96 Explorer - Emergency Brake

[tmcquinn]

96 Explorer, XLT, 4WD

I have a couple of questions about the emergency brakes. First, is it really, really hard to replace the brake shoes or have I just failed some demonic IQ test that Ford was giving me? I have one of them back together but it was a pretty hard little space to try to work in!

Second, I am trying to understand how the cable works. When I got the rotors off the left (driver's side) shoes were stripped down to bare metal and the right wasn't worn much at all. I had my wife work the emergency brake a few times while I watched and decided that the cable for the right side was broken or frozen. I see now that neither is true. But I don't understand how it is even supposed to work?

http://home.fuse.net/tjmcquinn/Explorer_EmBrkCable.jpg

The black shroud (don't know the proper name) runs to the left brake. But how could the other one work? Does it count on the left brake tightening down and then, when it won't move any more, the whole thing (cable & shroud) are pulled backward pulling the bare cable that runs to the right brake? Nah, that can't be it. Can anyone set me straight on how it ought to work?

Tom

 

[mwking]

It sounds like you might have a stuck actuator. They are in two pieces, one is the hook that sticks out through the backing plate and it pivots on the second piece. If you take off the shoes you should be able to pull the piece with the hook off the second piece. If yours are anything like mine were they will be locked together. I had to hammer them apart. A little caliper pin grease will get them moving again.

 

[tmcquinn]

Thanks. I see what you're saying and the actuator is free.

I don't think I did a very good job of describing what's bothering me. The cables aren't locked together at the 'Y' junction.

http://home.fuse.net/tjmcquinn/Explorer_EmBrkCable.jpg

The single cable coming from the e-brake pedal passes THROUGH a hole in the rusty bracket, into the black cable sheath, and then over to the actuator on the left side. The whole time you're pressing the e-brake pedal the left actuator is tightening the shoes on the left side. Then, when the shoes contact the drum and tighten up, the black sheath starts to move, and the rusty bracket connected to the cable running to the right side of the vehicle finally starts to move.

(3 seconds of video, but still pretty big if anyone is using dial up.)
http://home.fuse.net/tjmcquinn/ExplorerEBrake.MPG


I was thinking that maybe a clamp of some sort that would tie the two cables together at the 'Y' point was missing but maybe not.

I am going to have to break down and buy a service manual if I can find one.

Tom

 

[budwich]

There is supposed to be a bracket further back towards the rear wheel. But in "general", your picture is how the system works... kind of. You do have to make sure that your actuator levers are "really free". In my 96 (bought used last year), I had a similar problem, wouldn't pass the safety cause the park brake didn't function. I worked on it cleaning stuff up and it would still only just actuate and usually on one side. When I had the drums off (wheel drums), they would work fine but upon putting the drums back on, the brakes would operate maybe once or little bit and then nothing. One (the right one) actuator level would bind and that was it. In your case, since your shoe on the left side is gone, it is your right side actuator that is also binding.... I think.
In terms of operation, I think Ford refers to the "junction" as the equalizer which allows for slight "differences" to be compensated for so that your brakes will apply "uniformly".

 

[tmcquinn]

You do have to make sure that your actuator levers are "really free". In my 96 (bought used last year), I had a similar problem, wouldn't pass the safety cause the park brake didn't function. I worked on it cleaning stuff up and it would still only just actuate and usually on one side. When I had the drums off (wheel drums), they would work fine but upon putting the drums back on, the brakes would operate maybe once or little bit and then nothing. One (the right one) actuator level would bind and that was it. In your case, since your shoe on the left side is gone, it is your right side actuator that is also binding.... I think.

After some thought and a couple days delay, I did end up listening to you and MWKING. Yeah, both actuators were free when I put everything back together again but this isn't something I'm anxious to do again. I took the e-brakes apart again and used caliper grease on the two pieces that make up the actuator. Thanks for making me think!

Tom