The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Parking Brake piece missing. Need help.

I'm in the process of re-doing the entire brake system. When looking at the parking brake, I seem to be missing the cable that runs from the pivot bar to each of the rear drums. I don't see a part in the Classic Parts catalog, and am not sure how this piece works, where it goes etc?

Can anyone help or better yet have any pictures.
This is a 51 with Bendix brakes.

Thanks.

Mike,

I just had the same problem. On the rear drums there should be a speader bar that goes between the shoes it's just below the brake cylinder and just above the axle. The cable hooks to a half moon shaped piece that has a bolt on one end that fits in the hole that is in the top of the rear shoe. when the cable is pulled it applies pressure to the rear shoe via the pivot point and the speader bar applies forward pressure on the front shoe.

On my brakes all of this stuff had been removed at some point, and I feel your pain because there are no photos in any books that depicts the setup. I remember finding a picture in a book I'll try to find it and get it to you.

Picture would be great! I'll go out tomorrow and see if I can see where this stuff would go. I don't believe I have those parts. I have all the original linkage from the pedal to the pivot bar in front of the rear axle. Nothing from the pivot bar to back of drum.

Where did you find the parts?

I think the picture I'm thinking of is in the 1954 shop manual, but it's located in the rear axle section. I located the parts locally by asking the same questions you're asking here on stovebolt. I may have an extra set of the levers I'd sell ya, but I've gotta check my suburban's brakes to make sure all of the pieces are there first. I'll let you know later this week.

51-54 Pass and 1/2 ton used the same Parking brake shoe lever. You will need a Left and Right. The Extention Strut and spring is the same for both sides.

Pic of rear brakes

Great! I think I'm still missing cables under the truck going to the rear drums as well. Couldn't find a clear picture for that section. Wonder why the brake kit from Chevy Duty doesn't have the parking brake parts?

You will want to check Jim Carter for your parking brake parts. They've got the cables and the pulleys. None too sure about the spreader bars, though.

Mike I found the picture in my 54 Shop manual, if you have one it's on page 4-4 figure 7. I'm not sure if you can pick out what your looking for but it's the best picture I've seen so far. I think you need the parking brake 71-711 Chevy Duty part number as well as the gaskets and if you want to get the dust boot as well.

What does the parking brake cable attach to in the brake area? I do have the bracket the cable ran through on the back side of the drum. I even have a bit of torn off cable inside. However, there are no parts to attach cable to which would pull shoe?? Does the cable attach to the shoe itself?

The pictures above were very helpful. I understand where the spreader bars go and where the cable attaches under the truck.

Using the pic from above, the lever # 5.149 attaches to the back side of the shoe using the bolt, 2 washers and nut as shown. The parking brake cable will fit in the notch at the bottom of the lever.

Installation instructions

That's what I thought but wanted to be sure. I also found out today that I'm missing the strut (spreader bar?). Chevy Duty said this piece is required for the rear brakes to work. Is this correct? If so, they don't sell the part.

Thanks again.