i don't know if it is the same but on my dads ford the new park brake pedal assembly i got for it does the same thing when when the handle is not pushed in all the way so he can kind of use it like a foot brake. i think if you look at it you should be able to see what is not locking.

 

I think the locking mechanism is broke. Cause Mine springs back and I still have to pull the release lever to get the light off the dash.

 

But no the parking brake does not work when Held down and the truck is in motion.

 

Interesting. I can press the PARKING BRAKE pedal and hear the ratchet mechanism actuate and the pedal returns upward. The PARKING BRAKE is set until I pull the release mechanism. I drove a 1972 New Yorker once for a friend and set the PARKING BRAKE, observing that it returned upward. I panicked when I next drove the car as I could not find a release handle. In desperation, I started the car and the PARKING BRAKE mechanism released. That was hella cool.

 

Then you have a cable problem. The cable or the spring inside the rear drum is broke. Or the rear shoes are badly out of adjustment.


I'm going by what my 98 did and what my 2000 does. You have something wrong or they (dodge) did something different 97 and back. I'm sure more people will chime in on this one.

 

My 98 is the same as Vdub's. It holds and releases fine (after I adjusted it) but the pedal always comes back up. I just assumed it was supposed to do that lol.

 

Well that's just plain weird.

 

For some obscure reason, I am just NOT surprised that the same part, has different behaviors, on the same year trucks.....

 

yea, and if you order one from the dealer, they all have the same part#. Oh well, who know's, if it works it works right...

 

It is perfectly normal for the E-Brake or Parking brake on Dodges to engage yet allow the pedal itself to spring back. Mine does that, and it works perfectly. It fact, the first day I picked it up that was one thing that they pointed out at the dealer and told me not to worry, that it was just a "Dodge thing". I know all other vehicles I have owned (GM, AMC, Ford, Etc) had the pedal stay down, but my 97 Ram does not.

As far as adjusting the tension, it is quite easy. There is a nut on the cable half way down back on the drivers side which can be tightened to give you the right hold for your truck. This is where the two cables from each rear tire comes together onto the main one coming out of the cab. If the cable will not tighten properly at that point, then your cable probably snapped inside the rear wheel. The little end cap wears and snaps off. That happened to me last year and had to replace the drivers side rear cable.