The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Parking brake linkage help - cable going in to drums

Working on my '55.2. The parking brake has never worked, and now I've discovered why. The brake line going in to the drum is not connected to the parking linkage. And to be clear - the current set up of the truck DOES have a parking brake line coming out of each of the rear drums; but it is NOT hooked up to anything. The parking linkage DOES have a parking brake cable hooked in to the linkage, but it does NOT go in the the drum. So basically, I have 4 sets of lines that are zip-tied together under the bed and nothing is hooked up an working.

I have to assume the rear-end on my truck is from a 55.2 but the truck was assembled in the 1980's and the engine and tranny are from a 78 blazer, but I assume the rear end is still from a 55.2 (I can't ask my FIL about it, he's passed away).

So - I need help and input on how to tackle this. Is there a way to disconnect the brake cable from the linkage (see manual, Item #4 on figure 99) http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/gmc/5559mm/5559mm255.html

and then I can just then install the brake cable that is currently installed to the drums?

Or, it is better to pull the drums off and disconnect the brake cable that is in the drums right now, and connect the cable that is currently installed with the rest of the brake linkage system? I've never worked with drum brakes before.

Hope this all makes sense. I would post a photo but it just looks like a giant mess.

item 4 on that diagram is the bracket on the frame the cable passes thru, the 'casing' is held with a C-clip there if I remember right, that cable has an end forward that is held on with a nut on a threaded rod, the other end is connected to the p-brake cross link inside the drum, you just need to pop the drums and take a look, pretty self explanatory how the cables come off .... but you should figure out which set of cables are correct to start

Bill

Ok, thanks Bill. I'm going to pull the drums off tonight. I didn't know if it would be easier to connect at the casing, or connect in the drum. Everything I've found on the net about the inside of the drums suggest I have to take the brakes apart to get the parking cable inserted in to the arm inside the drums. I've been reading up on drum brakes, seems straight forward enough, just need some specialty tools.

you cannot replace part of a cable, and no need for special tools, simple things work fine, and anything under the drum is easy to remove if necessary to disconnect those cables, might have to remove a brake shoe is all, the cable end bolts onto a cross link bar between the 2 shoes

Bill