Any modified parking brake

[Hummer Guy]

I've burnt out my parking brake most likely, I've tried to adjust it with the knob on the handle but don't get any results. Has anyone ever come up with another idea for the parking brake? I was thinking of temporarily using a pedal depressor when I'm parked with the truck running, and usually I just put it in gear with the truck off, I know a lot of people say not too but I don't see how the truck can start up while its in gear unless it was hit by something. I'm guess a pedal depressor with it in gear would stop the risk of it being bump started too?

 

[Mullaney]

I've burnt out my parking brake most likely, I've tried to adjust it with the knob on the handle but don't get any results. Has anyone ever come up with another idea for the parking brake? I was thinking of temporarily using a pedal depressor when I'm parked with the truck running, and usually I just put it in gear with the truck off, I know a lot of people say not too but I don't see how the truck can start up while its in gear unless it was hit by something. I'm guess a pedal depressor with it in gear would stop the risk of it being bump started too?

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Diesel's need to be parked in neutral. Bumped and Starting on its own just isn't something you want to have happen. You could use wheel chocks to keep the vehicle from moving.

Question is: Does your have a State Safety Inspection? In North Carolina for example, the parking brake has to be functional. Now how well your vehicle is inspected is a completely different "issue" but if the brakes fail - the parking brake is the last line of defense before running over somebody or something.

 

[Elk1111]

A disfunctional parking brake is exactly how diesels start when left in gear. Please use wheel chocks until it’s fixed.

 

[ToddJK]

Definitely want to keep the truck in neutral when parked, not to mention if you ever forget that it's in gear and hit that start button, the starter will make the truck roll and could hit something you didn't intend too. I know that first hand as I done that years and years ago when I was green behind the ears. Have you checked the pads on the parking brake? You can also make some adjustments from under the truck at the brake too, some have done some minor modifications to take up more slack in the cable to not max out the adjustment on the pull lever in the cab. I know Tactical Repair has a YT video covering the parking brake, be worth a watch if you haven't already.

 

[Elk1111]

Is the cable moving freely. We had one a while back that had rusted up and just need some WD-40 sprayed in.

 

[HDN]

A disfunctional parking brake is exactly how diesels start when left in gear. Please use wheel chocks until it’s fixed.

I have a functional parking brake and still use wheel chocks just in case. The fire departments all around where I live chock their trucks on-scene. The TM says to chock wheels when parked too.

 

[clinto]

Just rebuild it. I rebuilt mine when I bought my truck 11 years ago and all I've had to do to it since has been replace one or two broken springs and keep it greased.

They are hard to adjust properly- they're more complex than they look. And to properly rebuild one, you need to remove it from the truck, polish the bellcrank to ensure the pins rotate smoothly on the shoes, cable has to be in good shape, new springs, etc.

I guarantee rebuilding it proper will be cheaper than any modified parking brake system.

Mine will hold my 17,000 lb. truck in place with 10,000 lbs. in the bed without issue.

 

[Valley Rock]

I replaced my parking brake shoes when I had my water tank off which makes it about a thousand times easier, it's not overly complicated, two brake shoes a drum and a cable to actuate .

I got new shoe fiber from Big Mikes motor pool about 5 or 6 years ago, if you get just the fiber like I did make sure you use the right rivets .

 

[Hummer Guy]

This is the device I had come up with for a parking brake but of course I want something more secure around the pedal; I'm thinking of having a device that push up against the seat instead of the steering wheel also.

 

[Hummer Guy]

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Diesel's need to be parked in neutral. Bumped and Starting on its own just isn't something you want to have happen. You could use wheel chocks to keep the vehicle from moving.

Question is: Does your have a State Safety Inspection? In North Carolina for example, the parking brake has to be functional. Now how well your vehicle is inspected is a completely different "issue" but if the brakes fail - the parking brake is the last line of defense before running over somebody or something.

Over here the inspection only goes with lights, wipers, and horn etc. I don't know how much trust I'll have in the parking brake if the brakes failed, I'll probably be better off downshifting

 

[Hummer Guy]

Is the cable moving freely. We had one a while back that had rusted up and just need some WD-40 sprayed in.

Going to check that

 

[Valley Rock]

What you are doing is incredibly dangerous, but I do not believe that you know why or how so I'm going to attempt to paint a picture for you here .

The brake wheel cylinders are absolutely the weakest part of a Deuce, or any air over hydraulic brake system for that matter, they have a higher failure rate than any other part on that truck .

By using a rod to push on the brake pedal constantly, you are loading every wheel cylinder on that truck all of the time that it sits parked, and at least one of them is going to fail, this is not a maybe, it is guaranteed .

When it does fail there's a probability that it could start and drive off or just roll over some hapless person or yourself or a child and then your life will change for the worse .

Out of all the the things on your truck that you could jury rig to get by with, this isn't one you should fool with .

I guarantee you somewhere on the world wide net or possibly even somebody on this site has some brake shoes available, and If you're not mechanically apt you could find someone to put them on for you .

There is also a parking disc brake kit that goes on the differential pinion that I've seen available online .

In the meantime please either park your truck on the level and use wheel chocks, you will never ever live to regret being safe .

And a bus load of nuns thanks you in advance .

 

[Hummer Guy]

What you are doing is incredibly dangerous, but I do not believe that you know why or how so I'm going to attempt to paint a picture for you here .

The brake wheel cylinders are absolutely the weakest part of a Deuce, or any air over hydraulic brake system for that matter, they have a higher failure rate than any other part on that truck .

By using a rod to push on the brake pedal constantly, you are loading every wheel cylinder on that truck all of the time that it sits parked, and at least one of them is going to fail, this is not a maybe, it is guaranteed .

When it does fail there's a probability that it could start and drive off or just roll over some hapless person or yourself or a child and then your life will change for the worse .

Out of all the the things on your truck that you could jury rig to get by with, this isn't one you should fool with .

I guarantee you somewhere on the world wide net or possibly even somebody on this site has some brake shoes available, and If you're not mechanically apt you could find someone to put them on for you .

There is also a parking disc brake kit that goes on the differential pinion that I've seen available online .

In the meantime please either park your truck on the level and use wheel chocks, you will never ever live to regret being safe .

And a bus load of nuns thanks you in advance .

I never thought of that, I appreciate the advice, I will totally fix the parking brake, I believe it's just the cable that's stuck possibly, the brake was perfect not long ago but I accidentally and drove on it a few times. I've never parked it with the rod but had just came up with the theory, thankfully I didn't.

I currently have it parked on a flat surface with chocks on the wheels.

 

[Hummer Guy]

Seems like my issue is the cable, the pads still have a lot of life left and the brake doesn't even move with the lever. My guess is that the cable is broke somewhere inside of the hose.

 

[Valley Rock]

Seems like my issue is the cable, the pads still have a lot of life left and the brake doesn't even move with the lever. My guess is that the cable is broke somewhere inside of the hose.

I do believe that those cables are still available, however something you need to be aware of is getting the correct cable .

I have a used one off of another Deuce I used to have, and it will not fit my current deuce .

The outside sheath is the same but the internal cable is shorter and I could NOT make that thing work and it wasn't for lack of trying, so if you order up a new one or have one made (and you can) make sure your replacement is same as current one .

 

[WillWagner]

I think the cable length os different based on the type of handle it is. Squeeze type handle or the kind with the adjustment knob on the handle

 

[Valley Rock]

I think the cable length os different based on the type of handle it is. Squeeze type handle or the kind with the adjustment knob on the handle

I was just thinking of that and I would have to concur, my old Deuce is a 63 Studebaker and the spare cable I have is out of a 68 Kaiser .

That old truck is not around anymore to compare to or see what type of handle it had, but when it comes to these Deuces it's often NOT a one size fits all deal .

Measure twice, buy once .


So, I'm literally editing as I'm writing this, I thought about it and I thought the handle I removed my spare cable from that I attempted to put on, was the same as the one in my 63 deuce and I just found it, and it is .

So I don't know what was different about that truck or possibly the handle, but I could not make that cable work in my 63 without modifying something .

I remember trying to put it on I thought I was losing my mind so if the cable you had fit and worked measure it inside and outside and get another one exactly like it if you can .

 

[Elk1111]

M35A2 Parking Brake

The parking brake on my new Deuce seems to be barely functional. It keeps it from rolling when parked on just past flat ground, but anything beyond that and it will take off. So: I ran out of light today to check (not literally, I have a flashlight with the Deuce), but assuming the pads are...

www.steelsoldiers.com

This older thread should have a lot of advice on the whole rebuild.

 

[HDN]

I had no idea that the deuces had different styles of parking brake lever. Was that a difference between the gassers and the ones built as multifuels?

 

[clinto]

There is also a parking disc brake kit that goes on the differential pinion that I've seen available online .

I don't think a pinion brake is a good idea on these trucks. There are several threads explaining the issues, but driveshaft speed and the open differentials make them not a good match for our trucks.

I think the cable length os different based on the type of handle it is. Squeeze type handle or the kind with the adjustment knob on the handle

The ends are different as well. The earlier squeeze type handle has a threaded end, like the bellcrank end, the later handles are an eyelet (I think).

I had no idea that the deuces had different styles of parking brake lever. Was that a difference between the gassers and the ones built as multifuels?

Not so much gasser vs. multifuel, just something that got upgraded over the years.

The M44 series trucks look very similar over the years, but at some point, almost everything on the truck changed.

The squeeze type handle continued in 1961 when new M44 series trucks began getting the A1 multifuel at the factory. I'm not sure when the changeover to the modern handle started.