My parking brake was heading to the floor with no bite, so I tried to adjust it, no luck. When I pulled up on the brake release, it just sat there and didn't come back up. So, I picked up some pbrake shoes and hardware kit at Autozone, went home and pulled off the first wheel, drivers side rear. The whole pbrake assembly was rusted shut and in bad shape, so I disassembled it and noticed there was slack in the pbrake cable to that side. I took the pbrake lever out of the top hole after disconnecting it from the brake cable; so what do I find? The brake cable was completed rusted through and had snapped at the flange where the cable mounts to the brake assembly backing. Completely snapped, unbelievable. So I replaced the cable, what a hassle that was. Here's a tip: You need to first connect the end of the new cable to the part that is midway along the running board on the driver side (that joins both the left and right cable at one spot). Then, connect the other end to the parking brake lever on the driver side. Then, pull the cable sheath backwards to put tension on the cable and slide the cable guide into the holder that is midway along the running board, and then snap in the part that attaches to the brake assembly. Don't do it any other way, otherwise you will never get it connected to the brake assembly. I replaced all the parking brake parts on both sides and basically ended up restoring and overhauling all of it. However, .....

..... I don't know about you guys, but as I was doing this job, I noticed that the track bar and the upper and lower rear suspension arms were completely corroded, I mean paint coming off in sheets. I ended up having to remove and restore those parts as well; remove the rust and repaint all. What a hassle. I guess these parts were stamped from cheap material at Ford. Anyway, I thought I had been doing a good job with flushing out the underside, but I was mistaken. You really have to check the structural and suspension pieces in detail and restore and repair where all that rust forms or you will be degrading the performance of those parts. Just my .02 and experience. Maybe I'll get another 8 yrs out of this truck, who knows.

 

I don't know if you figured this out already, but when working under the back end like that remove the spare tire. It's amazing how much room you end up with to work in there.

 

Yeah, I had to do that to work on the track bar. I also found spots of corrosion on the floor board welds and seams and on some of the frame just under the spare tire; I'm sure the tire traps moisture in places between it and the underbody. I just basically derusted it and painted it. I also had to overhaul and paint the spare rim. Unfortunately, I did not Ziebart this truck 8 years ago because I believed then that the corrosion problems had been fixed and there was a warranty. I guess I'll be chasing rust for a couple more years. I did check the brake lines and did not find any corrosion there, thankfully.

 

I am so glad I live in a place where we have no need to salt the roads and not close to the sea. No signs of rust under my 01 Expy.....thankfully.