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Post by xj98 on Jan 20, 2003 18:02:24 GMT -5
Help please,
1980 CJ-5. I attempted to adjust the parking brake as per the haynes manual. It appears that my right rear cable is shorter than my left one. I thought about tightening the equalizer nut and they would even up? Can I adjust the length from the wheel end on one or the other? Should I just scrap the rear cables and start from scratch? The cables appear to be fairly new. How much do new ones cost?
Also, pulling on either cable with a pair of channel locks will not cause the brake to engage (as observed by lifting the rear of the ground, spinning the wheels, and activating the parking brake). The cables are not locked up though.
Have not taken the wheels off yet. The regular brakes work great.
Any ideas on how to get a locking lug nut off if you don't have the key?
Thanks.
Parking it in gear Luke
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Post by A "CJ" on Jan 20, 2003 18:34:03 GMT -5
you might want to take off the wheels and get the drums off. Almost sounds that the e brake hardware might be missing in action. the only place I know to adjust the e brake cables is at the equalizer itself. But yeah the driver side e brake cable is considerably shorter than the passenger side. But first check to see if all the hardware and the e brake cables are hooked up in the drums......  |
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Post by lrmike on Jan 20, 2003 20:57:51 GMT -5
Many times I have found that the rear brakes are either worn out or WAYYYY out of adjustment due to stuck parts. If the shoes are too far out of adjustment, then you'll run out of cable before you get a good park brake (plus your adjusting the shoes with the cable at this point!  ) I agree, you definately need to get a look inside. Try hammering an old (or Craftsman ) 12 point socket onto the locking lug to grip it, it usually works but if you get desperate there are professional tools for the job. Maybe your closest tire shop would help? Good luck! |
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Post by xj98 on Jan 22, 2003 18:10:59 GMT -5
OK, this is what I've got. The driver's side brake engages, will hold the car still while giving it a little gas in first. The passenger side engages, but you can still spin it by hand when off the ground. I took the drums off, and everything looks like it is hooked up right. I still cannot figure out why the passenger side engages, but not enough to keep the wheel from spinning.  Tim and/or Karen: My equalizer is sorta thingyeyed because the passenger side cable is shorter than the driver's side. What I am trying to say is; I know that the cable itself is longer on the passenger side, because it has to travel to the other side of the car, but the length from the bracket mounted on the frame to the equlizer is considerably shorter. Also, unlike the picture, my equalizer is longer on one side of the bolt hole than the other. I put the long side to the passenger side because it looked right to me. Maybe I have it backwards and that is why the passenger side is not grabbing as well?  Lastly, when the drivers side is lifted off the ground and the parking brake engaged, it will not turn forward, but it will spin backward by hand?  Luke trying to figure out his rubic's cube parking brake system |
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EricT
Trail Guide
Short Timer!
Posts: 194
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Post by EricT on Jan 22, 2003 22:36:06 GMT -5
Lastly, when the drivers side is lifted off the ground and the parking brake engaged, it will not turn forward, but it will spin backward by hand? Luke trying to figure out his rubic's cube parking brake system That sounds alot like mine  |
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Post by lrmike on Jan 23, 2003 22:51:19 GMT -5
OK, to start with, the reason that the wheel will not spin forward by hand, but will spin backward has to do with the design of this drum brake system. On normal application, the top of the shoes will spread apart to contact the drum, the spining drum will then sorta wedge the shoes around to 'self lock' them into place. This is more effective going forwards than back mostly because of the amount of friction material on the shoe (less on the leading shoe). SO, if your parking brake mechanism isn't 100%, then it can't push outward very effectively, and one of the 1st things you notice is the 'backward roll'. Now, remember that both sides have to work together for the whole thing to work, i.e. if one side is real loose, the equallizer can't take out enough slack to compensate before the pedal hits the floor (or lever hits vertical). NOW.... how much adjustment is left on your cable? Are you certain that the SHOES are properly adjusted? How far down does the pedal (or lever) go down (or up)? (sorry, I work on alot of vehicles and I can't remember which one is on the CJ  ) Hope this helps ;D and isn't too confusing |
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Post by toynrnd on Jan 24, 2003 6:51:02 GMT -5
Could the drums have been machined so many times they are out of spec now?
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Post by xj98 on Jan 24, 2003 13:27:33 GMT -5
The drums look ok to me, put that is not saying much. ;D The good news is that that one half working brake was enough to pass inspection. LR Mike, thanks for the info. Very interesting. I would think one would want a 4x4 parking brake to work both ways. I thought about adjusting the brakes, but they work fine, so I did not. The Parking brake is adjusted almost as far as you can go w/o having the shoes drag on the drum. Don't ask. What I did see in there is that it appears that the brakes have not been attended to in a long time. I need to do that time, permiting. Oh yeah, the lever goes down about 3/4 of the way. Luke racing the dirt roads, waiting for more snow  |
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Post by lrmike on Jan 25, 2003 14:05:55 GMT -5
The Parking brake is adjusted almost as far as you can go w/o having the shoes drag on the drum. Don't ask. What I did see in there is that it appears that the brakes have not been attended to in a long time. This sounds like a classic case of having to go in and loosen up the adjusters, clean 'em up and get the shoes adjusted correctly. Most of the time people don't even notice the extra brake pedal travel due to the shoe adjustment, but trust me, it will make a world of difference in the park brake! If the adjusters are most of the way open already, then your drums may be oversized, as mentioned earlier  . I have a gauge for measuring drums, if you need. By the way, the park brake will hold both directions very effectively, once it gets working 100%! |
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Post by xj98 on Jan 28, 2003 11:03:44 GMT -5
OK, I will buy having to go in and clean the adjusters. It looks like nothing has been done in there for years. I will put that on my to do list, and also change out the shoes and clean eveything up. I hope that will work. If not, I will see about the brake drums being out of size. ;D Thanks for all the help.  Luke |
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EricT
Trail Guide
Short Timer!
Posts: 194
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Post by EricT on Jan 29, 2003 16:56:37 GMT -5
or you could convert to rear disk with an intergal parking brake like my vw has and don't have to worry about having drums.
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Post by xj98 on Jan 30, 2003 8:06:39 GMT -5
In the far future. After having to look at a non-running CJ for 3 years I want to drive this one around for a while before I take it apart. ;D Luke |
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) I agree, you definately need to get a look inside.
)
. I have a gauge for measuring drums, if you need.