Parking brake not engaging

[gaprabbit]

Hello,
The parking brake is not holding my 2.3l convertible in place. I took a look underneath while my friend engaged the parking brake, and found that the brake cables are not being pulled at all. (In the picture you can see cobwebs indicating it hasn't been moved in a while). Assuming there is no issue with the cables and rear drum brakes, is the issue the handbrake assembly then? If so, is there a way to adjust it so it will actually pull on the brake cable?

 

[Mustang5L5]

Pull the center console top plate and inspect the handle. Verify nothing on the handle is broken and the rachet pawl is still engaging and moving the wheel the cable rides on.

 

[gaprabbit]

Pull the center console top plate and inspect the handle. Verify nothing on the handle is broken and the rachet pawl is still engaging and moving the wheel the cable rides on.

Ok i will take a look. Thanks!

 

[gaprabbit]

Hi there,

Pull the center console top plate and inspect the handle. Verify nothing on the handle is broken and the rachet pawl is still engaging and moving the wheel the cable rides on.

Hello,

I ended up installing new parking brake cables and new rear drum brake assemblies. Everything behind the parking brake assembly is new. Yet the parking brake is still not holding. The parking brake assembly handle is very easy to pull (When I pull on it, it clicks all the way up with no resistance).
Is this a symptom of my rear brake shoes needing adjustment? Do I use a brake spoon to spin the self-adjuster a couple clicks, or is this something that is "self-adjustable?"
Thanks

 

[Mustang5L5]

I’m not too experienced with drums as I chucked mine in the trash a long time ago and went rear disks, but the parking brake should not be that easy to engage. Sounds like something needs adjustment. Either the rear shoes needs to be adjusted or the adjustment pawl on the parking brake handle is set too loosely. I bet the parking brake is on the last tooth as it’s a self-adjusting mechanism so I would expect the rear shoes need adjusting

 

[gaprabbit]

I’m not too experienced with drums as I chucked mine in the trash a long time ago and went rear disks, but the parking brake should not be that easy to engage. Sounds like something needs adjustment. Either the rear shoes needs to be adjusted or the adjustment pawl on the parking brake handle is set too loosely. I bet the parking brake is on the last tooth as it’s a self-adjusting mechanism so I would expect the rear shoes need adjusting

Thank you, I will look into adjusting the rear shoes. How do you adjust the pawl on the parking brake handle?

 

[General karthief]

Thank you, I will look into adjusting the rear shoes. How do you adjust the pawl on the parking brake handle?

adjust the shoes first, per instructions given in your thread, then if the 'parking' brake is still non functional you can deal with it, one thing at a time

 

[gaprabbit]

I looked at the E brake assembly and noticed something that seems a little off:
While the e brake is disengaged, the pawl is sitting on the top teeth of the gear (see location 1 in picture). Is this where it's supposed to sit?
I tried to move the pawl down by rotating the teeth on the gear upwards (clockwise in the picture), however the metal bracket of the assembly is preventing the stopper on the end of the e brake cable from moving, because the gear with teeth is connecting to the wheel that holds the e brake cable (location 2 in picture)
Is there e something I'm doing wrong? Is the end of the e brake cable supposed to sit on the outside of the wheel, as shown in location 2 of the picture?

 

[gaprabbit]

I looked at the E brake assembly and noticed something that seems a little off:
While the e brake is disengaged, the pawl is sitting on the top teeth of the gear (see location 1 in picture). Is this where it's supposed to sit?
I tried to move the pawl down by rotating the teeth on the gear upwards (clockwise in the picture), however the metal bracket of the assembly is preventing the stopper on the end of the e brake cable from moving, because the gear with teeth is connecting to the wheel that holds the e brake cable (location 2 in picture)
Is there e something I'm doing wrong? Is the end of the e brake cable supposed to sit on the outside of the wheel, as shown in location 2 of the picture?

Just found this picture online of how it's supposed to look.. guess I will have to remove the parking brake assembly and try to readjust it so the end of the e brake cable sticks out on top of the metal bracket? Assuming I will need to stick a pin in the assembly and release the tension?

 

[gaprabbit]

but my question is, if i stick the pin in the e-brake assembly to release the tension, wouldn't that prevent me from rotating the gear clockwise?

 

[gaprabbit]

I fixed it! Turns out I just installed the e brake cable improperly to the handbrake assembly. The metal end of the e brake cable should sit snugly in the groove of the retainer. Mine was sticking out of the retainer, preventing the retainer wheel from spinning when I released the tension.