when i park my std i use the parking brakes, but i have to tap the regular brakes for them to work, any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Have you adjusted your rear brakes?

 

put the parking brake on like 3-4 clicks, back the truck up about 5-10 feet, if that doesn't fix it put it down a little more and try again. This adjusts the rear brakes out, if that doesn't work then i don't know

 

I don't know if there's a dumber setup on a Ford - it's my biggest complaint - which may actually be good.

I have the same problem right now and have had it in the past. The solution for me was to REPLACE the guilty parking brake cable (there are two). The PROBLEM is in the design. The start point for both cables is just under your left cheek ( under the floor board).

Ford engineers put it right there, where any mud, slush, rain, snow, etc., that is on the road/trail will be picked up by your left front tire and slung onto the open cable ends & then proceeds into the cable housing. They start to rust and eventually freeze up. I've replaced three in the last ten years and that's ALWAYS fixed the problem - for a year or two.

There is a plate that takes the single cable from the P/B pedal and splits it into two - one for each side. You can tell which side is sticking by having someone apply the P/B as you watch. The one that doesn't move is the one to replace. If I remember right, they run about $40 - $60, the longer (right ) side being a little more. You'll have to pull one brake shoe to get to the other end of the cable.

I've tried using cable lube, grease, protective covers, duct tape, ...
'still can't get more than a couple years without the same problem... I figured they would have changed the location/design on later models...??? I suppose I should fab up a sheetmetal splash cover or something...

 

the rear brakes have been adjusted around three months ago, i did a mistake one , i left the parking break on while driving, me being stupid i was wondering why it was so hard to get her going, anyways i released the breaks, thats when it started having those problems, so yeah i know i was an idiot but i'm paying for it now, i'll check out what you guys have suggested, thanks again
chris

 

The cable are only ~$30 at most parts stores, with LLT warranty.

 

I am having a similar problem with an 83 F150. It seems that the State of Texas deems it necessary that I have a parking break in order to pass inspection, even though I never use it. One reason I never use it is because my father in law who is a retired mechanic holds that applying the parking brake when the brakes are hot after being driven, may tend to warp the the drums. I don't know if that's true or not, but regardless, I rarely, if ever use the darn thing! But I digress. While attempting to "adjust" the parking brake at the two cable split (where Broncr so aptly describes the Ford engineers [engineers oughtta drive trains] having located it in the mud/water/road trash), the adjuster bolt broke and fell on the ground. It was rusted, dirty, and even bent from it's ingenious location, but I hosed it with liquid wrench and WD-40, and it still broke when I gave it that 'ol "1 more turn". As I curse the impulse purchase I made at the Ford dealer for a new adjuster i.e. $$$$$, ( that by the way came without the adjuster nut (5/16 i.d. & 5/8 o.d. & beveled) for which they're charging $9.00!!!!...I am wondering if a different nut can be used as I can't remove it from the broken stud even after it's been soaking in WD40 for about 24 hours. That aside, now that I have read Broncr's story about frozen cables, I am beginning to wonder if I am "whistling in the wind" even after I have replaced the broken adjuster assembly. What do you think Broncr? I just finished replacing the rear brake shoes and they seem to be in adjust & working well, except that the parking brake won't work. I don't look forward to having to remove the secondary brake shoes after I went thru all the pain of changing these shoes, but if it's necessary I suppose I will have to suffer it. I am thinking that after I replace the adjuster assembly at the cable equalizer and the brake still doesn't work, I will have to replace the cables. This seems even more likely since as I stated earlier I rarely if ever used the parking brake, so it wouldn't have gotten any exercise and is likely rusted and clogged shut from the "engineering folly" that is the responsible for this. Anyway, now that I have used this reply to purge my demons and as therapy to work out the answer, let me know what you think Broncr, but remember, after struggling with the "I'll just do it myself" brake job I am still vulnerable. LOL

 

Putting the parking break on after driving your stick won't warp anything, my dad has driven sticks since he was 16, now 60, and always has done it, never once warped anything. From his mustang to F150 to 18 wheeler. As for the tapping breaks to make the parking break grab it is ok. Make sure that you adjust your breaks first, check the lines, and then if all else fails, just keep doing it. It sounds dumb, but it actually helps the breaks grab, and releases some tension on the cables, my dad did it on his 90 F150 never had to replace the cable and never had issues, I do it on my 95 and no problems yet