Parking Brake Not Holding - New Drums/Pads and Hardware - Need Help

Hello All

I've been having some issues passing inspection in Mass. My parking brake is not holding past the 1300 rpm criteria. I've changed the front cable, the pads, the rotors, and all new hardware, including springs and self adjuster. I've attached pictures of the new installation.

One of the questions I have, the new style self adjuster seems to be on the opposite side of the hole in the back plate for adjustment (As seen in the pictures attached). Is this how the new ones are? I've attached the old mechanism for reference.

One side seems to self adjust just fine the other no so much. I adjusted the self adjuster manually so that the drum barley slides over. Also the cable is adjusted tightly, so tightly that the parking brake bell crank is in the middle of the slit as pictured. When it's pulled all the way it bottoms out. Is possible that the parking brake adjuster cable coming from the bell crank has stretched?

Even with all this in place, the parking brake lever pulls out almost all the way, the brakes hold a little, but not enough to stop the truck from rolling below 1300 rpm.

Any suggestions? I am out of ideas. Thanks for the help

 

By no means an expert but from personal experience, you may want to adjust the parking brake so that you can get full movement of the bell crank. Once that is adjusted, you should be able to actuate the parking brake a several times to engage and expand the adjuster (someone can pull the brake while you watch with the drum off to make sure everything is engaging properly). After a bunch of pulls, the adjuster should expand enough so that the brakes engage properly.

As to why the adjuster is not aligning with the access holes, it is possible you have the wrong parts although everything looks correct as far as I can remember.

 

I believe the drivers side on my 96 4X4.



the other thing that you can see on mine is the the "big shoe" is in the back. Is it possible that you put both front shoes on one side and 2 rear shoes on the other?

 

If you have the same side picture with old and new you have the new ones installed on the wrong side !!

No doubt had all the new adjusters together .

then your shoes are adjusted up once the new drums are on

Gotta learn some how just be glad it was not a clutch

 

There is an adjustment on the backside of the drum. It’s a 10mm bolt with a 10 mm locking nut. Make sure there is an 1/8 of an inch gap in between the bolt and the back plate. If the bolt is touching the plate your e brake will over adjust and if there is too much of a gap it won’t adjust enough, causing your e brake to not engage correctly.

 

This bolt, would it be part of the bellcrank?

 

That what that bolt is for. Clever. Looking at the rear brakes I didn't know how is it preventing from over-adjusting. Thanks for that explanation. I'm wiser.

There is one thing worth to mention - at the top of differential there is a bracket where the parking cable is split in T between both sides. That bracket should be free to float (swing) left and right. If it doesn't the cable will not be pulling both sides with the same force (https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...k-or-rysium-build.457350/page-8#post-20239861). On my truck that was close to 5-times lower braking force on whine wheel than the other (I found it during annual inspection).

 

OK, crawled under there while doing the diff lube last night, and adjusted those bolts on the bellcranks. They were approx 3/8" from the backing plates, as judged by Mk1 Eyeball. I adjusted them to 1/8" (enough space to fit the tip of my flatblade screwdriver under the screw) and cinched them down. Then made several energetic pulls of the parking brake, and backed up and braked hard in an attempt to get them to adjust. Doesn't appear to be any joy, there.

All lines appear to be just about perfect, no fraying, rust, or issues.

The t-bracket the previous gent posted about swings just fine. Enough so that I thought I had a possible issue, until he posted. Thanks for that!

To recap- everything (but the hardware) is brand new. Drums, shoes, wheel cylinders, bearings, and seals. I had a serious axle seal leak on both sides, which soaked the pads (and thus I replaced them). All hardware was examined thoroughly- no corrosion or obvious issues. The adjusters didn't even require new antiseize. So I am pretty sure I am good to go with regard to the mechanical side of this.

I will pull the wheels when it stops raining and adjust the shoes till they are just dragging, then readjust the main link cable (lever to under driver's arse) as needed. At present that cable is adjusted entirely "tight". I want to get my parking brakes to the point I get full engagement on the low end of the acceptable range- so 12 clicks instead of 18. I don't live in hill country, but would like this to be able to stop the truck if I start in gear (I have plans to install a remote start).

 

bell cranks could be froze/rusted up

 

Bell cranks work just fine, as evidenced by my pulling on the cable. Sorry, should have mentioned.
Suffice to say all hardware is good to go, including the cables and bellcranks. I have also observed they are functioning throughout the system as the parking brake lever is pulled. IE- when it was pulled, the bellcranks moved.

REALLY thinking this is going to come down to adjusting the shoes out farther. But the guy that did that adjustment is a heavy equipment mechanic and works with drum brakes every day (albeit on a MUCH larger scale, semi trucks).

 

Might be able to narrow it down to one side or the other by jacking up the rear, both sides together with the park brake engaged and see if both wheels feel the same on difficulty of rotating the tire by hand.

 

Can't chime in on if the parts are correct or not....but I can help with the adjustment.

The parking brake adjusts itself to account for wear...I was having issues when I stupidly tried to adjust it manualy.
The procedure I followed was, to drive in reverse and stop the truck using ONLY the parking brake. Give yourself enough stopping room the first few times. It adjusted itself perfectly.

 

AHHH!! This may be the issue.

Guess I am having fun in the parking lot after work!

 

Mine wouldn't hold the truck past 1,200rpms...now it won't budge unless I give it a good amount of gas

 

Howdy, this picture makes me think the belcrank is stuck. That's what is giving me a hard time.

 

I recently replaced both of mine due to salt corrosion.

also, OP is MIA so unless they update

Elm1and2 was last seen:
Mar 2, 2019

 

Problem solved, problem staying solved....

I adjusted the shoes til they dragged the drums. They were WAY out. Now both service and parking brakes (which of course are the same, activated differently) work extremely well!