Driving without parking brake shoes

[blstrick55]

I had a clicking noise coming from my rear passenger wheel. When I removed the wheel the parking brake shoe fell apart and one spring fell off. I won't be able to pick up replacement parts for a few days. How safe is it to drive without the parking brake shoe in the meantime?

 

[zpn_by]

keeping in mind that your parking brake is actually also an emergency brake (backup system for your main brakes) and if your main braking system fails (rusted line, stuck caliper, etc) you would have to rely on your parking/e-brake system.... it shouldn't affect anything except your safety and that of everyone in front of you... (sorry, lawyers made me say that!)

on the rare outside chance that you run into trouble, you WILL run into trouble. or, in the even more rare chance that you end up with a roadside safety inspection by your DOT or MOT, you're screwed. Best bet, try to leave it be. No brakes=no driving.

(that said, it's amazing how many vehicles have seized or broken parking brake cables and couldn't use the system if they tried, yet are still driven to this day. Chances are someone will respond saying just that.... - see below!)

ulitmately you could take your chances as it's the same as a snapped cable - won't stop the truck. If the worst happens, and your truck is mechanically inspected, you're done.

 

[partsman48210]

The first thing I will tell you is do not drive it until it's fixed!!


That being said, I can't stop you from driving an unsafe vehicle so I will offer up some safer advice:

Do not try this at home. But if you must, remove the other shoe and all the springs and hardware. After that , go to the parts store and buy a cap that will fit your brake line. Remove brake line from wheel cylinder and cap it.

This way you don't chance that rear wheel binding up since half the parts already fell out.

Also, do not ride people's a$@'s.

 

[FordFool2]

The first thing I will tell you is do not drive it until it's fixed!!


That being said, I can't stop you from driving an unsafe vehicle so I will offer up some safer advice:

Do not try this at home. But if you must, remove the other shoe and all the springs and hardware. After that , go to the parts store and buy a cap that will fit your brake line. Remove brake line from wheel cylinder and cap it.

This way you don't chance that rear wheel binding up since half the parts already fell out.

Also, do not ride people's a$@'s.

Don't cap any brake lines. The brake lines/hoses go to the disc brakes and they are probably just fine. The parking brake is separate and is operated from a cable and lever system. Your parking brake lining came off just like so many of the rest of us. That's not the big surprise. The real surprise is how much that little pair of shoes will cost not to mention what they will try and stick you for a spring kit.

Many of us drove thousands of miles without the parking brake whether intentional or unintentional. Don't fret about it and plan an evening to replace them when you have the time.

 

[Exproblems]

Don't cap any brake lines. The brake lines/hoses go to the disc brakes and they are probably just fine. The parking brake is separate and is operated from a cable and lever system. Your parking brake lining came off just like so many of the rest of us. That's not the big surprise. The real surprise is how much that little pair of shoes will cost not to mention what they will try and stick you for a spring kit.

Many of us drove thousands of miles without the parking brake whether intentional or unintentional. Don't fret about it and plan an evening to replace them when you have the time.

Exactly!

 

[BigRondo]

Exactly!

I concur.

 

[partsman48210]

Exactly!

This is a drum brake system right? Am I missing something here?

On a drum brake setup one shoe is controlled "mechanically" by the parking brake cable.

Both shoes are controlled "hydraulically" by the wheel cylinder

He said the parking brake shoe fell out and crumbled. So when he steps on the brake pedal what happens? The rod on the wheel cylinder has nothing to stop it so it just pops out inside the drum and all your brake fluid goes by by.

Even if all he did was lose the liner it would still push out far enough to leak and also be metal on metal, tearing up the drum and eventually seize the wheel

EDIT:
In my defense I thought he had a 94 not 2004. You're right I'm wrong

 

[n2audio]

I'm not an expert on these brake systems at all, but from what I recall when I had one of my rear bearings pressed -- there's nothing happening hydraulically with the parking brake system. It's just a cable system that uses the inside of the rotor hub as the "drum".

 

[partsman48210]

I'm not an expert on these brake systems at all, but from what I recall when I had one of my rear bearings pressed -- there's nothing happening hydraulically with the parking brake system. It's just a cable system that uses the inside of the rotor hub as the "drum".

You're right. As I edited my last post, I thought we were talking about a 94 which has drum brakes. Not a 2004 that has disc brakes on the rear

 

[Number4]

If you drive it without the e brake shoes, I've heard stories of the Ex turning into an S10 Blazer and losing its credibility. Not to mention being shunned by other Ex's.
Just saying, can't confirm.

 

[adam2kgt]

I've been driving my 04 Explorer for about a year without parking brake shoes. No issues whatsoever. I did remove the cables from the frame down to the backside of the brakes, and put a spring in from the frame to the upper cable, so if my wife hits the parking brake pedal there is a spring to return the cables and pull the pedal back up when released. Before anybody blasts me for driving "an unsafe vehicle", yes, if I have a line blow out I technically don't have an "emergency" brake, but if you've ever tried to stop a vehicle with just the parking brake, you know it is pretty ineffective, and our vehicles have a split braking system (like almost every modern vehicle) which has separate circuits for front and rear brakes, so I will still have some braking from the hydraulic system. I intend on replacing the parking brake system eventually, just have other issues to address that are more pressing (such as a rear differential that I have to pull out and rebuild asap).

 

[cross6]

It's not too pressing. But I'd fix it if you live in a hilly area. Otherwise you're trusting your truck to this tiny little nub on the end of the parking pawl.