E Brake Help
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 29
From: northeast Ga
E Brake Help
I can't get the ebrake on the 54 F100 Panel to work,It has all new cables,spings and hold down hard ware,The handle under the dash works fine,Rear brakes have about 3000 miles but are in good shape,When I pull the handle it comes up until tight.But brakes wont hold.I have pulled so hard the handl bent,I removed the drums checked for arms hitting,checked for movement,checked spreader bars and levers that hook to brake shoe,Unhooke every thing and checked the cables worked without binding,No luck.Then I fabed up a lever to increase the leverage that you get when pulling the handle,still nothing.I then took a small grinder and roughted up the shoes and drums to break any glaze,still nothing I then adjusted up the shoes and then cables untill they draged,Pulled handel for all I could and truck just rolled away.At this point I give up.Any ideals?
Senior User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
Maybe obvious but did you adjust the leverage bolt under the truck? I had this same problem and found that when I adjusted this to be snug on the cable going back to the brakes when I pulled the lever in the cab it finally worked. still not the best in my opinion but I have been spoiled with disk breaks.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,299
Likes: 1,059
From: NM
Do '54's have this bellcrank arrangement to go from one cable to two? My bellcrank was rusted in place, wasn't at all obvious, but the actual frame of it (and the bellcrank itself) should both pivot when you apply the lever.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 29
From: northeast Ga
On the 54 there is no bell crank it is a straight line through the frame from one cable to the other.I have a shop manual and have checked all routting.I did make a bell crank to give me more leverage and it still won't work.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 658
Likes: 0
From: N.W. Mo.
Do you have new shoes on the rear.
If the shoes are not worn into the drums for full contact or arced for full contact you do not have enough friction area to get the e-brake to hold.
If this is the case they will improve as the shoes wear in.
Re reading your post I see you have about 3000 mi. on the shoes. What does the contact area on the shoes look like. Is it getting near full contact or just a small area of the shoe rubbing. If the drums have been turned it takes more time to wear in for good contact .
If the shoes are not worn into the drums for full contact or arced for full contact you do not have enough friction area to get the e-brake to hold.
If this is the case they will improve as the shoes wear in.
Re reading your post I see you have about 3000 mi. on the shoes. What does the contact area on the shoes look like. Is it getting near full contact or just a small area of the shoe rubbing. If the drums have been turned it takes more time to wear in for good contact .
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 104
Likes: 1
From: Central Florida
Jack the rear up and apply the e-brake and make sure it is actually engaging enough to keep you from being able to turn the wheels by hand. If so, the problem is with the shoes/drum as indicated in the post above. Are you sure you have the right shoes? Does the curvature match the drum? If it's close it will wear in, if not your rear brakes are probably not working much at all. I can't remember for sure, but I think the primary and secondary shoes might have different amounts of friction material, so you could have the primarys on one side and the secondarys on the other. Double check for grease and oil on the drum too.
Good luck.
Good luck.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 29
From: northeast Ga
Ok this sounds better,Yes if I jack up the truck and pull the brake on ,I can't turn the wheels by hand.So if I turn the drums and put on new shoes this should cure the problem?
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Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,014
Likes: 9,969
From: Rio Rancho, NM
as 52 F3 and mclaughlinrp mentioned, check to see how much contact the shoes are having on the drum. Sometimes it takes awhile for new shoes to 'wear" into the drum due to the curvatures of each being slighty off (usaully due to ddrums being turned)
Also check that the primary shoe and the secondary shoe are in the correct position. The primary shoe typically has a shorter lining than the secondary and is located towards the front. The rear shoe, the secondary, has a longer lining.
If you jack up the truck and step on the brakes can you turn the wheel?
Bobby
Also check that the primary shoe and the secondary shoe are in the correct position. The primary shoe typically has a shorter lining than the secondary and is located towards the front. The rear shoe, the secondary, has a longer lining.
If you jack up the truck and step on the brakes can you turn the wheel?
Bobby
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 658
Likes: 0
From: N.W. Mo.
You either need to have the shoes arced to fit the drums (which is not done much any more) or use them until they wear in.
Turning the drums will increse the difference in dia between the shoes and drums and makle the problem worse if anything.
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,014
Likes: 9,969
From: Rio Rancho, NM
The easiest thing to do is to pull the drums off and look at the shoes. You should be able to tell which areas have been making contact with the drum just by looking.
Bobby
Bobby
Elder User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 907
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, Mo
Shoes
Dad used a belt sander and matched the shoes to the drum after turning the drums, before installation. Some of the old brake shops that turned drums had a shoe mounting bracket that match ground the shoe to the drum and did it for you. Another dying art. chuck