Manual Truck Parking Brake

[Hard Pivot]

I am preparing to buy a 24' to a 26' cabin cruiser, but I'm worried about my truck. It is a manual 2002 F350 Powerstroke with about 240000 miles on it. The problem I have always has is with the parking brake. If I am on anything other than a mild grade and I set it, it wont keep the truck from rolling, even when in gear. I suspect that the motor is old enough that it doesn't have enough compression to keep the truck stationary, but the brake should pick up the slack, which it does not. I have replaced the shoes, the rotors and cables, and tried to adjust it, but I have never been able to resolve the problem. I have also heard that this is not uncommon in these years of Fords. I am all out of ideas now but I need to fix this before I make the purchase. Has anyone had similar problems and found a solution?

Sam

 

[tpenfield]

:welcome: Sam

You might need to use a couple of wheel chocks just to be sure your boat does not take the advantage and pull your rig into the deep.

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard

your shoes may not be adjusted correctly. you should be able to set the brake and not have it roll with a fully loaded truck.

 

[Hard Pivot]

Thanks for the responses, I wondered about the adjustment. I might need a brake professional to just go in and make it work. I was trying to avoid that, but at this point it looking like a need.

As far as the chalks go, I considered that a bit. Tpenfield,do you think chalks will be enough on their own on the steep ramps we have in Utah, or should I not trust them and get my brakes really squared away?

 

[Scott Danforth]

read post #9 in this thread.... https://forums.iboats.com/forum/gen...ers-and-towing/10639178-boat-launch-disasters

you may want to re-think not taking the truck in for brake service

 

[Hard Pivot]

Thanks Scott! I will definitely get my brakes squared away. Any thoughts on hydraulic lock out for my running brakes? Has anyone had good success with these as a secondary or backup to the emergency brake?

 

[Scott Danforth]

is your truck a 4x4? if so, working brakes and having the t-case in 4hi is all you need.

line-locks can be problematic

a chock on a rope helps

 

[Hard Pivot]

It is a 4x4 and in good shape. Thanks for the information Scott.

 

[Silvertip]

You seem to be looking for ways around getting your brakes fixed yet you are willing to spend money on those work-arounds. There is a ton of information available on how to adjust brakes. If you don't understand the process, then you have two options, 1) take a chance with a work-around which costs money, or 2) have a professional do the work -- which costs money. Failure to do either will -- well -- cost money and probably a lot of it. Brakes are nothing to take risks with. It took me about 10 seconds to find this: It took about 10 seconds to find this information: https://www.justanswer.com/ford/60prt-ford-2002-2002-f-350-4wd-pickup-parking.html

 

[Hard Pivot]

I was really just hoping to find someone with similar experiences so I could pick their brain about it, I dont trust the mechanics out here, especially in the brake shops because I keep catching them in lies. So I do pretty much all my own mechanical service. The parking brake on this truck has been a real problem, though. I have very closely followed the adjustment process from several sources with no positive results and Its looking more like Im just going to have to take it to a shop. Even when I get the brake squared away, I would be hard pressed to put all my trust in it knowing that it will roll in gear. Seems like chalks and another braking device as a back up would be necessary.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have never found a truck that the park brake could not be adjusted properly. some required fixing broken stuff, however if every part of the system is within spec, then there should be no problem.

with all brake shoes that get used, the park brake will need periodic (every few thousand miles) adjustment of the star wheel (thru the little rubber plug in the backing plate)

 

[Hard Pivot]

I agree, Scott. Thats why I'm so frustrated. Its not a complicated process to adjust a brake. Either Ive missed something in the system, or Ive done something wrong. Guess I just need to keep at it. Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[Scott Danforth]

I normally tighten them until I need two hands to turn the drum/wheel

here is a discussion on a ford forum https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/968247-how-do-i-adjust-the-parking-brake.html

 

[catfish58]

:welcome: Sam

You might need to use a couple of wheel chocks just to be sure your boat does not take the advantage and pull your rig into the deep.

My dad had a '70 Chevy with a manual transmission. He had a chock made out of an 8 inch 4x4 cut in half at an angle. He put an I bolt in one end and attached it to the bed of the truck with a small rope. When he pulled the boat out, the chock was dragged out. He never worried about rolling back or burning the clutch.

 

[bigdee]

Generally most brakes with shoes do not hold as well in reverse as they do in forward. That is because they have a leading and a trailing shoe that are configured to put more braking effort in the forward motion.

 

[poconojoe]

Generally most brakes with shoes do not hold as well in reverse as they do in forward. That is because they have a leading and a trailing shoe that are configured to put more braking effort in the forward motion.

You beat me to the punchline!
I noticed this yesterday with my 2016 Chevy Colorado (16,000 miles) and disc brakes all around.

I was positioning my trailer to retrieve my boat. Then I realized I needed to be a little deeper. I'm not sure if i put it in reverse or neutral when I backed down a little more (I'm pretty sure it was neutral). Then I realized I had the parking brake on when I backed down that little bit. There was so little resistance that I didn't even know the brake was on. So, yes, these parking brakes work good in forward, but reverse...not so good, especially on a hill.

So, the point being, be careful on the ramp...don't rely too much on the parking brake.

If I step away from my truck while it's on the ramp, I always throw a chock under a wheel.

 

[Cat nip]

I use a stick that gets wedged between the seat and brake pedal to hold the load on a ramp. Cost me about $2 cause i wanted rubber bumpers on both ends.

 

[Gator5713]

I have owned several 7.3s and my personal rig now is a 2000 F350 dually 4x4 with apx 366k miles! Awesome trucks! CRAPPY parking brake! Do not EVER trust the parking brake on the Super Duty! Seriously, I love these trucks but every one I've ever owned or worked on (which is a LOT of them) have had parking brake issues. It is a very poorly designed system that even once properly adjusted simply won't STAY that way.
But in an effort to actually be helpful... There are 2 adjustments in your parking brake system, one at the wheel and the other is a ratcheting mechanism in the parking brake pedal assembly. The one in the pedal is likely your biggest problem.
To repeat what everyone else has said, get it working, but have a backup!

 

[dennis461]

I use a stick that gets wedged between the seat and brake pedal to hold the load on a ramp. Cost me about $2 cause i wanted rubber bumpers on both ends.

A similar device saved by truck on a slippery wood ramp.

Top of ramp was concrete, bottom (where trailer usually sits) was wood.
Low tide, first time there.
Back wheels of truck on slimy wood.
Put truck in park (your manual transmission would be set the parking brake.)
Went to get out of truck and rig started sliding back.
Rear tire skipping on the boards.

Jumped back in, put foot on brake again, now front wheels were the only thing keeping me on land.
At this point, wheel chock would be impossible to set (I was alone at the time.)
Weekday, no one around to holler for help
Emergency brake only works on rear wheels because I forgot to lock the front hubs.

Almost started crying (almost) started thinking about the youtube videos with idiot boat launch failures.
Then I spotted my surf fishing PVC tube on floor of the truck.
Wedged it between seat and brake pedal.
Got out and locked the hubs.
Now PARK worked on front wheels.
I had slid far enough down the ramp that my boat was floating perpendicular to trailer banking against the dock alongside the ramp. Bow hitting the winch mount.

Get the brakes fixed.
Lock the hubs.
Keep something like a PVC tube or stout stick on dashbaord when launching.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

Disk drum rear brakes or drum. If you have disk with drum parking brakes this applies to drum only as well. Are your shoes glazed over. rear brakes do so little you might never noticed there no longer brake friction but petrified brake parts. If sanding then with coarse emery clutch doesnt bring a coarse softer material to the surface you need new shoes have your drums refaced be it disk drum or drum. Out of round drums pose a number of issues you cant get an out of round drum to hold well nor can you get a proper adjustment.

Disk drum parking brakes have small pivots that rust up most Chevys need every part they have to pivot and the plungers have to move freely Id assume Fords are not much different. I have seen a lot of Chevys with issues here. Park brake cables get weak sadly ive repalced so many with aftermarket cables that were worthless absolute junk and many 15 plus year old trucks parts are extinct from Ford and GM and theres a lot of lengths with diff beds and cabs. If Im up a creek I make what ever bare cable portions if I have to.

Rear axle seals can leak grease on brake shoes doesnt take much of a leak to pose a problem either. Adjustments are important but usually its more than adjustment watch the cables while somone works them and see if one side is travelling more than the other. If one side doesnt move at all start there or if one side moves way more than the other check that side.

Disk drums suffer one major flaw its a very small area if the shoes are not arched right for the drum you have poor brake action. You check this by placing the shoe in the drum and run a feelers gauge around it seeing if it makes contact smoothly on the whole surface. If you have a big gap you need to find a cure here. While this does happen on just drum rear brakes its not as critical because the normal brake application should wear in before long not the case with disk drum and you will over heat the disk drum shoes trying to seat them in while driving. then there hardened up and wont work well.