68 Lemans - Parking Brake Tension ?

J

j5ball

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I could probably look this up in my service manual but was thinking someone would have a quick answer. Topic is Parking Brake. The brake pedal is depressed down to the floor and engaged. When releasing the parking brake you pull the handle and brake pedal is suppose to pop back into the up (disengaged) position. Where does the tension come from that pops the brake pedal back into the up position? Thanks . . . JIMB
 
Ok. So, I took the brake out. I can push the brake down (engage) with my hand. When I pull the release handle the brake should go back up (disengaged state) by itself. Right? And mine does not - it just hangs there with no movement. I cannot see the spring in the brake mechanism. Is there a way to fix this or do I just purchase a new one? Thanks . . . JIMB
 
There's a cog that locks the pedal down, when you pull the handle the cog is pulled against it's spring tension and is released. My 73 P/U had the same issue and I had to spray the moving portions of the assembly with lithium grease and work the cog with a screwdriver. After a few ratchets back and forth, the mechanism was back to its old self.
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The cog in the brake works. I can push the brake down (engaged) and I hear the cog click while pushing down the brake. The cog stays in place (held down by a small spring) and holds until I pull the release handle. When I pull the release handle the cog is pushed up (against the spring pressure) and releases the brake mechanism (which is when its suppose to come back up.) But, there is nothing to bring the brake back into its up (disengaged) position. Are we talking the same thing?
 
Yup, and it doesn't sound like the mechanism, the break line is a housed cable that runs to the rear brake. If it's heavily corroded internally, it may need to be replaced. You can try getting under the car and pulling back on the cable to get it to release, but even if you get it to move, it should be replaced. The cable actually "Y's" to both back tires, the hang up could be there and not the main cable, so good luck.
 
I am still confused or not explaining correctly. I just stopped by NPD and looked at a new parking brake for my 68 lemans. The new one functions exactly like the one I have. I still am unclear about that brings the brake pedal back to its normal running position (up or disengaged) when the parking brake handle is pulled.
 
Did you look in your manual under the brake system section to see how the cables are routed? Did you look under the car to trace the cable from the parking brake to see if you are missing any springs or if the cable is broken?
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I did look under the car and all the cables are there and seem to be working. But, there is little tension in the wires when I pull on them. The cables are kinda just hanging there. I can pull on the wires and they do return back to where they started. But where they started from is a lot of freedom. Seems like I need to tighten something up under the car . . or in the back brakes. Not sure the cable should just be hanging there in a free state?
 
Look in the catalog at www.amesperf.com it shows the complete parking brake set up including the tensioner rod. If you have the factory manual, and you should get a copy, it gives more information.
 
Could it be they are too lose to pull the bedal back? Do they hold the car when the pedal is pressed?
 
Check your rear brakes, at least one of them is seized.
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Problem fixed - Parking brake works great. I replaced all the hardware on back both brakes and tightened the parking brake wires under the car. The Parking brake works great when pushed down and now the pedal pops back up when the brake release handle is pulled. Thanks . . . JIMB
 
I'm assuming your car has drum brakes on the rear. If so, you most likely have a 3 piece brake cable set up. One runs from the pedal to about the middle if the car, and then two other cables connect to it. At the end of each of those cables there is a spring where it connects to the brakes at the rear (at the shoes under the drum) those might be weak, or your cable has stretched out of adjustment. Quite often the cables will seize at the sprung end and can be worked free with some lube, but as old as the car is you'd probably be better off just replacing them.
 
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