Exercise your parking brake

[Barry Wolk]

I sent one of my employees out in my 12 year old daily driver to get a gas cylinder for my hi-lo. He noticed that the parking brake light was on so he tried to release it. The light stayed on so he pushed the pedal to the floorboard and heard a pop.

It turned out to be a rusted parking brake cable that seized when he engaged it. It engaged the brakes so hard that I could barely get the truck to move. I had to call a tow truck.

I started thinking about it and I couldn't remember the last time I set it. I use the parking brake in my cars that have stick shifts, but I never seem to use the parking brakes in my automatics, except the Mark II as it starts in Neutral, not in Park. I thought that strange, but that's the way it came.

We who live in the Land of Flat (Michigan) rarely use our parking brakes. I asked a dozen people and no one that drove an automatic used them.

The mechanic said that we need to exercise our parking brakes fairly frequently, or they will seize up from lack of use.

You never know when you might need it.

[Shelly Harris]

Very true about not using the parking brake w/ automatics in the flat mid-west. However, the post on transmissions where one of our members mentioned the tiny bit of hardware within the trans that locks up the gears while in park has changed by driving habits. Not only in the Mark II but my Lexus 430SC also, I'm getting into the habit of setting the parking brake before I put the trans into P and turning off the engine.

[5bird7]

Have been using the parking brake since I learned to drive. Ours are always in good working condition and have needed to use them when brakes have failed. Thankfully not in an emergency situation yet.

[I hope you don't mind my bringing up old threads but going thru the site's short history is very fascinating and not too time consuming.]

[Roger Zimmermann]

In Switzerland, depending of the age of the vehicle, we have to let inspect it each 4 or 2 years by a government agency. The parking brake is verified and, if the values at the wheels are not in line, you have to repair it and show the vehicle again. If you don't comply, the police is coming to you and takes the number plates away. As the number plates are delivered by the government you cannot drive anymore...plus all the inconvenients this situation may cause. This scenario is not as short in real life, but possible.
Cars more than 30 years old have to be shown every 6 years if they get the status of oldtimer. Again, the government agency decides if your vehicle can be considered as an oldtimer or not.
In my case I do use the parking brake each time I'm driving my regular car (2000 DTS) as my driveway is like a ramp. Without the parking brake applied, the stain on the transmission parking device is very important and getting the lever out of Park is difficult.
The garage where my older Cadillacs are stored has also a ramp. Parking brake apply is also mandatory.

[peterr]

Another reason you should use it is on a lot of cars applying the park brake also operates the automatic brake shoe adjuster on the rear drums

[Barry Wolk]

I didn't think so, Peter, but I could be wrong. I'm under the impression that the self adjusters only activate when the brakes are applied when the car is put in reverse.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Shelly Harris]

Roger.... From my son's first hand experience in Germany with motorcycle inspections, it's clear to me that many of the European countries are well beyond reasonable with required testing and purchasing of licensing for motor vehicles.

[Nick DeSpirito]

Also, our cars do not start in park. I for one, never place the gear selector in neutral without the parking brake engaged.

[Roger Zimmermann]

I didn't think so, Peter, but I could be wrong. I'm under the impression that the self adjusters only activate when the brakes are applied when the car is put in reverse.


Correct. At least on GM cars; I suppose it's the same on Ford products.

[Chuck Lutz]

I understood that the Mark II doesn't have the self-adjusting brake. Is that correct?

[Mad Scientist]

I understood that the Mark II doesn't have the self-adjusting brake. Is that correct?
Yes. You must manually adjust them went needed.

Newer cars are self adjusting every time you back up and stop at least until the self adjusters wear out.

Disc brakes by design are inherently self adjusting.

[peterr]

Both the park brake and the reversing method have have been used over the years for rear brake ajustment. It just depends on what make and model you have, I've had both over the years. Maybe it's a country specific thing.

[Guscha]

Roger.... From my son's first hand experience in Germany with motorcycle inspections, it's clear to me that many of the European countries are well beyond reasonable with required testing and purchasing of licensing for motor vehicles.

Just on a sidenote: even your son's first hand experience in Germany is your second hand experience in a country far away.

[0bird2]

I have several comments for this thread.
Self adjusting brakes operate the adjuster when stopping in reverse, just putting the car in reverse just makes it go backward.
Mark II's did not originally have self adjusting brakes but they can be added by buying and installing a kit for early model Ford pickups, I believe the car kits are too small. Haven't tried it and don't plan to.

[5219]

Self adjusting brakes debuted on Ford Products in 1958. For many years, they worked when the cars were backed up.

However, Japanese cars, at least back to 1980, have self adjusters on rear drum brakes that work when the parking brake is set.

It is also true that disc brakes are self adjusting by nature. However, rear disc brakes are mechanically engaged when used as a parking brake. This function need periodic adjusting which is accomplished by using the parking brake.

Even when the area is flat, it is important to use your parking brake.

Alan R. Harris
West Pittston, PA
5219

[Sean Rollins]

Just replaced my rear wheel cylinders today and finally got the chance/ nerve to try the parking brake. I learned this the hard way once before: if you don't know the condition of your parking brake cables, remove the drums before testing! This way, if the cables seize up applied, there is no drama in removing them for freeing them up or replacing them. Otherwise, you are drilling the heads off the brake shoe mounting pins and prying the drums away from the backing plates. I got lucky. Mine were free.:)