2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Parking brake went out!!! help!

[C. Harlan]

I was washing my truck, when all of a sudden the parking brake released... scary! I had it in gear luckily, but the pedal goes to the floor now, and the cables underneath the truck are very loose. should I start at the pedal end and go back, or start at the drums and go forward?? someone please help!!



-Chris-

 

[StephenDelany]

Wolcome to the club Charlan,



I have broken two of these cables in 4 years. I need to replace the second one now because it too is loose under the truck cab. I think the cable costs about $40. 00 and the replacement is probably not too much of a bear. Right now leaving truck in reverse after shut-down is working OK, but I will get off my butt pretty soon and replace it.

 

[dremelts]

My parking brake went out also. Parked the truck, left it running while I got my stuff out the back seat, shut it down, locked it, walked away and heard the brake "pop". I turned around and watched it roll back into a utility pole. The only real damage was a smashed taillight housing.



My brake mechanism/cable did not actually break - it just let loose. I don't trust it at all anymore - I always leave it in 1st gear when I park it and if I have to leave it running while I get out I have a chock that I put behind the wheel.



I would encourage you to report this to the NTSB via their web site. If enough people report the problem maybe they will force a recall because it could cause an accident.

 

[Pkelly]

not sure if my parking brake released but my truck rolled out of my driveway hit a utility pole and a tree. $5000. 00 damage. my driveway is on a . 3% cross slope towards the road. it appears as if the thing rolled while it was in gear. there is evidence of three skid marks before it released. e-mailed dodge and they want to talk to me about it.

 

[C. Harlan]

I checked the brake cables, and it appears to be the one coming out of the passenger drum that happened to let loose... I am not sure how I am going to fix this, but it needs to be done. Just wanted to touch base with y'all.



-Chris-

 

[jrobinson2]

Were you the one that changed to the 3500 wheel cylinders a week or so back? If so I would look there first, you may not have everything back in correctly.

Jared

 

[krs]

Everybody should realize that a diesel engine doesn't provide the same sort of resistance to rolling in gear as a gasser will. My wife and I found that out one day after pushing a truck out of the garage while it was in gear, brake off. I'm not superman and she's not Brunhilda at 112 lbs.

 

[C. Harlan]

Jrobinson..... I did get the 1 ton wheel cylinders, but they are still in the box!! I have not even tackled that chore yet! I am just working on getting my emergency brakes back!!! I cannot shut the engine off everytime I need to get out of the truck... its killing me! Anyways, I looked, and it appears that the cable snapped right at the end, wherever it is hooked onto inside the drum... . Hopefully someone will know what I am talking about. .



-Chris-

 

[krs]

The cable hooks onto an actuating lever inside the drum. That's where you're going, my friend. If it's as you just described there's no fix outside the wheel other than a nice set of wheel chocks behind the seat.

 

[drrhoades]

What about putting a line lock in on the fronts to hold it?

 

[jrobinson2]

The cable is not that hard to change, when you get the drum off it will all make sense. Sounds to me like a great reason to tear into it and get those 3500 wheel cylinders on Just pull both drums and take a picture of each one first so you can make sure every thing goes back in the same place, then do them one at a time so you can look at the other side.

Jared

 

[dremelts]

Originally posted by KRS

Everybody should realize that a diesel engine doesn't provide the same sort of resistance to rolling in gear as a gasser will.

That really puzzles me The diesel has much higher compression than the gasser doesn't it? Seems like it should offer more resistance. Can someone offer a technical explanation for this?

 

[krs]

"Can someone offer a technical explanation for this?"



I doubt that I could give a concise explanation, but it would have to do with the reason for the need for exhaust braking - valve timing and overlap; backpressure and first water mysteries if I could.

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

Originally posted by KRS

"Can someone offer a technical explanation for this?"



I doubt that I could give a concise explanation, but it would have to do with the reason for the need for exhaust braking - valve timing and overlap; backpressure and first water mysteries if I could.

Then why do I need two 750 cca batteries to start my 359 cubic inch engine and a 360 cubic inch gasser gets away with one? That right there tells me it has more resistance to rolling! 17:1 compression or 8. 5:1 which is going to be harder to push to TDC? uuummm 17:1.

 

[krs]

I know, yet the engine won't slow us down much going down a hill so we buy pacbrakes and the like.



And we can spin it round and round just using the alternator pulley and belt... .

 

[dresslered]

Then why do I need two 750 cca batteries to start my 359 cubic inch engine and a 360 cubic inch gasser gets away with one?

My guess is that your 360 cubic inch gasser doesn't have heater grids to drive. These babies can draw 180-amps on a cold day which is the reason for the two batteries.