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| | | | Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 122 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 122 | Hello all: I have a small problem with the parking (emergency) brake on my '53.
The pedal won't stay down (engaged) when I try to set the parking brake on my truck. I've tried modifying the angle on the lock bar but that doesn't seem to help (just scrapes the paint off the connector bar). Shoe adjustment seems OK as well.
Any ideas or suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanks!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,286 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,286 | Do you have the spring which goes between the lock bar and the parking brake bracket (which is located on the outside of the toe board)?
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | | | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 11,096 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 11,096 | So is 5.497 the part number for any old spring? Both the one on the pedal and the one on the release rod are the same number. They obviously aren't the same size. 
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 122 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 122 | Do you have the spring which goes between the lock bar and the parking brake bracket (which is located on the outside of the toe board)? Carl: Thanks for the suggestion. I do have the spring in place. It looks like I may have to keep working with the shape and bend on the lock bar. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | So is 5.497 the part number for any old spring? Both the one on the pedal and the one on the release rod are the same number. They obviously aren't the same size. That would be: 4.597  4.597 is the Group Number for "SPRING, Parking Brake". The specific springs are then listed in that Group.  | | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,286 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,286 | Before you alter the lock bar, remove the release rod from it and see if it holds the pedal in the locked position. Sometimes the rod gets bent or installed incorrectly, preventing the lever from locking the pedal into place.
Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,286 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,286 | Before you alter the lock bar, remove the release rod from it and see if it holds the pedal in the locked position. Sometimes the rod gets bent or installed incorrectly, preventing the lever from locking the pedal into place.
Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 122 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 122 | Carl: Thanks (again) for this suggestion. I tried separating the lock bar, but it did not make any difference. I'll keep after it, and if I am able to fix it, I'll share the secret of my success.
Last edited by bajones238; 02/09/2017 7:21 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,286 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,286 | One quick question. Is there any interference between the lock lever and the floor mat? I have had issue with just the slightest contact of either the floor mat or the padding underneath the mat. Those lock bars can be finicky.
I strongly urge you not to alter the lock bar in any way. Hopefully someone who had the truck before you didn't alter it, causing you the difficulties you are having.
You can try removing the paint from the curved, round pedal rod to allow the locking bar to have a better bite upon it. The force which makes this apparatus work is friction between those 2 parts.
Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 122 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 122 | This is an old subject, but I thought I would post how I solved the problem.
Evidently, when I was working under the dash at some point, I managed to hit the small L-shaped bracket thru which the parking brake release rod goes (probably, with my head). I managed to bend one leg of the bracket enough so that it exerted just a little tension on the back side of the release handle. Just enough tension, it turns out, to prevent the brake from engaging.
Straightened the bracket, so that 1/4" of play remained between the bracket and the handle (like the manual says), and all good now. | | |
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