• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Parking brake

Cornpatch MO

Well-Known Member
Local time
4:59 AM
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
Messages
3,540
Reaction score
2,671
Location
Southwest Iowa
1968 Satellite. Any reason why the park brake holds better with car wanting to roll forward than it does when wanting to roll backward? I have to apply the park brake pretty strongly to get it to hold even moderately. Brake shoes and drums are clean and drums do not need turned. Park brake releases just fine............................MO
 
Maybe shoes are installed in reverse or switched on the backing plate?
 
Are they new shoes or the old ones still?
 
All modern drum brakes are "self energizing" by design. That is why the primary (front) lining is shorter than the secondary. As the shoes contact the drum the primary digs into the drum and through the strut forces the secondary to do the same. This requires less pedal pressure to apply, thus, better stopping power. But, in reverse the opposite reaction occurs. This action is deemed acceptable as the vast majority of braking occurs while traveling forward. This is why your parking brake reacts as it does.
Mike
 
When you apply e brake do it in neutral with left foot apply e brake. Keep pressure on e brake and take your right foot off hydraulic brakes. See if you get a few more clicks on e brake.
 
All modern drum brakes are "self energizing" by design. That is why the primary (front) lining is shorter than the secondary. As the shoes contact the drum the primary digs into the drum and through the strut forces the secondary to do the same. This requires less pedal pressure to apply, thus, better stopping power. But, in reverse the opposite reaction occurs. This action is deemed acceptable as the vast majority of braking occurs while traveling forward. This is why your parking brake reacts as it does.
Mike
The brakes on the 64 ( 65 third member) Dodge are the same as this 68 Satty, and the park brake works much better. Hard to say what previous owners did. I just used shoes that were already on it. I did notice that the front 1/2 and back 1/2 were the same length and width which I questioned. But why were the front 1/2 thinner lining than the back 1/2 ? My factory service manual did not address any of my questions. The car stops very well using the foot brakes. I think this Winter, I will pull it all apart, Get new correct shoes, and have them arched to the drums......................MO
 
When you apply e brake do it in neutral with left foot apply e brake. Keep pressure on e brake and take your right foot off hydraulic brakes. See if you get a few more clicks on e brake.
Good idea. I will give that a try and see what happens..................MO
 
Are they new shoes or the old ones still?
Do you know if the factory used a different lining length, width, or thickness of front half verses the back half on the rear axle? ...........................MO
 
Do you know if the factory used a different lining length, width, or thickness of front half verses the back half on the rear axle? ...........................MO
The rear shoe usually has a longer lining than the front shoe on drum brakes. Rear shoe does more braking going forwards. Front shoe does more when backing up. Shoe gets pushed up against the upper pin to hold it.
 
If you have same length linings frt side&back side something’s wrong. All the above posts apply though.
 
Just fyi mine (68 Sat. also) did the same thing until I manually adjusted the rears a tad bit tighter..sucks to crawl under there I know
 
Just fyi mine (68 Sat. also) did the same thing until I manually adjusted the rears a tad bit tighter..sucks to crawl under there I know
Thanks folks, I may have several small issues. My self adjusters may not be working right, and IIRC both shoe halves are the same length.................MO
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top