The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Parking brake Problems

I have a 1949 chevy 3100 truck I am restoring but am having an issue with the parking brake adjustment.

I am having a problem adjusting the parking brake as the 1949 chevy truck parking brake lever extension (this fits between the two brake shoes) seems to be too long as the brakes are locked up when the brake shoes are adjusted as far in as possible with the parking brake lever extension installed. The brakes work fine without the parking brake lever extension installed.

Has anyone had this problem or can point out what I’ve done wrong?

A picture is worth a thousand words. Please post one.

Is all the brake hardware new or did you buy a kit? Is the parking brake extender the original piece and was it installed when you got the truck?

I recently rebuilt the entire brake system on a '66 Mustang. The hardware I received was for 10" brakes instead of the 9" brakes I needed. Everything looked the same except the little bar for the parking brakes was too long.

I have torn everything down and am now rebuilding it but a lot of time has passed in the project and I don't remember if the parking parts are original or not. It looks like the proper part from pictures but it doesn't seem to work right when installed. I wonder how I can tell if I have the right part or if there are different brakes for the 3100 truck or if there is a special way to install the part?

Here is a picture of the parking brake. The circled parking brake extension pushes the brake shoes apart to set the brake and the brake spring pulls them together when the parking brake is released. My problem is that I can't adjust the brake shoes together enough so that the brake shoes are not away from the brake drum when the parking brake is not suppose to be engaged. ( Wow, three negatives in one sentence.) The length of the part seems to be too long if I have installed it properly but I can't figure out any other way for it to install. What do you think?

Could you have the left and right parts mixed up?

I'd have to take my wheel off to get a look at it tomorrow.

This is not my picture. I found it on the web. I marked the parts for both sides of mine and my parts match the pictures. You can't assemble the lever on the wrong side as it will not fit as I tried it. I am not sure about the lever extensions but the parts I marked to be together matches the picture. I'm at a loss.

There is a redline video that might help ,might be were the picture is from . Also check the shoes to the old ones for differences.

Thanks for the tip on redline videos. There is a lot of great videos there but didn't help my current problem. I need to take apart the brakes again and double check the parts again. I am getting an expert in taking the brakes apart and back together but installing the main spring is a real pain.

i did find my problem as I didn't read far enough in the manual to the section :PARKING BRAKE TOGGLE LEVER ADJUSTMENT.
This section points out that you adjust the parking brake lever by means of the eccentric bolt. Lesson Learned-Read the darn manual!!

The answer to all life's questions are in the manual.

Glad you solved it. I was going to take a wheel off today and take a picture for you.

I do have an update to this post. The toggle lever adjustment did not fix the problem. The real problem was that the parking brake cable stop was too long and bound up with the parking brake lever that didn't allow the lever to rotate freely. After cutting the stop in half, it now works. I posted pictures of the long and shortened cable stop.

By "stop" are you referring to the little thing on the end of the wire which keeps the cable locked in the groove of the bracket?

Judging by the filings present I guess you sawed it in situ?

Thanks for posting the fix. Others may benefit from your experience.

Yes that is the cable stop.