New Member - Parking brake Issue

[Dr. D]

Hey everybody! My name is Luke, today is my first day on the forum. I bought my first 2nd gen yesterday, and in the grille was a TDR badge, so I got on the google.

This seems like a solid forum, I'm happy I found it. I previously spent most of my time on cumminsforum (not that theres anything wrong with it!).

A bit about myself - I am a senior in molecular biology at Montana Tech in Butte, planning on grad school for molecular genetics or the like (Dr.D is a little presumptuous). If there's any of you close by, let me know! I've been in the market for a few years, but never found the right rig until recently.

Anywho, today I stepped on the e-brake, threw her in park, and still rolled about 8". I was curious, so I tested it on a slight hill out front of my house. There was absolutely no parking brake.

After some yelling, I crawled under the truck and saw this.

I'm familiar with the little tensioners and the idea that they ensure an equal application of parking brake, and allow for adjustment when the lines stretch.

The issue is that with the nut all the way backed out, I'm still about 1" short of getting the driver side (short/left) cable into the tensioner. How is this possible? The tensioner is rusty, but the cables appear pretty healthy. I've done plenty of thread searching, but nothing has been able to explain this to me.

Let me know what you think, and proper solutions. Butte is on the side of a hill, and even though its got the 47re, I dont want her sitting on the transmission.

Thanks in advance,

Luke

 

[Dr. D]

Furthermore, there is the slightest resistance in the parking brake pedal when I press it. However, there is just shy of enough spring to get her all the way back up - I have to use my hand to pull it the remaining 10% (common issue, I know). My point is the pedal is very soft.

 

[GAmes]

The correct procedure to adjust the park brake is in the factory service manual. Geno's sells them. It will be the most used tool in your shop. There is also a couple threads about repairing the pedal assy. Search is your friend. Also, fill out a signature with the year models and other pertinent info. Not all 2nd gens are alike.

 

[NIsaacs]

It is kind of hard to tell by the picture, but it looks like the main cable from the pedal is attached to one of the brake cables, instead of the equalizer assembly. Maybe something is missing. When it is daylight I will look at mine and report back.

As far as a little hill, does Butte have any of those (little hills) Lol

Nick

 

[Dr. D]

Good morning,

Repair manual should be here next week. Thanks for the sig reminder.

Nisaac it appears to all be there. I believe the cable end (pictures just right of the tensioner) should slip in. If I am missing a piece that would sure relieve my befuddlement. Let me know what you see.

Also I have disc brakes.

There are very few little hills. The amount of ice doesnt help at all either.

Thanks for your help gents

Luke

 

[NIsaacs]

Mine is an '01 with drum brakes so it might be different.

Nick

 

[VolsFan]

Someone posted some good info on parking brake adjustment procedure a while ago. I loosened the cable until plenty of slack then went to each rear disc and popped out the little black grommet and turned the star wheel to tighten up the parking brake shoes. This took out a lot of the slack in the cable. Tightened that up and I have parking brakes again. Useful on a manual so I can leave it idle

 

[petersonj]

Also I have disc brakes.

I believe that year 2001 was a transitional year for rear brakes - early trucks had rear drum brakes, later trucks had rear disc brakes. I could be wrong about this.

I am assuming that you have rear disc brakes. If so, the rear discs have a miniature drum park brake assembly inside the each rotor. They operate like any drum brake, so they must be treated like a drum brake (as in this is the first place that park brake adjustment occurs).

While you are waiting for your service manual you can inspect each cable and ensure that the cable moves freely in each housing.

Here is a link for park brake adjustment.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/showthread.php?252197&p=2438999#post2438999


- John

 

[Dr. D]

Nissac, our little adjuster/equalizer is different. I'll post better pics.

Peterson, my issue is that the right/driver cable is too short. No clue how this happened. I did yank on it and got no movement. I may have been acting like a *****, I'll give her another rip and report back. Thanks for that link, it helps.

Thank you all for your help.

Luke

 

[Dr. D]

Update:

Upon further inspection, I noticed that the passenger side parking brake spring was partially collapsed, leading me to believe that its partially engaged. After several blows with a breaker bar, it moved about 20% to less than half engaged.

It's pretty rusty down there. I suspect some serious wear as well as corrosion inside the mini drum - parking brake.
Here is the driver side

Completely disengaged. Upon yanks with channel locks on the cable-end bead, there was little to no movement.

I anticipate a whole replacement from the equalizer on back. Is there something I'm missing because of my current state of rage?

Thanks in advance.

Luke

 

[petersonj]

After studying your photos, it looks like the adjuster for the equalizer is not backed off at all. It also looks like the adjuster nut and sleeve can even be removed which would make it very easy to re-install the brake cable.

If the previous owner never adjusted the park brake, the cables could have had so much slack that the one cable disconnected itself. Then over time the owner could have taken out the slack with the equalizer adjuster in an effort to make the park brake work better (this is all conjecture). However, if I am correct about what I see in the photos, the equalizer adjuster is not backed off.

And, yes, you will probably need to remove both rotors so you can inspect / clean the park brakes and hardware, and replace the park brake cables if necessary.

- John

 

[Dr. D]

Hey John,

I did back out the equalizer nut as far as I could before it fell off. With it all the way backed out, I was still almost 1" short of the equalizer reaching the driver (right) brake cable. I tightened it back up because the equalizer was just dangling and banging around under there with the nut all the way backed out. I will back her out and send a pic.

Thanks for your help. Sorry for the late reply, school is bending me over the barrel this week.

Luke

 

[petersonj]

Luke, it makes sense what you are saying. You probably do have a frozen cable. Looks like you have a bit of work ahead of you.

- John

 

[B.G. Smith]

If you can't get the cables freed up enough that the springs will pull them back when brake is released you will have to replace. Probably need to start by inspecting the E-brake shoes, suspect they are no more. If you have the time and energy you might be able to free up the cables by getting them out from under the truck where you can deal with them and soak them in some type of lube/rustbuster. bg

 

[Dr. D]

Yup I was pretty discouraged by the headache that will be. I don't have a problem with buying new cables, they're like $40 tops for the rear right and left. I'll happily keep you all updated.

Thanks for all your help gentlemen. If you guys have any advice as to procedure, I'd gladly take it.

Luke

 

[Dr. D]

Here's an update:

Absolutely no pad left on the shoes.

It was a corroded mess down there, but as for the cables, they're in great shape and still have the plastic coating on them.

As soon as the shoes were removed, and the little arm connecting the cable to the pads was out, the cables moved nicely.

Also, the magically short driver side cable was able to be yanked, and met with the equalizer.

Now for shoes - I was jut going to order some from autozone or oreilly. Does anyone have an opinion on brand for this matter?

Thanks again

 

[petersonj]

Since it is just a parking brake, I don't think it matters much which manufacturer you use. One thing that comes to mind is to carefully inspect the park brake actuators inside the drum. If I recall correctly, the mechanism has a unique method of operation which spreads both shoes simultaneously. On mine, one of the sliding pieces became notched and would not allow the left park brake to actuate. I was able to file the particular piece smooth and give it a touch of grease and it has worked fine ever since.

I'm glad to hear that your cables are okay. Sounds like you are on the way to having a very nice operating park brake soon. Your perseverance is paying off.

- John

 

[crabman]

Buy good quality brake pads & replace ALL the brake hardware. Do it right the first time and you won't have to take the time to do it right the second time.

 

[Dr. D]

Yes sir I will be buying the hardware kit with all the springs and retainers and such. I do also have to buy lever and link assembly (little arm that connects the cable to the actual shoes) from Chrysler for $18 a piece, but the whole job should be less than $100.

Aside from some cut up fingers and the cost of beer, of course.

Thanks again,

Luke