Hi all, I got a little issue that I'm trying to get around. The truck is my 92 Dakota with an 8.25" rear. I'm in the process of changing the axle seals as well as the rear drums, shoes and hardware for the brakes. Some time a while back, the cable for the parking brake snapped off on the passenger side and I cut the remaining part that was dragging on the ground. I never use the parking brake and there is no state inspection here, so I never thought about replacing it.

Now is the problem though. The remaining part of the cable that goes into the drum is really short and the plastic grommet that holds it in place broke off during removal. The pass. side cable is a special order part at my local store and it won't be in until at least Monday which means 6 more days of downtime for a truck I needed back on the road yesterday. Also, the part it connects to and the driver's side cable also look to be in really bad shape, like they are ready to break off too.

So I guess my question(s) is how can I run the truck in the meantime without damaging the drum components or causing a safety hazard. Can I just remove the parking brake components themselves and still have it function properly for normal stopping?? Is there a way to re-install the parking brake lever and safely hold it in the open "released" position without that cable?? Any help or suggestions are very much appreciated.

 

I just replaced the rear axle bearings, seals, wheel cylinders, springs, shoes, and e-brake parts in my Dakota and I realized after I got into it that something was missing. My parking brake never worked and now I know why - the previous owner had removed the parking brake levers (in both drums) and the parking brake struts that connect the lever to the front shoe. The lack of these items never caused any problems, other than not having a parking brake. I had to find replacements in the junkyard to get my PB back though.

So, the answer is yes, you can remove the PB lever behind the rear shoe, and the horizontal bar (strut), and drive without damaging anything. You could also leave the lever and strut in place and just remove the brake cable. The strut holds the lever in place on the shoe and, as long as there is no tension from the brake cable, the lever will not be able to engage the brake. Make sure to remove the cable end that extends inside the drum though, don't just disconnect it inside the drum. That way it doesn't get in the way and bind something. Hope this helps.

 

Alright, so if I remove the parking brake lever that goes behind the shoes and connects to the cable as well as completely remove the horizontal bar on top with an anti rattle spring (parking brake strut) then the regular brakes should still function fine??

That's the road I was planning on taking, but I just wanted to confirm that it would work. I couldn't see why it wouldn't when I broke everything down on my bench, but I always like to double check to be sure

 

It'll work fine, my truck ran just that way for a couple years. The only thing it's going to affect is your ability to set the parking brake!

 

I got it all back together the other day and it seems to be working fine. Thanks for the help and quick response.

 

I think you should be able to remove the parking braking parts, the brakes should work fine