Parking Brake System: Description and Operation

Park Brake System Description and Operation

Rear Disc Brakes
The park brake system for this vehicle contains the "drum in hat" parking brake system. The park brake system allows a mechanical application of the rear parking brake shoes to the inner rotor surface by pulling the park brake lever. When the park brake system is applied, the effort with which the brake lever is moved is transmitted by the cables to the brake levers which force the rear brake shoes outward against the inner rotor surface.

Rear Drum Brakes
The park brake system is applied by pulling up on the park brake lever. Applying the park brake lever places tension on the park brake cables, which actuates the rear park brake mechanism. The system mechanically forces the rear brake shoes against the brake drums, locking the rear brakes.

Park Brake Lever
This vehicle is equipped with a self-adjusting park brake lever. This mechanism automatically takes up any slack in the cables and provides the correct amount of tension in the cables when the system is released. The park brake cables cannot be manually adjusted. When operating correctly, the rear park brake actuator applies force to the rear brake shoe and forces it against the inner rotor surface. When the parking brake lever is released, the parking brakes will fully return to their mechanical stops eliminating any drag on the brake rotor.

Park Brake Cables
The park brake system uses the following three separate cables:
^ The front cable
^ The left rear cable
^ The right rear cable
The left and right rear cables are joined to the front cable at the park brake cable equalizer. This vehicle is equipped with coated park brake cables. The cable is coated with a plastic material which slides over the plastic seals inside the conduit end fittings. The plastic material coating is for corrosion protection, and reduced park brake effort.

BRAKE Warning Indicator
^ The red BRAKE warning indicator illuminates when the ignition switch is in the START position and the park brake lever is applied or is not fully released.
^ The park brake warning switch is located on the park brake lever.
^ The park brake lever will ground the BRAKE warning lamp circuit and cause the BRAKE warning lamp to illuminate.