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The External Band Parking Brake


ChrisMinelli

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I got myself a creeper this weekend and took an under car tour of my 52 Plymouth.  The parking brake never worked and I think I found out why.  Way too much slack in the cord and the band seems to be seized up. 
 

How is it supposed to work?  Does the band squeeze the drum, forcing the propeller shaft to stop turning?  I ask because my band has 0 clearance (it is supposed to be 0.20 inch I believe) and it looks like the original material is just loose and spinning.  There is no tension at all because the “adjusting screw” (as the manual calls it) is missing.    
 

1.  Does anyone know what size screw the adjusting screw is, with thread size, so I can buy a new one?

 

2.  Does anyone know where this little bracket screws down?  (See photo). My cord is loose and hanging because this bracket is unattached.  I think the cord needs to be replaced but I want to try cleaning the threads up first that screw into the yoke.  Reattaching this will go a long way.  
 

3.  Can I take apart the whole assembly without draining the transmission for cleaning and relining?   In other words, do the bolts holding the parking brake assembly on screw into the transmission to where fluid will leak out if removed?


Thanks in advance!

 

D338203D-0ECC-491A-92DC-17DB9CFB5DA9.jpeg

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I've been working through similar struggles on my 49 Chrysler, mine was missing the adjuster bolt that goes on the passenger side of the transmission and that bolt was a 5/32 x 16. However if I'm right I think the adjusting screw you are referring to is the longer one that bolts up on the open side of the brake band? I don't have that measurements on that one but I bet someone in this forum will probably be able to chime in with that. I can't tell what that bracket goes to in your picture, but I can tell you that you can unbolt the whole assembly without worrying about losing gear oil as I just took my entire unit apart this last week. Best of luck to you in getting your parking brake working!

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I’d like to help. I’ve worked on a few parking brakes. The ones mounted on the rear of the tranny. 
 

However I’m scratching my head trying to figure out what I’m looking at in that photo.  Saying that, I’ve not worked on many Mopars, just mine. 
 

Perhaps a parts diagram would help? 
 

 

BF073B93-56E0-4EF7-B847-E0BEC21EADCD.jpeg

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If the brake material is loose & spinning its a good chance that its not reuseable so I'd be checking around for a brake shop who can reline the band, once thats done and everythings clean & you can see what if anything you are missing then it shouldn't be that difficult to get it working and they do work well once adjusted properly.............andyd

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The photo is upside down, looking across the bottom of the bell housing towards the brake/clutch pedal assemblies.  That bracket is to hold the parking brake cable away from those moving parts and align the cable with the mechanism on the brake, I don't know where it was attached from the factory, but any point that holds it away from those parts and lines it up will work if you're not set on the original location.  

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The bracket is secured by the forward-most flywheel/clutch inspection plate bolt on the driver's side.

 

edit: looking at it again, it's sandwiched between the large bracket and the bolt in the left-center of your photo.  Looks like if you rotate it 90 degrees and slide it slightly toward the front of the car it'll probably line right up.

 

_

Edited by Hamilton
clarity
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The cable is secured to the side cover of the transmission using roughly a Y shaped piece of steel about 1/8 to 3/18 thick. A pinch bolt is used to clamp it in place. You would be best off getting a service manual and examine the drawings inside, which are above as well from KeithB7.

 

All of the stuff related to the parking brake is external you do not need to drain the transmission.

 

It sounds like you are mainly missing the adjuster bolt which as you can see is a specialty piece of hardware. I'd look into getting a complete assembly as it sounds like there may be some other items missing from your set up. The whole shooting match is bolted on to the side of the trans. These assemblies are pretty much the same on most years of the flathead powered cars as long as the diameter of the trans brake drum is the same.

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11 hours ago, keithb7 said:

7ED42483-A574-4665-84A9-E96FE86C400F.jpeg

Keith,I think you pretty much covered this one!

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Thanks for the info guys!

 

Keith - where did your photos come from?  A parts catalog?  I need to find one of those.  My service manual only goes so far.  
 

Here is a photo of the missing bolt “anchor screw.”  I am pointing at it.  As one poster above mentioned, it is on the passenger side of the transmission.  
 

I have no way of testing my theory without being under the car while it is driving, but I suspect the assembly is just spinning loose because the missing bolt appears to be necessary to put pressure on the drum.  After further investigation, I think the assembly may be broken and that’s why the bolt was removed — to make it inoperative.

 

My best bet I think is to rebuild the whole thing.  
 

 

980C673B-F349-4914-9E7E-5D7E966C6F26.jpeg

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The "anchor" bolt is also used to push the E brake band close to the drum and start the band centering for adjustments. Needs to be wired in position after adjustments to keep where it adjustment ends up. One of the first to be set up when doing the band setup. May take several tries to get it all right..

 

Sure somewhere in those instructions posted here mention this.

 

DJ

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This is the bolt (5/16" X 18 X 1" long) that adjusts the side clearance on the e-brake band...has a 1/32" hole thru the head...

Note the conical tension spring too...

Lately all my pics are sideways both on phone and computer.. ...spent hours trying to correct .cannot fix sorry

E Brake Band Side Adj Bolt Spring (1).jpg

E Brake Band Side Adj Bolt Spring (3).jpg

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The photos I provided came from two sources. A ‘53-‘54 Mopar parts manual and a Motors Repair Manual. I didn’t  actually get into the proper OEM service manual on this topic. Although I do own a few. 
 

The Motors manuals are pretty decent and also worth owning. A good well rounded library is very handy to have. All sorts of things can be sorted out. Sometimes by a process of cross referencing and elimination. 

Edited by keithb7
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10 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

This is the bolt (5/16" X 18 X 1" long) that adjusts the side clearance on the e-brake band...has a 1/32" hole thru the head...

Note the conical tension spring too...

Lately all my pics are sideways both on phone and computer.. ...spent hours trying to correct .cannot fix sorry

 

 

Rotate your phone 90 degrees before you take the picture.

 

I replaced all that folderol, which was mostly missing anyway, with a carb stud and two nuts, though I suspect if I had a self locking nut that would have worked too.  No pics of it though.

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