E-brake doesn't stop truck

Stankoma

Stankoma

Yearly Wheeler
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Wake Forest, NC
Up until just recently (well this year) my parking\emergency brake has worked fine to hold my truck, but I just took it in to get it inspected and it failed because the parking brake does not hold the truck from moving when in gear (or even in neutral). I took the rear drums off to take a look at it and everything looks normal. I put new shoes on the rear of it last year. In looking at the cable, it looked like it may have gotten kinked from getting smashed between the frame and gas tank on full flex, so I replaced the entire e-brake, and adjusted the tension. It still want hold the truck. What do you think is the problem?
 
This is the Tacoma correct ?

Adjust the rear shoe's, apparently you are either NOT using the parking brake ( is what it is, not an E brake anymore ) or the adjusters are not turning when you do set the parking brake.

Every time you pull the parking brake, there is a little lever in the drum that tries to turn the adjuster and tighten the shoes. If you have been playing in the mud, or have repeatedly submerged the rear drums, the adjuster could have seized, not allowing the adjuster to turn, thus making your rear braking less effective and the PARKING brake not work.

There is a little rubber plug on the backing plate you can pull out and use a small screw driver or adjusting spoon to try to turn the adjuster and adjust the shoes.

It is also possible the cable INSIDE the drum is stretched or broken and the adjuster pawl isn't doing it's job.

after driving a bit, and stepping on the pedal to stop, does the pedal feel better after the seconds step? if so, this is your rear brakes out of adjustment.
 
I helped him look at it last week and it seemed like the cable was binding when you released the brake you had to get under the truck and manually push the cable back into the sheath. It would bind and then slide back in. So John, does it still do that?
 
Yeah it's the Taco. Yeah that's the 2nd thing we tried was adjusting the brackets that move the shoes inside the drum. I dialed them in where they were just barely touching the drum. Nothing inside there is broken that I could tell from looking at it. You can pull on the levers on the back side of the drum with your hand and they do tighten (you can here the adjuster clicking) enough where you can't spin the drum with your hand, and then release the lever and you can spin them. But as soon as you put the wheels on it's like it doesn't stop at all.

I haven't felt any difference in the pedal after any adjustments we've tried.
 
rattlecanpaint said:
I helped him look at it last week and it seemed like the cable was binding when you released the brake you had to get under the truck and manually push the cable back into the sheath. It would bind and then slide back in. So John, does it still do that?
Click to expand...

No binding at all now with the new cable, it's smooth as butter. It just still doesn't stop the truck. :confused:
 
OK so the cable was damaged internally, How much play is in the cable?
 
unless the drums have been turned recently, you can not properly adjust the brakes with the drum off.

The drum wears, and the shoes wear to the drum, we are talking thousands of an inch here.

adjust the shoes from the outside thru the backing plate, till they just drag the drum. the parking brake will set in about 8 clicks if that.
 
orangecherokee said:
Any ideas for the same problem but on a 99 Super Duty with disc brakes?
Click to expand...

same deal should apply, it should have parking brake shoes inside the rear rotor/drum. they either need adjusted or replaced.

pretty common deal.

if you have the know how, do it yourself, you'll get ass raped at most shops ( not all) for this repair.
 
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