Emergency Brake Assembly not engaging

James_GTS · Nov 17, 2024

Good day all, having issues with a hand brake.

1995 Rt/10

Symptoms:
Parking Brake does not engage.
Handle pulled to the full upright position "clicks" but the opposite gear than pulls the cable does not move.

I've hit everything with copious amounts of WD40 and everything moves as it should but the action between the handle lever and the opposing gear that pulls the cable in, is not responding. I'm not sure if something is missing, broke or just worn out. There is what appears to be catch that is just short of the teeth. I'm unsure if it's supposed to be stationary.

The spring still has plenty of pull but that could be it. Or something is broken. This seems really simple but my service manual doesn't provide pictures for my problem. I'll attach some photos so hopefully someone understands my gibberish.

GTS Dean · Nov 17, 2024

That does look pretty crusty in there. In my experience, 90% of the trouble is at the caliper actuator levers and springs. Pull the rear pads and rotors. Use either the correct driver, or a good pair of needle-nose pliers to push/screw the pistons back into the calipers (clockwise) 'til they bottom. Try using the handle several strokes to screw them out. Carefully lift the dust boot from the piston groove and spray silicone liberally inside. Repeat the extend/retract process half a dozen times.

You may find one, or both levers are stuck. Use vise-grips to pull the cable terminals out of the lever hooks. Next, use suitable channel-locks to squarely grab and rotate the lever(s) in plane of rotation. If you can't get it to budge, spray penetrating oil behind the lever, soak, then tap it with a small hammer from both directions.

Report back and let us know if it free'd up, or not.

James_GTS · Monday at 11:14 AM

GTS Dean said:
That does look pretty crusty in there. In my experience, 90% of the trouble is at the caliper actuator levers and springs. Pull the rear pads and rotors. Use either the correct driver, or a good pair of needle-nose pliers to push/screw the pistons back into the calipers (clockwise) 'til they bottom. Try using the handle several strokes to screw them out. Carefully lift the dust boot from the piston groove and spray silicone liberally inside. Repeat the extend/retract process half a dozen times.

You may find one, or both levers are stuck. Use vise-grips to pull the cable terminals out of the lever hooks. Next, use suitable channel-locks to squarely grab and rotate the lever(s) in plane of rotation. If you can't get it to budge, spray penetrating oil behind the lever, soak, then tap it with a small hammer from both directions.

Report back and let us know if it free'd up, or not.

Thanks for the response, Dean! I'll take a look at the rear setup and report back with those findings.

FYSA, from the cockpit, I can grab the single cab that is attached to the wheel of the handbrake assembly and pull the two cables with effort* from my hand. My observation is that from the assembly in the cockpit when I pull the handle to the rear there should be an equal amount of movement in the opposing gear set that houses the spring assembly. Which in turn should pull the single cable around the wheel and subsequently pull the two cables that go to each wheel. From the second picture I provided (150308), is that "catch" supposed to grab the teeth of the gear that retracts the cable? As depicted it is a micron from touching and from what I can tell there is nothing else that connects the handbrake lever side to the cable retracting side that actuates the actual retraction of the cable.

All, if anyone has any pictures of their installed handbrake assembly, I would greatly appreciate the reference photos. Specifically, photos of the assembly in the "Down" position and one in the "Up" position.

99RT10GTS · Monday at 11:30 AM

Dean pretty much nailed it. PB Blaster FTW. Let us know how it works out. Where in NC are you? I am up i JC, TN. I drive 181 south to Morganton a lot. Nice curvy road!!

Dan Cragin · Tuesday at 11:55 PM

The problem is with the ratchet assembly in the parking brake handle. If you remove the handle assembly you will see
a spring loaded dog that goes into the detent for the handle ratchet. That sticks. Clean it up and lubricate it,
then make sure it works.

Emergency Brake Assembly not engaging

James_GTS

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