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Parking Brake

24K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  IM101 
#1 ·
Hi I'm a newbie here. I just purchased a used 3500 Promaster Diesel. Have a question about the parking brake. Is there an adjustment for it. Seems to me it needs tightening up. I have to pull way up on lever to the point it interferes with exiting van. Ouch!!!


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#6 · (Edited)
My E-brake problem isn't in the the cable pull. There is plenty of tension on the cable and at the handle. I think it is at the E-brake pads. What is the correct procedure for adjusting the E-brake inside the rotor and correct tension of the star adjuster thingy? I don't think my mechanic is going to get this sorted. Thanks
 
#10 ·
Thanks, BKHI. The underside of my Promaster is really clean and rust free. The pivot operates freely. The cables are all very clean and I have never had the winter cable freeze up problem some have discussed.

My mechanic, who is really a good guy and continuing to work on this with me at his expence, contacted a shop that works exclusively on Winnebagos, other RVs and Promasters. My mech described the problem and the other shop said they knew exactly what he was dealing with. We need to get a specific brand of brake drum kit.
Sparta drum kit for promaster.

I haven't heard of them but I said do it. This will be the third drum/pad kit we have tried. I'll update after the installation next week.
 
#11 ·
We need to get a specific brand of brake drum kit.
A reading from the Book of Mopar: 05 - Brakes / Brakes, Base / Parking Brake / Standard Procedure plus SHOES, Parking Brake / Adjustments...

NOTE: The parking brake shoes used in the drum-in-hat park brake system do not automatically adjust to compensate for brake shoe lining wear. Therefore, it is necessary to manually adjust the parking brake shoes.

1. Verify the parking brake lever is in the released (down) position.
2. Raise and support the vehicle.
3. Remove the wheel mounting bolts, then the tire and wheel assembly.
4. Install a couple wheel mounting bolts to hold the brake rotor in place while adjustment of the brake shoes is made. NOTE: To find the adjuster wheel with the brake rotor on, position the hole in the front of the rotor drum as follows: •Left side – 7 o'clock. •Right side – 5 o'clock.
NOTE: When adjusting the parking brake shoes with the drum-in hat rotor installed, rotating the adjuster wheel upward will loosen the adjustment. Rotating the adjuster wheel downward will tighten the adjustment.
5. Utilizing a hole in the front of the rotor, make a fine adjustment of the shoes.
6. Lower the vehicle far enough to access the interior of the vehicle.
7. Reach inside the vehicle and cycle (fully apply and release) the park brakes.
8. With the parking brake lever in the fully applied (up) position, attempt to hand rotate each rear brake rotor to ensure that the parking brake shoes are working properly.
9. With the parking brake lever in the released (down) position, hand rotate each rear brake rotor to ensure that the parking brake shoes are not dragging.

Linkage adjustment in the quote below

A reading from the Book of Mopar: 05 - Brakes / Brakes, Base / Parking Brake / Standard Procedure plus SHOES, Parking Brake / Adjustments...

NOTE: The parking brake shoes used in the drum-in-hat park brake system do not automatically adjust to compensate for brake shoe lining wear. Therefore, it is necessary to manually adjust the parking brake shoes.

1. Verify the parking brake lever is in the released (down) position.
2. Raise and support the vehicle.
3. Remove the wheel mounting bolts, then the tire and wheel assembly.
4. Install a couple wheel mounting bolts to hold the brake rotor in place while adjustment of the brake shoes is made. NOTE: To find the adjuster wheel with the brake rotor on, position the hole in the front of the rotor drum as follows: •Left side – 7 o'clock. •Right side – 5 o'clock.
NOTE: When adjusting the parking brake shoes with the drum-in hat rotor installed, rotating the adjuster wheel upward will loosen the adjustment. Rotating the adjuster wheel downward will tighten the adjustment.
5. Utilizing a hole in the front of the rotor, make a fine adjustment of the shoes.
6. Lower the vehicle far enough to access the interior of the vehicle.
7. Reach inside the vehicle and cycle (fully apply and release) the park brakes.
8. With the parking brake lever in the fully applied (up) position, attempt to hand rotate each rear brake rotor to ensure that the parking brake shoes are working properly.
9. With the parking brake lever in the released (down) position, hand rotate each rear brake rotor to ensure that the parking brake shoes are not dragging.

STANDARD PROCEDURE - PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTMENT

3. Loosen the jam nut (2) and lightly tighten the equalizer nut (1).
4. Using an assistant in the vehicle, apply and release the hand brake lever 5 times to fully seat the parking brake components (1).
5. To measure the force on the hand brake lever, the force gauge must be placed 40 mm (1.57 in) from the tip of the grip, perpendicular to the lever handle (2).
6. Using the force gauge, adjust the rear cable tension by rotating the equalizer nut (1) to achieve 80 N (18 lbf) with the hand brake lever at the fifth click.
7. Re-measure the input force at the hand brake lever at the fifth click to ensure it is still at 80 ± 5N (18 lbf ± 18 ozf ). 8. Holding the equalizer nut (1), tighten the jam nut (2) to 15 Nm (11 lb-ft).
9. Actuate the parking brake to ensure that it is functioning properly.
10. Lower the vehicle.

What they don't show is the return spring is lightweight and easily corrodes, while adjusting take a long look at that...

Anyhow, been a while since the PB adjust routine has been mentioned, keep your shorts on!

64817
 
#16 ·
Liv&Calissa,
Just this Monday I finally feel safe parking my ProMaster 3500 Ext. in my steep driveway. Up until now I was still using wheel chocks to keep it from creeping. The third set of E-brakes and WEEKS of adjusting by my mechanic has finally worked. Dodge told them to replace the two cables from the pivot to the wheels too but they were fine in my opinion.

My mech also told me I don't have the star adjuster. I have an automatic adjuster in each rear wheel. That is very strange since most info I have read says I should have the manual adjusters.

I guess, and I am guessing here because I didn't want to touch the brakes and assume liability for the brakes failing while my mech was working on it, It came down to premium quality brakes which were wider than the first two E-brake brands. Not thicker but wider and covered more surface area on the drum brake. Then adjusting the cables for the correct tension.

My original complaint was the E-brakes suddenly stopped holding. When my mech removed the drums the pads fell off the E-brake backing plates. No longer attached.

I am now please except for the money it is going to cost me. I will probably see the bill the end of this week.
 
#17 ·
Well, @%#&%!
I drove my vehicle 200 miles with the new brakes/E-brakes. Afterword, the E-brake no longer held. I am soooo tired of this. My mech. took the brakes apart and said he saw brake dust in the factory scoring of the drum surface so the pads could not gain enough friction to hold the vehicle in place. The brake manufacturer recommended they replace the brake drums AGAIN. Unbelievable. Here it is Early October and I am on my 4th set of rear E-brakes/drums.

Right now the latest E-brakes hold if my ProMaster is facing uphill but not at all when facing downhill. I will be driving 200 miles on Oct. 6. I will then note any changes in performance.
 
#18 · (Edited)
If parking brakes are only activated when standing still they can not wear the drum, nor can they bed or seat.

I have regularly applied my parking brakes just enough to slow the vehicle down at low speed and then release them. I do this every now and then a few times to remove rust/corrosion from the drum and to freshen the surfaces of the shoes.

I have never heard an auto mechanic suggest this idea.

It never surprises me when rarely used parking brakes don't work properly, If they are only applied when the drum is not turning then there is no rubbing or scuffing.

My mech. took the brakes apart and said he saw brake dust in the factory scoring of the drum surface so the pads could not gain enough friction to hold the vehicle in place. The brake manufacturer recommended they replace the brake drums AGAIN
What? Brake dust. What?

Ask him to examine the brake shoes closely and check exactly how much or what areas of the brake shoes show wear. If they have not ever bedded in and are only showing wear on small spots then obviously they won't have any holding power. Ask him about gently applying the p brakes at low speed so they can wear in and bed properly
 
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