So I've decided to finally tackle a bit of an elephant in the room. When I got my 1996 Crown Vic, the parking brake pedal was jammed in the "on" position, and the e-brake shoes that press up against the inside of the disc were adjusted so that they weren't touching the rotors, even though the pedal is stuck down. Any clues regarding how to free the pedal from its on position so I can get to having a functional e-brake? The hand release isn't doing a thing.
Pull the handle and lift the pedal with your foot. Next crawl under and yank on the cable. if it moves but not easy or smooth find a hose that will fit over the end of the cable and housing then unscrew the end off a grease gun then hose clamp the grease gun to the hose and pump the grease until it comes out the other end. Adjust up the shoes if they're still good and try it.
In reply to 44Dwarf:
I've tried pulling the handle and pulling up the pedal, but it isn't budging.
Is the handle - or release mechanism connected to the handle - broken?
Otherwise it could be a seized cable. Ug. I'd probably just drive it without a parking brake.
In reply to Robbie:
As far as I can tell by getting up under there with a light, the release mechanism is connected and has full range of travel both on the release and on the parking brake pedal. If it's a seized cable, I think a hydraulic handbrake would be in order.
Remove parking brake cable from pedal assembly. Does pedal work?
If yes> cables If no> repair pedal assembly
It's probably a bad pedal. If I'm remembering right, these have the FU style mechanism where if the cable gets slack in it, the spool automatically ratchets tighter. Anyway the pedal should be connected to the spool by a ratchet so even if the problem was somehow because of the cable, you should still be able to lift the pedal.
I think.
In reply to Knurled:
It is the FU-style mechanism, except somehow worse, because Ford decided to introduce vacuum. Since the BC MVA doesn't explicitly state that the handbrake has to be cable operated or even the OEM mechanism, hydro-e it is.
Why hydro?
You could easily fab up your own cable puller to actuate the existing shoes. Just grab any cable actuated handbrake handle from a junkyard. There are folks who make opposite pawls to reverse the operation of the button (pull up, hold, push button to lock, pull up slightly more to release, if you don't push the button it doesn't lock).
Since you are fabbing something (and I assume you want it to drift) that seems to me to be the best solution. You can even fab up a mount that places the lever at a much more drift friendly angle.
Here's what I am talking about:
G_Body_Man wrote: In reply to Knurled: It is the FU-style mechanism, except somehow worse, because Ford decided to introduce vacuum. Since the BC MVA doesn't explicitly state that the handbrake has to be cable operated or even the OEM mechanism, hydro-e it is.
The vacuum setup is nice. It automatically disengages the brake when you shift out of Park.
Bear in mind that a hydraulic handbrake is NOT for holding the car for long periods of time.
In reply to Knurled:
That's part of the reason I'm planning on going hydraulic. Automatic gearbox, and everywhere I park is more or less flat.
In reply to Robbie:
I'd love to, but the cable that's actuated by the parking brake runs down along the left rocker panel of the car. I also have very little space for a traditional lever, and a hydraulic handbrake doesn't really require any fabrication.
In reply to G_Body_Man:
Except the, um, brake lines?
In reply to Robbie:
I didn't know bending and flaring of hard line was considered fabrication.
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