i have a 2004 ranger fx4 level 2 which the parking brake does not work. It has to much slack in the cable. I was told that there is no adjustment and it is self adjusting. Can some one please tell me how to get the slack out of the cable!

Thanks
little truck

 

A good way to tighten any cable that is beyond adjustment or has no adjustment is to take split ring lock washers that are bigger than the cable diameter but smaller than the cable end, Open them up a little then slip over cable and pinch flat with a pair of vice grips. The idea is to put them between the cable end and whatever they attach to so they take up the slack!

 

First off, your truck is a 2004, there is no way that your cable is stretched so far that it is impossible to adjust it unless something is damaged. Even if its used all the time you should be able to adjust it.

There are two scenarios that I can imagine happening.

1. You have a broken/bent cable or bracket somewhere throughout your braking system. You need to replace whatever is damaged

2. Your rear brakes are under-adjusted. This is the more likely of the two. Even though your rear brakes have "self adjusters" (joke) installed on them, they should still be adjusted. Alot of times those self adjusters will freeze up, and not work anymore. I would inspect your rear brakes for wear.

First remove your rear wheels, and remove your brake drums. You may need to open the inspection hole, and un-adjust them to get the drum off. In your case they are probably so far under adjusted this wont be necessary. If they are rusted to the hub, take a big hammer and give them a wack or two. It should pop right off.

Next inspect your pads for cracking, then see how worn out they are. You may need to replace them. There is a silver cable that runs up near your wheel cylinder, down to the star wheel. This is the self adjuster cable, if that is loose, THEN it will cause probems. If this cable is stretched, then every time you adjust your brakes they will un-adjust themselves.

If all is well, put the drum on (not the tire) and spin it. If it spins freely then it must be adjusted. To adjust it you must spin the little star wheel. Every time you spin the star wheel, spin your drum. It should spin fairly easy, and you should be able to hear the brake shoe just making contact with the drum.

good luck,

Peter

 

Something else to check - see if the parking brake cable(s) are seized. The parking brake cable is actually made out of a few shorter sections of cable - one that attaches to the peddle, followed by an intermediate section and then it branches off into the two rear cables (one to each drum). You would be looking at the two rear cables. If you disconnect a cable from the brake shoe, you should be able to slide the cable freely back and forth within its sheath. If you cannot slide it freely, you should replace it (sometimes dirt and crud and salt gets in there and seizes them up). I've had to replace the right rear cable three times and the left rear cable twice on my 98 ranger. They're not overly expensive ($35 each at NAPA) and fairly easy to replace (even easier after you've done it a couple of times).
Matt

 

ok this is what i did for mine. The self adjusters never work in my opinion. Go into a empty parking lot. Go about 10 MPH leave your hand on the break release and pump the e-brake a few times. that SHOULD tighten it back up. If not. Climb under the truck and on the rear brakes there is a plastic dust cap removed the dust cap take a flat tip screw driver put it in the hole when you feel the teeth turn it until its snug. DO THIS WITHOUT THE EBRAKE ON. no not over tighten as soon as you feel that wheel starting to get tight stop. Do the same to the other side and you should be good to go.

 

I would note to exercise caution when doing the above post. Some inexperienced people might not know exactly how tight is too tight. After doing what was metioned above you should jack up each wheel and spin it to make sure it spins. It should spin freely but you should be able to hear the drum slightly rubbing the brake shoe. There should not be alot of resistance.

Too tight you will overheat your brake drum and possibly cause a fire (it HAS happened).