Hello Ford people. Need some simple help from someone with basic knowledge of the Ford Lucas Girling brake system on my new to me 1989 f-700 manual shift. Bought the truck and now need to get it home. Runs good but brakes have almost no stopping power. Fronts slowly stop the truck with pedal mashed to the floor. Pretty sure it is air in the lines..and will deal with it and the possible cause after I get it home after driving it for 30 miles on back country roads. BUT...is there a manual parking brake cable? Seems like there is a hydraulic parking brake system and that is unfamilliar to me..but hoping there is a foot type cable driven parking brake or other manual E brake I can also add to the mix on the way home for more safety. If not, can the hydraulic parking brake be used for additional stopping power on this trip??......or is it an "all or nothing" thing where say I activate the hydo parking brake at 25mph, and the back locks up to a smoking screech?

Thanks so much! Lots of great info on this system here....but could not find the answers to these simple questions because I assume most people here already have the truck, and can just walk outside and check themselves..LOL/

 

You're going to want to fix those brakes before you embark on your journey..

There's no cable. Just springs.

 

About the same truck as my 98. Not sure but AFAIK you cannot engage the parking brake while rolling. Not positive on this.

Is Master cylinder fluid low ? Any noise from the hydroboost when you put the brakes on ?

If the pedal is going to the floor gradually, just get somebody to help bleed the brakes. As long as the hydroboost electric is not kicking in that should do it. Engine running of course. It should squeal like a pig if the motor is not running.

 

If you want to live, if you want to use that truck, if you don't want to be ruined financially, if you don't want to hurt or kill someone then have it fixed or tow it. Lg brakes are expensive to work on. Good brakes when operating correctly though.

 

Yeah, fluid was low in the res. Will of course bleed them before I leave and am about sure that will get them working better. But should there be some other issue that re-occurs shortly after hitting the road, or some problem that I can not address, I was wondering if there is an emergency brake option and how the parking brake used under movement behaves? Still hoping to get a definitive answer there. Really not any more risk than driving a tractor or other farm machinery..it is 2 hours from any city here and the thing stops as well as those things. I may still get it towed though.

 

There is no cable type ebrake, the ebrake on your truck is spring applied and will lock the tires up. I know what your wanting is an ebrake like older trucks where you can apply some pressure to slow or stop so you can ease it home but the system on that truck is all or nothing. You'll need to fix the brakes where it sits or have it towed