OldGerman Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 Hello Riviera friends, I was searching in the forum to find information, how the release lever of the PARKING BRAKE keeps the foot lever in park position, but did not find the right information. I hope somebody could help me with the following problem : If I push down the park brake lever with my foot, it does not rest in the parking position. I found that there is a mechanism with a toothed element connected to the release lever, which somehow does not push against the foot lever, to lock it the parking position. It looks to me, that there is a spring missing. Unfortunately in the assembled condition I can't see how it works, even with driver seat removed laying on the floor. I already nearly broke my neck, without getting the right angle of view, to come behind the secret how it works. Even on the picture taken from the manual I can not find the piece, which is maybe missing, to make the park brake resting in park position. See picture attached. Who has a parking brake mechanism removed from the car to have a closer look ? Any help is highly appreciated. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slosteve Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 Will be following this with interest as mine has similar characteristics. It only grabs on occasion; as when I'm working on it, but not when I drive it and then apply it. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64Rivvy Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 same here. with mine I'm afraid to fully engage bc I'm worried it won't release. I'm not sure there is a spring. My hypothesis is that the cable has loosened so much that there is no longer enough resistance to engage the gears. I haven't looked at it really closely yet, but that appears to be how it works. Essentially, the resistance on the lever that causes the teeth to engage actually comes from the tension of the ebrake cable when it is pushed down and stretched. Then upon release, the tension is enough to fully disengage. My fear is that there's just enough tension to engage it slightly, but not enough to disengage which is why I haven't played with it yet. Maybe someone can enlighten us on how it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slosteve Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 I had the same thoughts and set about taking the slack out of the cable. There are a couple adjustments to do this right in front of the X member. The brake now functions well but I still have the non engagement issue. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alini Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 (edited) Make sure your release handle is as far UP as it goes. You push down to release. The cable tension itself is a little misleading, the service manual gives you specific instructions for setting the brakes correctly. I would spray some WD-40 (or equivalent) around the pivot points of the handle assy. The brake cable tension does help with the locking, so if you have alot of slack in the cable I would start there so you can get some engagement. You need it to be engaging to do the proper adjustment. If you need those instructions let me know I will dig them out of the manual for you Edited December 4, 2015 by alini (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGerman Posted December 5, 2015 Author Share Posted December 5, 2015 I'm just renewing the complete set of cables, to make sure there is nothing sticking. After setting the correct length of the cable I will check function again.I also recognized, that there is a retention spring missing under the floor between chassis frame X and brake cable linkage-Lever. So there was no pull back in the cable. Could this be the reason ?I'm going to fin out soon, Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alini Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Much of the return spring tension is in the cable ends at the brake drums. If you dont have spring tension in the cable I would start there actually. If I recall the pedal does have its own return spring but its more for the pedal and less for the cable movement. The retention pieces at the body and frame are there simply to hold the out sheath of the cables in place. During normal brake cable operation they play no part in the movement of the cable. If those are moving in and out of their holes during the operation of the parking brake you dont have enough tension on the cable itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telriv Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 There is a spring in there that pulls that toothed pawl into place. I just repaired one on a '64 Wildcat. You need to drill out the required rivets, find a replacement spring in the spring section of the hardware store & bolt it back together. Tom T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slosteve Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I finally removed the pedal assembly so I could find that little spring Tom was talking about. This is where it's at and I can't see replacing it without pulling the assembly. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest smoore19 Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 I have an total assembly out of a parts car and agree with the post above. The springs will not get the brake peddle to stay if week or if the assembly is bent or rubbing. Wont hold the cab down to it wont engage the teeth properly. The cables however if not lubricated will get rust build up between the sheathing and the actual cable. Binds up and then causes what your describing. Above that was also mentioned. Try taking some PB blaster and spray it into the sheathing at the place where it goes through the fire wall (just behind the assembly). Also try spraying some on the other end as well. Hope this will help. Do not use WD40. WD40 becomes sticky after it dries and will complicate the cable even worse if that is an issue. Make sure the parking brake assembly is not bent and your getting a metal to metal rub going on. That assembly is easy to bend actually and it binds almost where the second picture above shows some rubbing. Look just behind the pencil. You will see rubbing on the metal plate. That keeps the peddle from moving freely and sometimes causes what your describing. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telriv Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 They ALL do that. It's the way of the design. There are NO cables involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slosteve Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 The cables however if not lubricated will get rust build up between the sheathing and the actual cable. Binds up and then causes what your describing. Above that was also mentioned. I removed the cable from the body and where it enters the frame as it was very hard to move. I tried spraying in the ends of the sheath with a few different things but that didn't help much. I had a pan with some residual Automatic Trans Fluid from a recent service of another vehicle so I laid one end of the cable in it and worked some ATF into the sheath. WOW! It started loosening the grime inside and within a few minutes that cable was sliding like it was brand new. When I started on it, I had to use vise grips on one end of the cable just to get it to move. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest smoore19 Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Hopefully when you get things back together and try the assembly again it will operate as it should. If not your probably going to have to do as Tom listed earlier in his post. Hope you do not have to go that far and the cable lube fixed the issue, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slosteve Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 After checking all of the known resources in my little city and coming up empty handed (they all carried a much larger one), I ordered some from McMaster-Carr. Had to get a package of 6 for $5 & change; plus $6+ for shipping. I've got 4 left in case anyone needs; I lost the first one to the black hole within minutes of fitting it. I chose to drill a hole in the frame to remove the original rivet and replace it with a bolt that I ground the head down to size. The legs of the 'torsion' spring were a little longer than the original so I trimmed the end that touches the ratchet tab and left the other long. When I re-installed the pedal assembly and the cleansed cable I received great satisfaction in that the whole e-brake functioned quite well with that familiar clicking sound when applying it and the nice snap when releasing it. Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68RIVGS Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 (edited) As everyone can see from the photos the pedal portion of the ebrake system is stamped from bare steel and is prone to rusting. The only painted portion of the pedal mechanism is the part that is usually visible under the dash. The ebrake cables are steel also, inside a steel sheathed housing that may, or may not, have a cover to protect it from the elements and corrosion. With ware, age, weather conditions, or just lack of use, these bare steel cables will corrode and actually sieze, sometimes locking up the cables in the sheath, or the rear ebrake mechanism.From my old motorcycle days, a similar situation could happen with the clutch, and brake cables. To add some reliability, and longevity to the cables we used to lube them on a regular basis with AT fluid, or chain saw oil, which was a no-no, as grease or oil attracted grit 'n dirt which was supposedly not good for the cables - but I never had to replace a clutch, or brake cable as a result of this procedure. I used the same lube on my ebrake system when the entire brake system was rebuilt almost 40 years ago ! Edited January 12, 2016 by 68RIVGS (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGerman Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 After checking all of the known resources in my little city and coming up empty handed (they all carried a much larger one), I ordered some from McMaster-Carr. Had to get a package of 6 for $5 & change; plus $6+ for shipping. IMG_8838.JPG IMG_8839.JPG I've got 4 left in case anyone needs; I lost the first one to the black hole within minutes of fitting it. I chose to drill a hole in the frame to remove the original rivet and replace it with a bolt that I ground the head down to size. IMG_8841.JPG The legs of the 'torsion' spring were a little longer than the original so I trimmed the end that touches the ratchet tab and left the other long. IMG_8843.JPG When I re-installed the pedal assembly and the cleansed cable I received great satisfaction in that the whole e-brake functioned quite well with that familiar clicking sound when applying it and the nice snap when releasing it. Steve Hello Steve, thank you very much for all the pictures which are very helpful to me.As soon as the winter weather allows, I will check if at least the larger coil spring is in place. This one will be easy to replace, but the small torsion spring build in the seesaw, will be much more work to replace (if needed). Is it possible to get access to the nuts which keep the complete barking brake mechanism in place (attached to the firewall ), without removing inner fender, .... or what ever ? Again thank you for providing all this details !!!! Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slosteve Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Is it possible to get access to the nuts which keep the complete barking brake mechanism in place (attached to the firewall ), without removing inner fender, .... or what ever ? Frank Yes, it is possible, however the lower one requires some patience, dexterity and a swivel socket + extension. Also very easy to drop, especially while replacing it.Glad you were helped with the photos, Frank. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGerman Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 Finally I fixed it :-) I Need to remove the complete parking brake mechanism from the Firewall to follow steves Pictures how it should look like.I found the complete foot brake Lever bended, so that the cable was not longer aligned with the lower guidance . The small swiveling piece which holds the pedal in parking position stucked in between the bended parts. After straightening all the pieces, it worked again.The small Torsion spring was broken. Could not find one, so I just added some wheigt ti the piece by gluing a metal pin on it. I soaked the cable with a lot of oil, so it is moving free. After Reassembly it works fine :-) Thank you all for your valuable advice. Frank Pictures were taken after straigthening. It is still not exactly straight and a bit wavy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anestech* Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 I’ve got a different issue, my brake latches, holds, and releases just fine, but the pedal won’t return up to the released position on it own. I’m assuming a spring needs replaced, but I don’t see which one it is. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telriv Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 The e-brake cables need to be adjusted/tightened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now