Parking Brakes

DESCRIPTION
The parking brakes are operated by a system of cables and levers attached to the rear brake secondary shoes.
The rear drum brake shoes serve as the parking brakes. The shoes make contact with the brake drum surface by a cable and lever mechanism attached to the secondary brake shoe.
The front parking brake cable is connected to the parking brake pedal and to an intermediate cable. The intermediate cable connects the front cable to the rear cables.
The parking brake pedal assembly is mounted on the driver side cowl panel. The front cable is directly attached to the assembly. The pedal assembly contains a spring loaded, torsion-type mechanism that will hold the cable in the applied position and allow the pedal to return. A rod used to release the torsion mechanism and return the pedal to normal position.

OPERATION
To apply the parking brakes, the pedal is depressed. This pulls the rear brake shoe actuating levers forward. As the actuating lever is pulled forward, the parking brake strut or cam on 3/4 and l ton vehicles (which is connected to both shoes), exerts a linear force against the primary brake shoe. This action presses the primary shoe into contact with the drum. Once the primary shoe contacts the drum, force is exerted through the strut/cam. This force is transferred through the strut/cam to the secondary brake shoe causing it to pivot into the drum as well.
A tension locking mechanism is used to hold the pedal in an applied position. Parking brake release is accomplished by the hand release.
A parking brake switch is mounted on the parking brake lever and is actuated by movement of the lever. The switch, which is in circuit with the red warning light in the dash, will illuminate the warning light whenever the parking brake is applied.
Parking brake adjustment is controlled by a cable tensioner mechanism. The cable tensioner, once adjusted at the factory, should not need further adjustment under normal circumstances. Adjustment may be required if a new tensioner, or cables are installed, or disconnected.