Realtime: EBrake Operation *Video*

[Tezmac]

So I determined last weekend what the terrible clunking sound under my cruiser was. Tore the ebrake apart and put it back together, but it still doesn't seem right. I'm not comfortable with the level of side-to-side play, both when it's engaged and when it's not. Is this normal?

Also, the hinged arm gets far too close to the shaft for my tastes. In fact, I can see some scoring on the drum shaft where this arm has rode on it at some point. I've used the FSM and Coolerman's website to assemble this twice now. What am I doing wrong?

Try to ignore the two non-JIS bolts

 

[spotcruiser]

You don't have the drum on there. With the drum on and the shoes adjusted properly, you shouldn't have anywhere near that amount of sideways movement. Do you notice in the video how the shoes are not expanding. They're just moving to the left. If the drum was on and the shoes were adjusted out, they would be forced to expand outwards against the drum.

Get an idea how much handle travel you have at the moment and then see if that changes with the drum on loosely and the shoes adjusted properly. I think you'll notice a difference.

What was the original terrible clunking sound, a bolt or two rattling around in there?

 

[Hoots Magoon]

I have nothing to contribute, but I was hoping to see someone cruising down the road and pulling the e-brake.

 

[Tezmac]

I dont know exactly what was slapping around in there originally. I have a video of it in a prior post.



All I know is that when I started to pull the drum, there was a spring-like slapping sound as it started to come out.

I just put the drum back in and the ebrake isn't holding no matter how tight I make the adjuster. It also sounds like the drum is rubbing on something when I turn it by hand with everything in neutral with the ebrake adjusted to the loosest setting. I pulled the drum again and painted the inside with some plastidip so i can see what it's rubbing on, if anything. Will report back when it's dry and I get a chance to check.

 

[spotcruiser]

Yeah, I don't know what to say about that noise. I'm pretty sure I have one of the e-brake actuating arms somewhere and if I can find it I'll see if it should move that much. I don't have a truck apart at the moment such that it would be easy to look at in place.

 

[MOTOV8R]

I swapped in an h41 and Orion. Rebuilt the e brake at the same time. I get that same noise you had in the video. Good to know it's coming from the brake. I will have to dig in and see what I find.

 

[shawnfj40]

Your brake looks exactly like it should. I would look round and make sure all the TC bolts and tranny bolts are tight. Look for excess slop in your drive shafts as well.

 

[spotcruiser]

Sorry, I can't find the part I was looking for. Honestly, I've never had someone pull the handle while watching the brake, so I can't tell you if that amount of sideways movement is normal for that condition. I wouldn't expect it to do that with the shoes adjusted properly in relation to the drum.

I don't know what would cause the noise in your video, other than a bolt rattling around in there. Is it possible that the noise is further upstream, like something in the speedo housing? I'd be tempted to pull the speedo housing and look for an issue. Good luck.

 

[MOTOV8R]

He said he fixed the noise by taking the drum off and now the brake isn't working.

 

[spotcruiser]

You got me. ????

He said he fixed the noise by taking the drum off and now the brake isn't working.

 

[77wagon]

When tightening/adjusting the ebrake- you loosen the adjuster. Right? Are you sure you didn't loosen the ebrake?

I think shawnfj40 is on to something, and his observations tend to be right on.

 

[Tezmac]

The clunking sound was definitely the ebrake internals, as I pulled all the components out, drove with them out for a couple days, and the sound was gone.

If you guys think the amount of play in the first video is normal, then I'm comfortable filling the xfer case back up and seeing how things go.

The parking brake may have been adjusted too tight with oily shoes that I thought I had cleaned up enough. Tight enough to constantly rub on the drum, but oily in that they never grab the drum, making adjusting them difficult. I have a couple new shoes on order, we'll see if that takes care of the brake not grabbing. Sound plausable?

 

[spotcruiser]

With the drum on and the shoes adjusted out, can you get it to where you only have a few clicks of handle travel? If so, then I'd say put in the new shoes and go for it. Make sure you put in a new seal and some RTV under the stake nut washer to prevent getting the new shoes oily.

The parking brake may have been adjusted too tight with oily shoes that I thought I had cleaned up enough. Tight enough to constantly rub on the drum, but oily in that they never grab the drum, making adjusting them difficult. I have a couple new shoes on order, we'll see if that takes care of the brake not grabbing. Sound plausable?

 

[Tezmac]

Yes, that's a good check I didn't think of. It's 7-8 handle marks out with the brass adjuster properly set (no shoes rubbing when I turn the drum). If I tighten the brass adjuster up 5 notches, I only get 3 handle notches showing.