I really dislike the stock emergency brake linkage in my 49 F-1. It doesn't work very well. Has anyone rigged up a different way to operate the emergency (parking) brake? I'd like to dump all that bell crank garbage and put in something that works with the original E-brake handle.

 

I suppose you could use a simple splitter, a 1-into-2 arrangement like Chevy used, but the stock system works great when lubed up. Is yours all rusty? All of my problems turned out to be the cables from the bellcrank to the brakes.

 

I had the same problem with the parking brake cables in my 52. However, after lubing, cleaning and adjusting them, the problem was solved.

 

I disassembled mine, cleaned and painted all the parts and lubed them but they just barely hold. If I didn't have to pass state inspection I wouldn't worry about it since I NEVER use the parking brake. I have an automatic transmission. HELLO, that's what PARK is for....

 

What rear axle are you running? Could be your shoes aren't adjusted.

 

It's not drivable yet but I can still turn the wheel with it jacked up and the E-brake on. It's a Chevy 10-bolt rear but I'm using the stock 48-52 brake cables...

 

Oh, well, there's your problem.

Seriously, I have to agree with the others and say if everything is set up and adjusted properly, it is a good working system. I would suspect you still have some adjustment to do. I would look that direction before tossing out the baby with the bath water. Especially since you haven't even bathed the baby yet.

 

I had a Silverado with the 10-bolt, and it required a lot of pre-tension in the cables to apply the shoes effectively. It is a significantly different system than Ford's. I thought they would be dragging but it was just the nature of the beast.