Parking Brake Re-Line - Easier Than I Thought!

[Happy 46R]

I am not a mechanic but have certainly barked a knuckle or two on a stubborn nut and bolt assembly. I knew my parking brake was nearing its end of life so this winter ordered in the parts to change out the lining. I kept putting it off because I wasn't sure I knew enough to handle the job and I could not find any Youtube or video files that would step by step it for me. I am not a computer wizard either! Sniper was kind enough to post a relining of a tractor brake on a forum post that gave me some guidance. I challenged myself last weekend and although the test is yet to come after install I think I managed to do a competent job that will allow me to confidently leave the car with the brake applied. Not being as skillful with the video camera as KeithB7 I am going to rely on a few still pictures.

Initial removal was easy enough as I removed the anchor bolt on the passenger side of the parking band. I then removed the Adjusting Bolt Nut from the driver's side of the parking band and removed the bolt and two springs. This was followed by removing the Guide Bolt Adjusting Nut and Lock Nut which freed the parking band so it would slide over the splined area of the drive shaft. After removing the Clevis Pin from the Clevis on the end of the Parking Brake Cable and the Spring and Extension I removed the two mounting bolts from the side of the transmission so that the Activating Mechanism could be cleaned and inspected at the same time.

Once the parking band was on the bench it was easy to see just how worn out the lining was. Using a 1/8" drill bit I then drilled all the Rivet Heads on the outside of the parking band. Any residual rivet pieces were punched out of the band with a small drift punch. I then clamped the new lining onto the old lining and marked the rivet locations with a felt marker. The new stock was about 4" longer than necessary but it gave me a little sample piece to practice on. The material is 5/32" X 2 1/2" and is a non- asbestos woven material that is fairly stiff. After removing the clamps I inserted the material into the parking band and clamped it in place ensuring the marked holes on the lining and the drilled holes on the parking band aligned. The hole pattern on the parking band is not symmetrical so you have to be careful to make sure your alignment marks are matched at each step.

After drilling out the relining material through the parking band I unclamped the lining and clamped it flat on a scrap piece of 1" X 4" with the inside of the band face up. I wanted to countersink the new rivets about 1/2 way through the material but I do not have a drill press. I was also concerned that countersinking with a regular drill bit would create a void between the flat bottom of the Rivet Head and the beveled surface of the countersink hole. I used an 11/32" Pilot Point Bit with a depth collar attached to countersink the rivet head holes. I was able to use the extra material to practice a number of times to make sure I got the vertical alignment correct. After countersinking all of the holes I then realigned the new lining on the parking band and ensured the holes lined up before putting the rivets into place. The rivets that came with the lining were Split Rivets  and I simply put a small cold chisel into the split to force the two sides apart and then secured them with a Drift Punch to completely fold the tabs over. As the parking brake is not normally used for stopping a car in motion I felt the split rivet would be sufficient rather than a rolled finish.

I finished off the process by drilling a hole in an old H beam I have and attached a nut and bolt. The protruding part of the bolt made a perfect fit onto the head of the rivet and a sharp rap with a small ball peen hammer set the rivet head in the countersunk hole and finished the flatenning of the rivet. Turning the parking band 180 degrees was all that was need to complete the other row of rivets. Tomorrow I am taking the parking band on a 60 mile round trip to a brake and clutch shop in Edmonton Alberta to have longer rivets installed in the four end holes on the lining. (Two on each end) as these holes go through double layers of  parking band material and the supplied rivets were not long enough. Hope they appreciate my efforts. I also cleaned, lubricated and prepared all the parts to reverse the removal process and put the brake back together. I also gave the drum a light dusting with some 3000 grit sandpaper to ensure it was ok to go. It would appear that I did this project just in time as the rivets had just started to mark the drum. I will let you know how the install goes!

[Ivan_B]

Good job. You could've just used blind rivets for a more secure connection (if you did not want to mess around with the traditional solid ones). After all, the parking brake is also your emergency brake.

[soth122003]

I pretty much did the same thing for my brake band. My saving grace was I also did sheet metal work while in the military. Changing the band is easy for almost any one to do. The hardest part for anyone (including me) is to counter sink the rivet heads in the material. That was hard due to the type of material the band is made of (soft vs the harder material like metal). I did not have the depth collar to put on the drill bit so I had to use the Mark 1 eyeball, and I just used the bit by itself (no drill attached, just twist the bit to make the counter sink). It worked out all right though. The drill bit tends to grab the material and try to go further than you want it to, and I only went to far on one hole. 

Kudos to you for a job well done, and the pics will definitely help out others in the same situation.

 

Joe Lee

[Sniper]

If you want the tool to set the rivets and drill the holes in the lining

 

https://dcmclassics.com/brake-parts/427-tl-1014-brake-lining-tool.html

 

 

 

[Saskwatch]

Thank you for posting Happy 46R !

  Great Job ??