P15/explorer park brake problem

[56Alan]

Just fitted an explorer rear axle with disc brakes which works really well except for the parking brake. Joined the explorer cable to the original P15 cable and because the old transmission brake only required a small amount of movement it's not enough to operate the explorer park brake even with all the slack removed. Has anyone done this swap and solved this problem or can suggest a solution before I put the transmission brake back?

[Plymouthy Adams]

you will need to make the marriage point of the old and new join in the manner of a belcrank IF you truly need more pull.  So far in all my upgrades the standard lever setup when properly coupled has been more than adquate

 

 

Edited November 2, 2017 by Plymouthy Adams

[wayfarer]

The Exploder brake should be easy to operate with existing leverage. Can you verify the actual amount of needed travel?  And as mentioned, a bell crank will increase the leverage if needed.

 

[56Alan]

The explorer brake cable seems to require more lateral pull than the p15 park brake lever can manage, would a bell crank not just increase the leverage but not the length of pull? I may be wrong about this so if anyone has a pic of a modified arrangement it would be  much appreciated. Thanks for the replies.

[Ajgkirkwood]

heres my thoughts/idea when i read you post. You have a pivot point. And connect your hand brake in the middle of the bracket and the ford e brake cable at the opposite end of the bracket from the pivot point. What happens is for every inch pulled on the hand brake in the car. It pulls twice the distance on the ford e brake. Now this will become tougher to pull as you are covering twice the distance on the ford e brake. However there is most likely enough levage on the hand brake lever that it should still be decent to pull

[Merle Coggins]

What type of parking brake assembly does the Exploder axle have? Is it drum brake inside the brake disc hat? If so, are they properly adjusted? Maybe if properly adjusted that will reduce the amount of pull needed.

[56Alan]

Merle, yes it’s shoes inside a disc and maybe I haven’t adjusted them the correct way. What’s the best way? Adjust shoes for slight drag with cable slack? Any advice would be welcome.

[Merle Coggins]

Pretty much like adjusting any other drum brake. Pull the rubber plug from the inside and use a brake adjustment spoon to spin the adjuster wheel until there is some drag when you spin the wheel, then back it off a click or two. 

[dale]

I have the same problem with my Explorer rear disc brakes.  I modified the hand lever to take the brake cable I had but that didnt work out at all.  I got another Plymouth hand brake off a 47 and am now ordering a 1969 Roadrunner cable that will hookup to the hand brake handle like the old Plymouth did.  It has been posted here that setup will work.  Will see if it gives enough travel to activate the rear brakes.  The way it is now is I pull the handle all the way and I can still turn the back wheels by hand.  May have to do as Aigkerkwood suggests.

[56Alan]

Dale, This is the mock up I did to see if a lever system would work, it does, although the dash lever requires more effort.

The original cable only moves about 5/8" where as the explorer cable moves about 1 1/2" which is enough to lock the brakes

The brackets need to be beefed up a bit so now I know it works I will make a proper job of it.

[dale]

I ran the cable from the Plymouth brake handle to the outside of the frame like the Explorer was and then with a turnbuckel hooked up to the Explorer cable so I could get all the slack out.  Think Ill run a 3/8 inch dia bolt thru the frame there as the bellcrank pivot and install it as shown.  With an 1 1/2  inch travel needed for the Explorer its no wonder the brakes didnt work.

 

[wayfarer]

I don't have an early car in the shop to look at but wondering if a solution can be had by changing the attachment at the handle.  Anyone have a brake handle laying loose that we can look at?

[Plymouthy Adams]

So far, every upgraded rear gear I have used and take the associated brake cables with me from the donor have always matched up and substituted from the 40-at least 2004....the fact that I stayed Mopar all the way may have a lot to do with this...the latest install a 2004 and the very cable from that brake donor connected to my 48 Plymouth pull handle as if factory specific and I also utilized the brake light switch on a retrofit to the 48 handle assembly to take advantage of the brake warning light...

[dale]

6 hours ago, wayfarer said:

I don't have an early car in the shop to look at but wondering if a solution can be had by changing the attachment at the handle.  Anyone have a brake handle laying loose that we can look at?

The original handle cant be altered much due to the movement would change the angle the cable is attached.  I thought about this also and it wont help.

[YukonJack]

Maybe this would help. Made by Lokar.

[56Alan]

The lokar setup looks like a good alternative and they do the cable and fittings to suit the explorer axle. I assume the lever bolts into the same place as the original one?

[wayfarer]

Unless the attachment point of the cable is moved away from the pivot then nothing is gained with the Lokar. Moving the attachment was my previous thought.