Parking brake

[JeffBecker]

I'm having a problem with my parking brake. On my 2500, do I have to pull the axel to remove the rear rotor?

 

[Slow Six]

What kind of trouble are you having? The parking brake is separate from the service brakes and do require setting up. The parking brake is a drum type of brake and adjusts like the old style drum brakes.

 

[JeffBecker]

When I step on the e-brake it just goes to the floor. I did try taking up on the adjustment, but that didn't help. Im thinking there my be something broken inside. Last week I changed my rear service brakes. That is when I tried to remove the rotors. The rotors are still in good shape, so I didm't get too crazy tring to remove them. I thought, not a better place to get help than right here.

 

[Slow Six]

The adjustment is not on the cables, It is in the drum and shoe set up that is behind the rotor or sort of inside the rotor. It took me a while to find the slot the first time I set mine. I also modified brake adjusting tools to make the job easier. There is a procedure for setting the cables but this is usually not necessary unless you are changing them. The holding power of the park brake usaully goes away slowly unless the brakes were left on while driving or possibly something did break.

 

[JeffBecker]

I did look for a slot to adjust the brakes, but didn't see it. I will look agin in the morning when I get home from work. Thanks

 

[Slow Six]

It is easier to find the one on the right side first. There is a plug in the slot just like the old style drum brakes. Sorry I can't describe it better.

 

[SRadke]

To remove the rotors you have to pull the axles, pull the little clip that holds the nut, then remove the spindle nut. At that point if the calipers are already removed the rotors will slide right off and the outer bearing will fall out.

If you simply need to adjust the parking break it can be done through a slot in the backing plate just like a drum brake as mentioned above. Thge adjuster will be opposite where the cable attaches, I'm thinking one is on the top and the other is on the bottom?

 

[bighammer]

No, the rotor/drum assembly comes right off after the wheel and caliper is off. (assuming the brake is not bound up)

 

[TSPowell]

Im pretty sure the rotor just comes off after removing a clip and the caliper assembly on SRW, but on DRW the whole axle must come apart to get the rotor off.

 

[bighammer]

Im pretty sure the rotor just comes off after removing a clip and the caliper assembly on SRW, but on DRW the whole axle must come apart to get the rotor off.

Thanks for the clarification. I knew I had just done my rear binders a couple weeks ago and did NOT have to remove axle shafts. I forget the dually is a different beast in certain ways.

 

[Blakers]

Does anyone know which way one has to move the little adjusting wheels to TIGHTEN the parking brakes?



Thanks.

 

[Blakers]

Does anyone know which way one has to move the little adjusting wheels to TIGHTEN the parking brakes?



Thanks.

Ok, since no one answered this and I figured it out myself, I'm going to respond to my own post so the answer is documented for future reference:



To tighten the parking brakes, the adjusting wheel must be turned AWAY from the axle. In other words, the end of the adjusting tool must be moved TOWARD the axle.



I found the driver's side impossible to adjust without special tools, so I decided to pull the rotor off and kept tightening and reinstalling the rotor until it seemed tight enough. It worked fine.



Add me to the list of those wanted to go after the engineer who designed these axles. We need to take up a collection for a ransom! I love my truck as it is one of the nicest looking and driving trucks around, but there sure are some dumb engineered things about it!



Blake