1963 Unequal Parking Brake Engagement -Help Please

[Thomas V.]

My 1963 parking brake gives all indicationsof working on level ground however it will not hold the car on a steep incline.
Allbrake components are completely restored or new reproductions and the drumshave been turned
The servicebrakes work fine
Troubleshooting with the rear off theground and the rear drums on or off;
Onlythe right rear brake shoe is engaging when the parking brake is pulled
Theleft side parking brake shoe lever and spreader bar move when the parking brakeis pulled (or the equalizer nut is tightened) but not enough to engage the leftrear brake shoe
Thetwo connected parking brake cables move freely around the equalizer
Potential next steps;
Measurethe force required to move each cable individually a set distance. Then trimthe spring at the end of the cable to equalize the force (really don't want to try this)


Any suggestions / help would be appreciated

[Frank D.]

Re: 1963 Unequal Parking Brake Engagement -Help Please

I just wonder as an experiment if you manually adjusted the left rear shoes to where the emergency brake engaged if that would still allow the drum to spin free with your foot off the pedal. To wit, maybe the self adjuster is not doing its job. You can put the drum half way on while you experiment. The other thing that comes to mind is if the shoes are hanging up on the backing plate. There are 6 "slide points" on the backing plate that I always put a light fingertip of grease on and also make sure they haven't developed a groove or deformation...

The service brakes may work fine because you have hydraulics working for you which is a force multiplier.

[Edward J.]

Re: 1963 Unequal Parking Brake Engagement -Help Please

Tom, start with the easy things as frank says, The way I Start is to back of the e/brake cables all the way, then do you shoe adjustments, then do your cable adjustment. also after that is still not working I would take a look at the drum measurement it maybe way out of spec. even some of the aftermarket ones made in china are not in spec.

[Richard G.]

Re: 1963 Unequal Parking Brake Engagement -Help Please

Don't forget to confirm the R & L adjusters are on the correct sides.

[Frank D.]

Re: 1963 Unequal Parking Brake Engagement -Help Please

Yes - generally the threaded male end of the adjustment "torpedo" will have an "L" or "R" on it but you don't have to take them apart to tell....turning the adjuster star wheel away from the sliding plate that locks the pawls should expand the shoes if things are correct...