Leaving parking brake parts out of drum brakes?

[treveiger]

Im just wondering(and I think I know the answer) would it be OK to take out the parking brake assembly out of the rear drum set up of a truck and leave it? My cables are shot and ive never nor will ever use them. The only reason Im wondering is because their locked in the "engaged" position so I cant get my drums back on. The truck is a 69 c20 and ho52 rear end. Id like to just take the two drum brake parts and the whole parking brake set up off the truck. Would this affect the normal braking use of the drums? I use my transmission for it not moving any way. Ive seen some pictures on here without them on but just want to cure my suspicion.

Thanks

[rico7769]

I took mine out years ago for a similar reason and it runs fine. The only down side I've found is that the self adjusters were somehow associated with it and you could pull the brake 3 or 4 times and it would adjust the shoes out the to proper position in the drums. Now I manually adjust them every now and then. Not sure about the technical answer of yes or no. Good question.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by treveiger

Im just wondering(and I think I know the answer) would it be OK to take out the parking brake assembly out of the rear drum set up of a truck and leave it? My cables are shot and ive never nor will ever use them. The only reason Im wondering is because their locked in the "engaged" position so I cant get my drums back on. The truck is a 69 c20 and ho52 rear end. Id like to just take the two drum brake parts and the whole parking brake set up off the truck. Would this affect the normal braking use of the drums? I use my transmission for it not moving any way. Ive seen some pictures on here without them on but just want to cure my suspicion.

Thanks

What about passing your annual safety inspection? A parking brake is technically one of the things they're supposed to check (at least here anyway)

It's all just a manual pull system anyway. To get it working temporarily, why not pull on what's left of the cable on either side with vice grips, to get it to release?
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[jocko]

If it were me, I'd fix the problem. Parking on an incline with the trans as your only roll prevention isn't the best idea. I rarely use mine, but when it's needed, it's needed. I recently redid my brakes completely and the ONE piece I could not locate was correct rear cables (72 c20 d60). But some of the places could rebuild what I had. Mine weren't bad so I redid them myself. Good to have when u need em. And required on some states to pass a safety inspection.
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[treveiger]

Hey thanks guys for the info and help. Up here in sd there's no inspections' basically if it can move its good. Seriously I've seen some crazy stuff lol. I never park on a incline don't like the idea and where we live its pretty flat.
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[67 chevelle]

you can do without it but I would fix it , its fairly easy , and could save your life , or your truck if your brakes go out , They should call them emergency brakes

[PAWS 72]

I've used the emergency brake more than once when a master cyclinder went out.I;ve also seen more than one trans ruined because the E brake wasnt applied on an incline.

[cleszkie]

I'm not certain, but I think that some of the parking brake hardware shares the same mounting points as the otrher brake stuff and actually "stacks" on or under the other pieces. By removing the parking brake stuff, there might be some "slack" left in the system, allowing things to rattle or not function properly. I'm with the others. Get it fixed. Relying on the paking sprag in an auto tranny can be sketchy, as these have been known to break under load. Relying on leaving a truck in gear with a manual tranny is a little more reliable, but manulas can pop out too. I like the idea of having an "emergency brake" at my disposal should the hydraulic system take a total dump.

[cdowns]

you cant do a bootleggers turn without a parking brake

[PAWS 72]

Originally Posted by cdowns

you cant do a bootleggers turn without a parking brake

hehehe

[MikeyMan]

Originally Posted by PAWS 72

I've used the emergency brake more than once when a master cyclinder went out.

X2

Drove 18 miles home from downtown Chicago in rush hour traffic, using E-brake & downshifting because of brake line failure.

[bobs409]

X3! I would never run without a brake "backup" plan.

When your foot goes to the floor and you go to hit the emergency brake but find it's not there anymore, you'll be sorry...

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by bobs409

X3! I would never run without a brake "backup" plan.

When your foot goes to the floor and you go to hit the emergency brake but find it's not there anymore, you'll be sorry...

Unless someone continues to drive a truck with known brake issues, I thought the point of a dual chamber mc, with a warning light and separate brakes front to rear, was to keep that from happening? I agree with having the e brake as extra security. Just saying
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[cdowns]

a big oak tree aint such a good backup plan

fact is if u r in a serious accident and your truck gets inspected YOU R SCREWED bigtime an dont plan on driving anytime soon not to mention the liability

just sayin// bein lazy and not repairin things properly aint much of a plan

[MikeyMan]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

I thought the point of a dual chamber mc, with a warning light and separate brakes front to rear, was to keep that from happening?
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Yeah, me too.

Everytime a brake line popped, the light would come on but the pedal still went to the floor.
Even adding fluid to the "bad" chamber didn't help the pedal. Bad feeling for sure.

[volksworld]

way back when they were emergency brakes till some lawyer decided that implied too much liability and they suddenly became parking brakes...

[BlackedOut67shorty]

I've had my light come on but the brakes were gone by the time it came on, I am very thankful I had an e brake... Happened on my 67 and my blazer with the light coming on and the brakes just disappeared. An e brake is an absolute must in my book
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[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by BlackedOut67shorty

I've had my light come on but the brakes were gone by the time it came on, I am very thankful I had an e brake... Happened on my 67 and my blazer with the light coming on and the brakes just disappeared. An e brake is an absolute must in my book
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Were you nursing along a brake issue already? I had a leaking rear cylinder for a while, followed later by some brake pressure loss that caused me to have to pump the brakes to get full stopping power. I was stupid and drove it like that for a while. One day when backing out of a parking space, my pedal went to the floor and the brake light came on. I still had some stopping power, even without the emergency brake, but I parked it and did a brake job on it.

So, I think maybe sometimes if someone loses all their brakes (with a dual chamber MC setup), it could be because they either ignored prior problems, or weren't aware something was wrong already (they bought the truck like that and don't know any better)
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[bobs409]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

Unless someone continues to drive a truck with known brake issues, I thought the point of a dual chamber mc, with a warning light and separate brakes front to rear, was to keep that from happening? I agree with having the e brake as extra security. Just saying
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Don't rely on that "dual master" theory too much. I was driving my 72 Chevelle and hit a rock laying in the middle of the road that rolled down a bank. It flung up and busted a brake line and sure enough, a traffic light just shortly ahead. Put the brakes on and right to the floor! If it wasn't for using the emergency brake, I would have had NO brake action at all.

This can also happen when a line just ruptures from a rusty line too.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by bobs409

Don't rely on that "dual master" theory too much. I was driving my 72 Chevelle and hit a rock laying in the middle of the road that rolled down a bank. It flung up and busted a brake line and sure enough, a traffic light just shortly ahead. Put the brakes on and right to the floor! If it wasn't for using the emergency brake, I would have had NO brake action at all.

This can also happen when a line just ruptures from a rusty line too.

That had to have sucked. I wonder though, if people who's brake pedal goes to the floor when losing one chamber of the MC, are assuming they had no brakes and no stopping power, when if they pushed down harder they may have found they still had some stopping power at the bottom? Reason I ask, is that when my pedal went to the floor as I backed out of a parking space, I pulled right back in and parked it. I was in the process of buying brake parts and what have you over the next few days. Wouldn't you know it, but my complex decided to resurface the asphalt during this same time. I was forced to move the truck down the street, with a pedal that went to the floor, and an emergency brake that also didn't work. I took it very slow, but I DID have stopping power, even though my foot went to the floor.
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[BlackedOut67shorty]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

Were you nursing along a brake issue already? I had a leaking rear cylinder for a while, followed later by some brake pressure loss that caused me to have to pump the brakes to get full stopping power. I was stupid and drove it like that for a while. One day when backing out of a parking space, my pedal went to the floor and the brake light came on. I still had some stopping power, even without the emergency brake, but I parked it and did a brake job on it.

So, I think maybe sometimes if someone loses all their brakes (with a dual chamber MC setup), it could be because they either ignored prior problems, or weren't aware something was wrong already (they bought the truck like that and don't know any better)
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Nope, one was a bursted brake line and the other was a seal popping out the wheel cylinder.he bursting brake line happened when I slammed on the brakes when someone pulled out in front of me. Other one was just wear and tear but I lied the wheel cylinder had some pedal left but not much, the other just quit instantly
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[BlackedOut67shorty]

Oh I hope you didn't think I ment both front and back, I thought we ment how fast the rear brakes could go out, both times I had fronts but didn't want to lay on them to skid, sorry for the confusion mister B
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[treveiger]

Thanks guys for all the help. I will soon fix my ebrake issue when I order more parts from summit. I took a look last night an it didn't seem too difficult
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[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by BlackedOut67shorty

Oh I hope you didn't think I ment both front and back, I thought we ment how fast the rear brakes could go out, both times I had fronts but didn't want to lay on them to skid, sorry for the confusion mister B
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Oh, good. Yeah, I thought you lost all brakes front and rear.
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