Parking Brakes of Doom: Inspection Tomorrow

[MountaineerGreen]

That's not really too bad, I expected far worse.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

That's not really too bad, I expected far worse.

It's just coated aircraft cable with some funky ends... so we'll see when they arrive. Here's hoping it's not the foot pedal assembly, only place I've seen them is FPN for $160 or a junkyard.

I don't think it's the pedal assembly, as it will take up cable when I depress the pedal.

 

[DeRocha]

Anyway, I took her in, and she failed, but I now have 45 days to figure it out...

Engage it, try to move the truck. Back in MA, the e-brake had to hold the truck in Drive, with the RPMs reved to 1300.

Inspection is such a pain. They also commented that I have "2 sets of fog lights" and need to remove one....

MA is strict, but it seam your garage is overly so (is that good or bad ) Of the several different places I have gotten my X inspected they only put the E-brake on and then take it off.. I've watched and they never try and give it gas.

 

[96eb96]

It's just coated aircraft cable with some funky ends... so we'll see when they arrive. Here's hoping it's not the foot pedal assembly, only place I've seen them is FPN for $160 or a junkyard.

I don't think it's the pedal assembly, as it will take up cable when I depress the pedal.

The online dealers I use list it for 142 and 146. I doubt very much you can get this aftermarket.

y2kford.com and billdube.com/newweb. These dealers match usually rockauto when you use the 5% discount code. Billdube is fast ship on the east coast. Also, the parking brake lever for the 98+ is much cheaper(100 less!), I wonder if there is any real difference. Looks the same in the service manual.

The pedal just provides some preload for a given cable length. If your cable isn't hanging it is probably fine. Be sure to insert the pin in the parking brake lever to keep tension and resist the tempation to cut the cable right away.

I wonder if those steel cables enter a sort of plastic mode after years of internal corrosion and fighting rusted/siezed mechanisms. This would almost explain how they work fine right after you install new brake shoes but a few applications later crap out.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

It is odd that the 98+ parking brake control is $64 instead of $146.... I am VERY curious what the difference is, and if they are interchangeable with a little modification (mounting holes maybe?) After all, it's just pulling a cable!

On another note, if you look up "5.0 short block" on BillDubeToyota.com, it's only $74.65. Is that real?!?!?!?!?

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

MA is strict, but it seam your garage is overly so (is that good or bad ) Of the several different places I have gotten my X inspected they only put the E-brake on and then take it off.. I've watched and they never try and give it gas.

The place I took it to in MA was very good to me, but because the inspections are privately done by mechanics, it's really up to their discretion, unless the state check-up guy is watching; which happened to me one year when I failed.

In NJ, inspections are subcontracted out to Parsons (of Dick Cheney fame) and run by the state. There are about 25 stations in the state. You can go to a private mechanic for inspection, but they charge their hourly rate, while the state one is free.

 

[96eb96]

It is odd that the 98+ parking brake control is $64 instead of $146.... I am VERY curious what the difference is, and if they are interchangeable with a little modification (mounting holes maybe?) After all, it's just pulling a cable!

On another note, if you look up "5.0 short block" on BillDubeToyota.com, it's only $74.65. Is that real?!?!?!?!?

Dunno about that 5.0 block!!!

Not advertising for them(I didn't see any policy about mentioning a vendor on the board), but just speaking from experience Billdube is very nice if you have questions about parts. The prices are right and they shipping is fair. They really go out of their way to give advice and get hard to find stuff very quickly. They usually beat rockauto and it comes in a day or two ground. Of course..they are my only source for the dealer only "ford" stuff.... My local dealer said he beats the prices he charges to local shops.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Pulled out the pedal assembly this morning, seems pretty f'ed up... I can't get the tension spring to release or the pedal to travel.

So - I went to the nearest salvage yard and they said they had one for $50... why not. Guy hands me one from a 2000, swears it'll fit. Looks pretty different, so we'll see....

 

[96eb96]

Pulled out the pedal assembly this morning, seems pretty f'ed up... I can't get the tension spring to release or the pedal to travel.

So - I went to the nearest salvage yard and they said they had one for $50... why not. Guy hands me one from a 2000, swears it'll fit. Looks pretty different, so we'll see....

Now we know why your pedal was sinking to the floor with no resistance. Your tensioner was bad. Also, the turnbuckle you installed was just fighting a bad tensioner, and could never be adjusted to take up slack. That spring sets the preload on the cable so the pedal travel can exert maximum force on the cables.

A stuck/binding cable can produce a similar symptom - extra slack in the system.

You still had one rear not function, so a rear cable could be an issue as well. After all these miles it would probably be prudent to change em out anyway.

I believe the later model X's had a silent parking brake release mechanism. Otherwise it should bolt up.


Hopefully this thread will be good for people in the future looking for help with their parking brake when a rebuild fails! It can get very frustrating because the mechanism "seems" so simple and the manual is unclear.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

96eb96,

I will condense this into an ultimate "parking brake how-to" once I lick it, since two years ago I rebuilt the drum assemblies. I have all four new cables, so they are going in by default. Once I get a new pedal assembly, I'll pretty much have "new" parking brakes.

The 2000 PB assembly, the "quiet" one, is NOT interchangeable.
1) The assembly mounting plate is larger, and the bolt holes are in different positions.
2) The cable attaches much further into the assembly, so a 97-down front cable will not work with it, even if you could redrill the fender and make it work. I'm not sure if simply using a 98+ front cable would work.

I'm going to take the unit back to the salvage yard tomorrow morning and ask for a 95-97 unit. This is why I normally don't like non 'pick-n-pull' junkyards - you're at their mercy and can't figure things out for yourself!!

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

It can get very frustrating because the mechanism "seems" so simple and the manual is unclear.

Amen.

 

[CDW6212R]

Take a bunch of pictures of the foot assembly as you install the cable, that is the trickiest part. I did it with the dash completely out, and it wasn't easy then.

There is a member here who just paid at least $2100 for repairs to his, for purposes of passing inspection, in Europe, England maybe. The parts cost was over $1700 to him. There is too much price gouging going on every where. This kind of forum should and needs to become more commonly known, we can save a lot of people a ton of money. Regards,

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Take a bunch of pictures of the foot assembly as you install the cable, that is the trickiest part. I did it with the dash completely out, and it wasn't easy then.

I certainly will, but I'm going to "cheat" and install the front cable onto the foot pedal assembly out of the car, and then slide the whole deal into place and route the cable through the firewall, and then connect it to the intermediate cable.

The 98+ pedal assembly might be able to work with some custom fab and parts hunting; but right now I don't have the time or heated garage to be creative.

 

[CDW6212R]

I removed my 99 assembly that way, with the cables still together. But it had to come apart for some reason for fitting it back in, I forgot why. Hopefully you can do it better than I, it was almost two years between removal an installation. A lot is forgotten when something is completely disassembled. Regards,

 

[96eb96]

Take a bunch of pictures of the foot assembly as you install the cable, that is the trickiest part. I did it with the dash completely out, and it wasn't easy then.

There is a member here who just paid at least $2100 for repairs to his, for purposes of passing inspection, in Europe, England maybe. The parts cost was over $1700 to him. There is too much price gouging going on every where. This kind of forum should and needs to become more commonly known, we can save a lot of people a ton of money. Regards,

Parking brakes are needed for inspection too, so it is a major issue for some people. If you neglect them and let your inspection lapse you are risking a ticket, all the more reason to have a comprehensive thread on this topic. There is a good thread on doing the shoes, and hopefully v8boatbuilder will compliment it with the cable end.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

I've had nothing but trouble with my parking brakes...

But, I was able to pick up the correct 95-97 parking brake foot pedal this morning from the salvage yard. I'm going to try getting all together this weekend, camera in hand.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Update, need advice:

So after being away for 3 weeks, I was finally able to get back and try to lick the problem, but I took the truck for re-inspection and failed, again.

Here's what I found wrong with the system originally, and did to correct it:
1) Foot pedal was AFU, suspect a spring jumped/stretched. Replaced foot pedal assembly with junkyard unit.
2) Driver's rear brake cable was frozen, so I replaced all 4 cables.
3) Tensioned star adjusters AS FAR AS I COULD!

The brake will hold the truck at idle, but the truck moves forward with the slightest touch of the accelerator, and that's not good enough for NJ.

Two years ago I replaced the e-brake shoes and springs, everything is free and moves in the wheels. So basically, everything is now rebuilt!!

Any ideas on what to do?!?!?!

 

[CDW6212R]

I have never been impressed with my 98 or 99 parking brakes. I have both adjusted at three times total, such that they would hold fairly well. When I did my 99 the first time, it impressed me to begin with. But that was only immediately after adjusting the brakes.

I suggest that you look over the parts well, spray a little lubricant on the hardware, and adjust it tight. Test it when the rotors drag a good bit to start with. See if that will do the job. If so, adjust it like that right before the inspection. That tight fitting of the rotors will only last a very short time, 100-1000 miles at most. After that you will see normal high effort and poor holding power. Regards,

 

[CDW6212R]

I park regularly in a friend's driveway, a decent uphill grade. My trucks don't hold well at all with a good pressure on the parking brake. They do well when the parking brake adjuster has just been adjusted, but it doesn't last long.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Could you adjust them too tight, to the point of dragging, drive directly to the inspection station, hopefully pass the test, then loosen them off?

Does the pedal feel firm when you press it?