so i had a problem last year getting my e-brake to pass inspection.
i didn't fix it correctly,but was able to cheat it just enough by over tightening the brakes.
well along with ball joints,this year the e-brake failed.no surprise.
so i knew i had to finally dig into this problem.
everything all new ok,new shoes,hardware etc.and great looking low mile drums.
so anyway,after not figuring out the problem last year,this year i was determined.
on the pass side,i finally figured out the trouble was that,the e-brake lever (the piece that that cable goes to,and spreads the shoes apart) was bent! so i take it,and smack it out a little straighter with a 3lb.finally!!!! i saw it now could travel further,by starting out away from the axle hub.it spread the shoes apart
BIG time.i could tell that was going to put some serious pressure with the shoes onto the drum!
so now onto the other side.figured it would be the same problem,years of use,and someone stepping on the e-brake so hard it bent the levers on each side.
well no joy.
i still cannot for the life of me,figure out just how to make this sides lever spread the shoes.
it's just like the system was made wrong.im ripping my hair out trying to picture how this must have worked when new.
all new and fully working cables.
just cant get the lever to spread the shoes on this side.
one things for sure,when you have it right,its right! i mean it spreads the shoes so much,there's no doubt she's going to hold like she means it!
it will hold the diesel from going forward now with a little throttle.enough to pass inspection im sure of it.
but man.i really want the other side to work as well for safety reasons,along with just making my truck right.such a brain teaser.totally stumped.

so for some here who don't have a good e-brake.check to make sure the levers are not bent!
man,it took me a while to figure out that one.
now if anyone has any ideas or tricks to get the lever to spread the drivers side,i need the help.im so sure its together correctly.it just doesn't do a damn thing.im all out of ideas.

more details.
the inside part that actually does the spreading.#2a142.
appears to be hitting the wheel cylinder and thus cannot spin/spread the shoes apart.
that's why im scratching my head.
i have the normal SRW axle with spacers.
i see there are 3 size wheel cylinders.1" bore for the f250 light duty,a 1 1/16 bore for the SRW f250hd/f350 and a 1 3/16 for the f350 DRW axle.
i replaced both wheel cylinders,and they appear to be correct.but there just doesn't seem to be able room for that #2a142 to spin downward without hitting.im just not seeing whats needed here.i mean it won't spread anywhere near whats required.a tiny bit by hand,and nothing with the brake cable hooked up.

autozone wheel cylinder part #33595
and,in fact i thought they may have given me the wrong one last year(like a too large of one,being the f350 DRW axle one),so i picked one up at carquest and its the same dang thing.no room for the #2a142 to spin without hitting it,and therefor no way it can spread the shoes apart.

again,this is the driver/left side im working on.
pass side (power side of my open diff happily too) working and holding like a mother now.

are auto parts stores listing and providing us with incorrect drivers side wheel cylinders i wounder for our SRW f250HD/f350 sterling full floating axles?
it does seem odd,because there is a brake line adapter to make this side fit up.was there when i got the truck.was required again when i replaced it.and required again with carquests part as well.
no adapter required for the pass/right hand side.
just dunno guys.totally lost.seems too large and why an adapter to make the brake line fit it? it doesn't add up.

 

That adapter could be because of the brake line, not the wheel cyl...

I'm stumped.... kinda have to be there to see what i'm dealing with...

 

I have never had mine apart yet but are you sure part .#2a142 is turned the right way?
Just an idea from working on some older versions (early 70s) some of those would fit and look ok but only really work one way. don't know if this helps but it is the best Idea I have.
Ps. check the other side that works for things that don't match they should be mirror images of each other when you find the differance you will probably have the answer to your question.

 

the most common thing I see is 2a601 siezing to the e bk lever. You'll need to take the nut off in the back and knock the pin out to clean things up. It sounds to me like you're saying you can move the lever by hand... does it return freely? If it does I'm thinking that if you were to put the drum back on the other side and adjust it then it will work. The equalizer bar that connects the ft cable to the 2 rear ones will allow the side thats more free to move until it is stopped by the drum, then the other cable/lever will move.

 

The last time I had to replace wheel cylinders, there was no difference between the passenger and driver side cylinders. Is is possible that someone before you put some wrong parts it?
I think you're gonna have to play "Stare & Compare" with the other side to find the problem...

Good luck!

Phy

 

Are you sure the wheel cylinders were the same Phy?
The ones I bought at Carquest had 2 different part numbers, the only difference was the brake line fittings were on different sides, pointing in different directions. I'll see what I've got tomorrow...until then, I'll dig for pics.

 

well i smacked the two tabs of 2a142 together.it looks like it was spread apart a little bit.that seemed to help.but im not really getting anything impressive for brake shoe spread when i manually adjust the lever.
everything has been completely stripped apart.
i was hoping someone else ran into this problem of the lever not appearing to do much,and what tricks they took to fix it.
yeah,the wheel cylinders are L/R only.
im not even messing with hooking up the brake cable to the lever,until i see the lever properly spreads the shoes.leaving all that mess out of the equation for now.

 

Judging by the position of the diff. cover, this is the passenger side pointing DOWN. Just turn your head clockwise 90*


Passenger side


Crap, I think this is the passenger side also...but it's the only close-up I've got


I thought for sure I had more drivers side pictures...

And the rear brakes are adjusted so they lock up equally with the normal service brakes?

When you press the pedal down, how far does it go?
Have you checked that equalizer setup on the drivers side frame rail that connects the cable to the pedal to the 2 rear cables?

 

thats the thing.there's no point hooking the cable up to the lever yet.as its doing hardly anything when i push it inward by hand.
the top shoes kinda wiggle at best lol,rather than spread apart.
so if i hooked up the brake cable,toss the drum on.nothings going to happen.though yes.i did try just for kicks anf giggles.though i knew the outcome of that.
its all together correctly.i know exactly how it goes.iv had it apart/back on,and tried every other incorrect combo just out of frustration lol to see if i could get it to do anything.
something is worn or bent,and i can't figure out what it is.
it is much better with the tabs bent to fit snug.maybe im expecting too much.though i know this side isn't going to hold worth a crap if i just call it good and put it together.i know its not going to be right/like new again.
man,i got the other side like new,and was soo hoping to figure out the problem on this side.but it's like it doesn't even seem to be in the ball park of correct.that's whats throwing me for a loop.

 

its like 2a142's (also left/driver specific) tab's are not wide enough.see what im saying.because by the time i press the lever,and they start to move the shoes outward,the bottom of that thing hits my wheel cylinder.
perhaps the tabs are just so tight tolerances i cant see they are worn enough to make a difference.
and or,also the top/bottom are worn as well on it,where that lever sits on it to turn it.that's got to be the problem.
im gunna have to see if i can find a new one of those and try it i guess.
but where might i find that part new? hmmm.

also,here's a another kicker.iv got the spare rear axle from the one i bought with the dually spacers still.so i robbed its parts.the 2a142 and the lever and tried those,and same results.
that's why iv been scratching my head.but if its a common ware item(which seems likely now lol) i guess that doesn't tell me much.because i could just be dealing with two worn out drivers side 2a142's.

 

Thats what mine did on the pass. side. Oh well, I just left and removed the e-brake cable. They don't require it to work around here, makes you wonder about other cars.

 

I seem to remember my axle had a bunh of rust build-up and I had to spray a bunch of brake cleaner, gasoline, WD-40, and a wire brush to free it all up.
The e-brake lever moves easily by hand on yours? It didn't on mine until I cleaned it all up as described above.

I keep re-reading this thread, and it seems like you know what you've got...so it seems I'm stumped. And thanks for the detailed first post!! Knocked a lot of the typical questions out of the way right off the bat

I'll check my spare axle tomorrow. I'm digging it out on Thursday, pressure washing it, and taking pictures of it for Craigslist anyways...I'll do some digging for ya

 

Timeout...I think mine was sticking to the E-brake lever too now that I think about it.
I ended up just loosening the nut a bit on the backside of the backing plate and spraying about a gallon of WD-40 on the whole assembly and twisting/moving it for about 15-20 minutes.

 

well ya know,im pretty sure the one side locking up as good as it does,passes the e-brake safety inspection test.so im sure i could be all set now.
BUT,the thing is,if my other side worked too.i could actually stop the truck in case of a hydraulic line blow out failure and not have to crash my rig,in case of such an event.
this is why i really want it to be right.more for myself at this point.
it really is worth fixing and having a properly working e-brake system.
man.when they are right,they work GREAT! when bad though,my god,it's like nothing going to lock the brakes.
seems there's no middle ground lol.

yeah.but all my stuff back here,has been completely disassembled,and is spotless.
everything is brand new actually,besides the drums(which are still like new) and these e-brake lever parts.
everything can spin/turn resistance free.

old bolts that go in the center have been burnt out and tossed last year.
i replaced the center bolt that holds these parts with a grade 8 bolt and lock nut.fits perfect and works wonderful for the other side.
fits nicely inside 2a601 (sleeve/metal grommet -still not the correct word for that.bushing i guess it would be called.) and everything.

 

i think most of us have never seen a properly working E-brake on our older fords, i certainly never have, and i've owned 2 pickups, a van, and a LTD, they all offer a few pounds of resistance, but nothing worth using.
and here i just assumed they weren't worth a darn from the factory - good to hear there is hope!!
now i'm wondering if someone makes/sells those levers youre having problems with...