The emergency brake on our E450 shuttle does not work and it appears that there is a lever or something broken inside, but we can not figure out how to get into it to look it over. Anyone have a diagram and a clue for us?

 

Fords troubleshooting for the E450/550 parking brake assembly is... limited.

Basically, check the cable. If its not broken, out of adjustment, or popped off, you replace the whole assembly. There are certain parts available (shoes and springs). You should also check to make sure there is ATF (which is used as the hydraulic fluid) inside the parking brake assembly. Other than that, replacement is really the most straightforward option unless you are a full service shop with a lift and press.

Replacing the parking brake assembly requires dropping the drive shaft. I have attached the Ford Service Manual sections of interest.

http://www.filedropper.com/superdutyparkingbrake <- Pinpoint Tests
http://www.filedropper.com/superdutyparkingbrakernr <- Removal and Installation
http://www.filedropper.com/superdutyparkingbraketension <- Adjusting the Cable

To use the above links, click 'Download this File' in grey. These are PDFs and will require adobe acrobat reader or similar.

For diesel vans, the parking brake assembly is around 1300 bucks. If you want to go junkyard hunting, I THINK the 90-97 F-Super duty trucks used the same brake, as well as the 96-04 E-Super Duty and the 00-04 F450/550 if they were chassis cab.

 

Thank you for the input. I still don't have it fixed, but the $1500 fee seems pretty steep for my bike club. I did find this link of taking the unit apart. I don't have a complete shop. Is it possible to service the brake pads and check linkages without pulling the whole thing apart and removing the bearings.

 

This thread is four years old!

You haven't fixed it in four years?!

Lol good times.

 

It only gets driven for one week once a year as a support vehicle for a bike ride in Iowa, so don't thing . I had completely forgotten it didn't work until this year.

 

Does it really have the P brake on the driveshaft?
Never mind, I googled it, it is.
WEIRD

 

I have rebuilt a bunch of these and yes it comes apart, and no the video skips a few steps. Ford still does make the parts to fix it just did one a few months ago. They do burn up easy if the e brake light doesn't come on and someone drives it. I don't think the ford manuals show you how to fix these, replace as assembly but they have the parts. I see your not in a hurry so if you want to fix it I can give you pointers to help.

 

I would love some insight. I wen to the ford dealer after looking at it again, and he was saying he couldn't get parts and the only way to get this fixed was to buy the whole unit for $2K. Basically he was no help.

We have taken off the drive shaft and the 4 nuts that go through the drum assembly, but still can't get to the brake pads. I would like to just get the drum off to look at what is going on with the brake, as it has no resistance when activated. I have a diagram, but it is not clear if I can just service the brake shoe assembly without pulling the whole unit or not. Have it soaking in penetrating oil for now and will reassess later in the week.

If you can tell me A) Can I get to the brake shoes without pulling the unit and ripping in all apart, and where I can get parts, I would really appreciate that. Thanks

 

A) No you can't get to the shoes in the truck. B) Ford should still have the parts, you will need the shoe assm which is shoes, springs and backing plate and the 2 seals. You have to remove the whole thing, drain the oil out using the fill plug. Then you remove the large nut facing the trans. then it gets fun, you need a second person to hold the housing and then with a large plastic hammer or using a 2x4 and hit the end where the big nut was to push the center shaft and drum through the housing. It sounds caveman like but you can't press them apart because the drum is bigger than the housing. after that its easy the backing plate just bolts to the housing and most likely you will screw up at least 1 of the seals just replace both. I can check with my ford guy tomorrow on availability. I may even still have one extra.

 

Okay, thank you. We were just sure that the drum would just come off, just makes no sense that you have to go through all that just to change the brake shoes. Guess we will bite the bullet and pull it off.

 

I'd be looking in junkyards

 

Hopefully since this thread is 5 years old and not solved I can do another little bump.

I'm taking my ebrake off and can't seem to get the ebrake cable housing to break free from the bracket that holds it on the assembly. Looking at my new one seems like it has a lip for some type of latch that holds it in. Is there any secret method to get those out?

 

im having the same problem, what’s the trick to getting the cable off the zf brake housing ?

 

I dont remember how I did it unfortunately. Can you post a picture and maybe it will jog my memory.

 

It has been quite a while, but as I recall we had to set it into a hydraulic press to get it apart. It came apart with a bang, and we were sure we had broken it. It did have a bad bearing in it, so we had to take it to a shop to get that pressed on. New brake pads and some careful alignment with some high end spray lubricant to put the unit back together and we were back in action.

Somewhere I still have the diagram of the unit on paper, but it is in the shuttle bus 40 miles away.