it to the tire shop before something bad happens. After getting the parking brake adjusted it now has a lot less travel. I did the same test, with the parking brake engaged and the truck in drive at idle the truck will still move forward on its own although much slower. Is this a sign the E-brakes are shot or is the engine at idle too much force for them to hold?

i had an axle seal leak which wasn't visible from the rear. It had just started and already contaminated the shoes. The engine's so strong it'll roll in gear with the brake set on my manual. The new shoes and adjustment will hold mine on a steep incline now.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Part of the SAE certification they have to hold a certain load on a specific grade with the parking brake.

 

[petersonj]

I decided to take it to the tire shop before something bad happens.

I would ask the tire shop specifically how they adjusted your park brake. My guess is that they adjusted the park brake cable only. If so, that is not the proper method and you will never have a strong park brake using that method. I would never have a tire shop adjust my park brake.

The park brake shoes need to be adjusted first. Proper adjustment here will provide for immediate response when actuated and and will provide for full brake shoe contact to the drum. After that adjustment, free play can be adjusted to a minimum with the cable adjustment along the frame rail.

If, in fact, your park brake has been adjusted with the cable only, then that cable adjustment will have to be backed off considerably to allow the proper park brake shoe adjustment.

- John

 

[RamVenture]

I think they just adjusted the star wheel that’s behind the rubber bushing on the back of the brake assembly (under axel on passenger side). I didn’t question what they did. The shop is always full of trucks getting work done so figured they know what they’re doing.

What does an axle seal look like? I did notice leak residue on the passenger’s side brake. It doesn’t feel wet and couldn’t get a smell on the residue. Looks to me like maybe brake fluid. Driver side is dry.

. Other side is dry.

 

[petersonj]

You may have a wheel seal leak. The the damp area on the backing plate shown in your photo is a good indicator of a wheel seal leak. To gain better access, the wheel, calipers, and brake rotor need to be removed. When you remove the rotor you will be able to inspect the park brake drum as it integrated into the rotor assembly. All of the park brake hardware mounted on the backing plate will be visible for inspection, as well. If these components are covered with oil, then you have found your problem - a leaking wheel seal.

I recommend that you get a confirmation of exactly how the shop proceeded when they adjusted the park brake before you start removing parts for an inspection. If they adjusted the park brake shoes on each side followed by adjusting the cable, then they did a good job. If the adjustment was not done in that order, then a complete park brake adjustment is necessary.

- John

 

[Cummins12V98]

A good Chrysler Mechanic I trust said to adjust at the park brake each side first. THEN adjust the cable if needed.

 

[Ozymandias]

The newer ones, including my Gen3 do not have an adjuster at the cable at all. Only the star wheels.
The length of the cable is a one-time adjustment that can only be made once when assembling the system. Check the manual for how it is done, it's pretty weird done.

 

[Cummins12V98]

The newer ones, including my Gen3 do not have an adjuster at the cable at all. Only the star wheels.
The length of the cable is a one-time adjustment that can only be made once when assembling the system. Check the manual for how it is done, it's pretty weird done.

Interesting I will have to quiz him on the cable not needing adjustment.

 

[RamVenture]

Yes, star wheel adjustment is what I saw on YouTube videos. E-brake check and adjustment is in the maintenance schedule, but I don’t recall seeing a “how to” in my manual. I tested things out yesterday and e-brakes seems to be working well. Haven’t hooked it up to a load on an incline to test yet.

I will keep an eye on the seal leak. Brakes feel strong at the moment. Underside of the truck looks like a rusty bucket. Truck feels like a money pit at the moment.

 

[R.Taylor]

Put it in reverse and hit the brakes a few times, That will adjust the shoes closer towards the drum,

Oh, Wrong decade.. Hahaha. The old days

 

[Ozymandias]

Interesting I will have to quiz him on the cable not needing adjustment.

I was wondering too, check your Service Manual for it.