Oh boy that I make an idiotic mistake. Emergency brake literally caught fire

[1949plymouthdeluxe]

I almost decided not to post this because it is embarrassing. When I got my Plymouth the brake lining for the parking brake was completely gone. So I ordered a new shoe. It came in the mail about a week ago and yesterday I got around to putting it on. Shop manual really did not go into any sort of detail about how to install this. And I didn't really find any instructions or posts online about how to do it either so I was kind of shooting blind. And when you look at this thing it's not super straightforward looking. There's several springs, some cabling, and a number of adjustments.

 

Anyway I get it on there. And it seems like the car is parking well and able to not roll away on a hill which is a good thing. I drive around the block once or twice and it seems like all is well. 

 

At this point I'm pretty confident in myself and I decided to go to the grocery store. I get maybe about a mile or so down the road and there is smoke now appearing under the car. Immediately pull over, it's clear that the emergency brake is dragging. Furthermore, when I looked under there there was teeny little flames popping out.  That is when I get the fire extinguisher out.  It was an older fire extinguisher that had shown full but after being in the car for 2 weeks to my surprise was showing it needed to be recharged. So I sat there looking at these little flames hoping they would go out so that I wouldn't have to see whether or not anything came out of the fire extinguisher. So the flames go out. I let it cool. And then I limped home.

 

Long story short previous person didn't know what they were doing and had installed an additional bolt on the other side of the brake shoe which was not supposed to be there at all. I wasn't aware of that because again the shop manual didn't really show a lot of detail about how this thing was supposed to be installed. This was causing the brake shoe to bind tightly to the drum off of the transmission. Didn't really do any damage. Brake line looked a little bit discolored and that was about it. So anyway I'd get it installed on there correctly and all is well in the world. 

 

I guess the moral of the story is make sure that you've got a fire extinguisher and that it is fully charged. I'm going to get a brand new one today. And also, maybe not a bad idea to stay a little bit more local when you're testing out things like I was.

Edited October 12 by 1949plymouthdeluxe

[plymouthcranbrook]

I put a new band On my 52 a couple of decades ago and I remember just having the manual to go by. It is a bit complicated I agree but I finally got it. I am glad your error didn’t cause more problems for you. I expected you post to say you did what I one did shortly after getting mine on the road for the first time. Forget to release the handle and drive about three miles before noticing it. 

Edited October 12 by plymouthcranbrook

[Sniper]

5 minutes ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

Forget to release the handle and drive about three miles before noticing it. 

 

That happens a lot, to me,lol

[JBNeal]

1 hour ago, 1949plymouthdeluxe said:

...I get maybe about a mile or so down the road and there is smoke now appearing under the car. ...

mmmmmmmm I reckon that is an odor that you will never forget 🔥

 

Years ago, when I focused on the parking brake on the '48, I too also had little information to work with other than knowing a local company could reline the practically bare band that I had...I assumed that they knew what they were doing when they asked what application the band was used on, but eventually realized that they riveted a lining that fit that they had on the shelf, which turned out to be too long and too thick [cue masculine punchline here]...with band adjustments out to stop the dragging, the parking brake did not hold, and not having anything available to trim the lining back, I opted to readjust to having a functional parking brake.  So for a long while, driving that old truck around was accompanied with the smell of simmering brake lining...YUM...eventually the lining ends wore down enough that the brake worked as it should, but I can still smell those first thousand miles in that old buggy...good times

[soth122003]

I don't know if the manual says this, but the last check I did on mine when installing it (long time ago) was put the car in neutral and apply the brake. Then try to roll the car. If if didn't move good. Then release the brake and make sure the car rolled smoothly. If it did great. If not for either of these two check back under it to adjust. Of course I do this and all works good, but a few weeks later I'm driving and notice "The Smell". I forgot to release the parking break. But no harm done other than feeling foolish.

 

Joe Lee

[andyd]

I bought the 1940 Dodge when I was still at school, September 1971 & still unlicenced.........had a couple of lessons thru a local driving school then my Dad agreed to take me out in the Dodge......well I always remember the time I was heading down the main highway and next thing there was some smoke.....not a lot but Dad looked at me......and then I realised I'd left the handbrake on....oops..........released it and was able to pull over, checked underneath and everything looke o/k and have never done this again........lol.....but always remember when I did............andyd 

[keithb7]

I did the same. Set my first one up too tight I guess. I smelled something. I figured it must be the pulp mill in town. I kept driving. At the next street light at a red light the magic smoke was quaffing up into the cab. WTH! I pulled over and laid under my Plymouth, in some gravel. I used my handy leather man pliers in the glove box to back off the adjuster nut. I didn’t see any flames. I was probably seconds away from them though.   
 

As you can see, many of us have been there too! 

[1949plymouthdeluxe]

My first indication that something might be up was that the lady behind me in a Subaru kept on backing away further and further. I figured maybe she was just worried that the weird old car would break down or something. It's only when I stopped at the stoplight and all the smoke caught up and blew into the windows that I realized that crap something was really not right. 

 

Drove it all around today and it seems like it's fine now. It's nice being able to know I can park places where it's not going to roll away now. It's very handy.

[Dan Hiebert]

I'll join the chorus!  I put a new parking brake lining on when we first got the car.  It didn't have any lining at all when we got it, and some of the parts were missing - that I didn't know at the time.  I've got the "adjusted too tight" box checked, but thankfully only made it down the block a little before I smelled it.  Our D24 has a warning light for the parking brake, yet I still manage to drive off with it on every once in a while.

[DonaldSmith]

My 47 DeSoto had a "Handbrake On!" light somewhere, where I wouldn't notice it. 

I made an auxiliary instrument panel, with a large "Handbrake ON, Dummy!" light.  Quite visible, but still not noticed. 

So I put a flasher in the circuit.  Now I notice the Blinking Light. 

 

Only thing, the flasher needs a a few seconds to warm up.  Just enough time to take off, with the parking brake still  on.    

 

  

 .  

[Roofus]

On my 49 chrysler, I put a buzzer connected to the flashing light.

[Dan Hiebert]

On 10/14/2024 at 1:36 AM, Roofus said:

On my 49 chrysler, I put a buzzer connected to the flashing light.

I like that, I would never have thought of that!