Chap 78

start
Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition ©©2008

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OBJECTIVES:
After studying Chapter 78, the reader should
be able to:
• Prepare for ASE Brakes (A5) certification test
content area “E” (Miscellaneous Systems
Diagnosis and Repair).
• Describe what is required of a parking brake.
• Describe the parts and operation of the
parking brake as used on a rear drum brake
system.
Continued
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OBJECTIVES:
After studying Chapter 78, the reader should
be able to:
• Describe how a parking brake functions when
the vehicle is equipped with rear disc brakes.
• Explain how to adjust a parking brake
properly.

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KEY TERMS:
application cables
control cables
electric parking brake (EPB) • equalizer
intermediate lever
red brake warning lamp
vacuum servo

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PARKING BRAKE
Before 1967, most vehicles had only a single master cylinder
operating all four brakes. If fluid leaked at just one wheel, the
operation of all brakes was lost. This required a separate method
to stop the vehicle in case of an emergency.
After 1967, federal regulations required use of dual or tandem

master cylinders where half of the braking system has its own
separate hydraulic system.
In case one-half of the system fails, a dash brake warning lamp

lets the driver know that a failure has occurred. The term parking
brake has replaced the term emergency brake since the change to
dual master cylinder design.
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According to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)
135, the parking brake must hold a fully loaded (laden) vehicle
stationary on a slope of 20% up or down grade.
The hand force required cannot exceed 80 lb. (18 N) or a foot force
greater than 100 lb. (22 N).
See Figure 78–1 for a typical parking brake system.
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Figure 78–1 Typical parking brake cable system showing the foot-operated parking brake lever
and cable routing.
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PEDALS, LEVERS AND HANDLES
Parking brakes are applied by
a pedal, a lever, or a handle
from inside the vehicle.
Foot pedals and floor-mounted

levers are the common means
of applying parking brakes.
See Figure 78–3.
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Figure 78–3 Typical hand-operated parking brake. Note that the adjustment for the cable is
underneath the vehicle at the equalizer.
All parking brakes are applied manually and the release procedure
varies with the design of the parking brake control. Continued
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All parking brake controls incorporate a ratchet mechanism to lock
the brake in the applied position.
Figure 78–4 A ratchet mechanism is used to lock parking brakes in the applied position.
Some vehicles were equipped with a system that required the

driver to depress the parking brake pedal to release the parking
brake once it was set. The rubber pad on the parking brake pedal
usually states “push to release.” Continued
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Parking Brake Pedals A parking brake pedal is applied by
depressing it with a foot. The ratchet engages automatically and
the pedal remains in the depressed position.
The pedal is released by a pull or a small T-handle or lever under

the dash. This disengages the ratchet mechanism, and allows a
return spring to move the pedal to the unapplied position.
On some vehicles, the release lever is integrated into the

underside of the dash and connects to the release mechanism
through a rod or cable.
See Figure 78–5.
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Figure 78–5 A remote-mounted parking brake release lever.
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Automatic Parking Brake Release Some vehicles with pedal-operated parking brakes
have an automatic release mechanism that disengages the parking brake using a vacuum
servo controlled by an electrical solenoid.
Figure 78–6 Automatic parking

brake release mechanisms
usually use a vacuum servo to
operate the release lever.
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Pump To Release
A customer called and asked a dealer for help because the parking brake
could not be released. The service technician discovered that the customer
was attempting to release the parking brake by depressing the parking
brake pedal, as was done on the customer’s previous vehicle. The service
technician pulled on the release lever and the parking brake was released.
A metal rod connects the vacuum servo to the upper end of the
parking brake release lever.
When the engine is running (to provide vacuum) and the shifter is
placed in gear, an electrical contact closes to energize the solenoid
and route vacuum to the servo.
The servo diaphragm then retracts the rod, which releases the
parking brake.
See Figure 78–7. Continued
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Figure 78–7 The two plastic vacuum tubes on the steering column are used to release the
parking brake when the gear selector is moved from park into a drive gear.

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PARKING BRAKE WARNING LAMP
Whenever the parking brake is engaged, a red brake warning
lamp lights on the dash. On most vehicles, this is the same lamp
that lights when there is a hydraulic or brake fluid level problem.
The lamp for the parking brake warns the driver that the parking
brake is applied or partially applied. The warning helps prevent
damage or overheating to the brake drums and linings that could
occur if the vehicle was driven with the parking brake applied.
If the red BRAKE warning lamp is on, check the parking brake
to see if it is fully released. If the BRAKE lamp is still on, the
parking brake switch may be defective, out of adjustment, or
there may be a hydraulic problem.
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PARKING BRAKE LINKAGES
Parking brake linkages transmit force from the pedal, lever, or
handle inside the vehicle to the brake friction assemblies.
Linkage Rods Parking brake linkage rods made from solid steel
are commonly used with floor-mounted actuating levers to span
the short distance to an intermediate lever or an equalizer.
Linkage Cables Parking brake cable is made of woven-steel wire

encased in a reinforced rubber or plastic housing. The housing is
fixed in position at both ends, and is routed under the vehicle
through mounting brackets that hold the cable in position, yet allow
a small amount of movement. The cable slides back and forth inside
the housing to transmit application force.
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The ends of parking brake cables are fitted with a wide variety of
connectors that attach to actuating devices, other linkage parts, or
the wheel friction assemblies.
Control cables attach to the parking brake pedal, lever, or handle

inside the vehicle, and transmit force to an intermediate lever or
equalizer to the application cables. The application cables use the
force passed through the linkage to apply the friction assemblies.
See Figure 78–8.
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Figure 78–8 The cable from the activating lever to the equalizer is commonly called the control
cable. From the equalizer, the individual brake cables are often called application cables. These
individual cables can usually be purchased separately.
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Look for Swollen Parking Brake Cables
Always inspect parking brake cables for proper operation. A cable that is
larger in diameter in one section indicates that it is rusting inside and has
swollen. A rusting parking brake cable can keep the rear brake applied
even though the parking brake lever has been released. This can cause
dragging brakes, reduced fuel economy, and possible vehicle damage due
to overheated brakes.
Figure 78–9 Notice how rust inside

the covering of this parking brake
cable has caused the cable to
swell.

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Linkage Levers The rods and cables transmit application force in
direct proportion. If 50 lbs of application force is delivered to one
end of a rod or cable, 50 lbs of force will be available at the other
end as well.
Unfortunately, the amount of physical force a driver can apply to

the parking brake control is insufficient for effective parking brake
operation. For this reason, all parking brake linkages contain one
or more levers that increase application force.
See Figure 78–10.
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Parking brake pedals, floor- Figure 78–10 Intermediate levers in the parking
brake linkage increase the application force.
mounted levers, & pivoting
under dash handles are types
of levers to increase parking
brake application force.
Straight-pull parking brake
handles are not levers; they
are commonly connected to
other levers in the linkage.
A lever in the parking brake
linkage under the vehicle is
called an intermediate lever,
and provides leverage in
addition to that supplied by
the parking brake control.
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Linkage Equalizers In some parking brake linkages, the rods or
cables to the two friction assemblies are adjusted separately.
If the adjustments are unequal, one brake will apply before the
other, preventing full lining-to-drum contact at the opposite wheel
and greatly reducing the holding power of the parking brake.
To prevent unequal application, most parking brake linkages use

an equalizer to balance the force from the parking brake control,
and transmit an equal amount to each friction assembly.
See Figure 78–11.
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Figure 78–11
A cable guide is a common type of parking brake linkage equalizer.
Equalizers come in many

shapes and sizes, but the
simplest is the cable guide
attached to a threaded rod.
This type of equalizer pivots

or allows the inner cable to
slide back and forth to even
out the application force.
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Another type of equalizer installs in a long application cable that
runs from the linkage at the front of the vehicle to one rear brake.
Figure 78–12 Some parking

brake equalizers are installed
in the brake cable.
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Linkage Design The number of
different parking brake linkage
designs is almost as great as the
number of models on the road.
Figure 78–13 Many parking brake

linkages use both an intermediate
lever and an equalizer.
Most combine intermediate

levers and equalizers in various
ways and use from one to four
cables to actuate the friction
assemblies.
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FRONT AND REAR ENTRY PARKING
BRAKE CABLES
The parking brake standard requires that the vehicle be held
stationary on a 20% grade facing either uphill or downhill.
Many drum parking brake systems attach the parking brake lever
on the secondary (rearward) shoe and push the primary (forward
facing) brake shoe against the drum. The parking brake cable
enters the backing plate from the front of the vehicle (front entry).
Because the primary shoe is attached to the secondary shoe on

dual-servo brakes, any forward motion of the vehicle tends to
wedge the primary shoe into the brake drum and force the rear
secondary lining also against the drum.
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Applying only the forward brake shoe tends to hold the vehicle
best when the vehicle is being held on a hill with the front pointing
downward.
To help provide the same holding power for a vehicle being held
from backing up, some vehicles reverse the parking brake
arrangement for the right side.
Instead of having the parking brake cable enter the backing plate
from the front, this style has the cable entering from the rear (rear
entry).
In this case the right rear brake has the parking brake lever
installed on the primary shoe.

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DRUM PARKING BRAKES
The most common types on vehicles
and light trucks.
Figure 78–14 Notice the spring at the end of the
parking brake strut. This antirattle spring keeps
tension on the strut. The parking brake lever is
usually attached with a pin and spring (wavy)
washer and retained by a horseshoe clip.
Excellent parking brakes because

of high static coefficient of friction
and self-energizing action.
Integral Drum Parking Brakes

Mechanically apply the rear drum
service brakes to serve as parking
brakes. Shown at right.
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Integral drum parking brakes are the most common type because of
superiority in this application, and because it is simple and
inexpensive to design a parking brake linkage into a drum brake.
The typical integral drum parking brake has a pivoting lever

mounted on one brake shoe, and a strut placed between the lever
and the other shoe. The strut may be fitted with a spring that takes
up slack to prevent noise when the parking brake is not applied.
The end of the lever opposite the pivot is moved by the parking
brake cable, which enters through an opening in the backing plate.
All integral drum parking brakes operate in essentially the same
manner.
See Figure 78–15.
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Figure 78–15 The parking brake cable pulls on the parking brake lever, which in turn forces the
brake shoe against the drum.
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Rear Disc Auxiliary Drum Parking Brakes Rear disc service
brakes with fixed calipers commonly have a parking brake drum
formed into the hub of the brake rotor.
Inside the drum is a small
dual-servo drum brake friction
assembly that serves as the
parking brake.
Figure 78–16 The inside “hat” of the disc
brake rotor is the friction surface for the
parking brake shoes.
The rotor splash shield, or a

special mounting bracket,
provides the backing plate for
the friction assembly.
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Rear disc auxiliary drum parking brakes use the dual-servo friction
assembly design because it provides the most holding power, and
does so equally in both forward and reverse directions.
Dual-servo parking brake friction assemblies operate in essentially

the same manner as service brakes except that the wheel cylinder
is eliminated and the friction assembly is actuated mechanically.
See Figure 78–17.
NOTE: To reassemble a drum brake is to remember the parking brake

lever is usually attached to the secondary (rearward) brake shoe. The
parking brake strut attaches between the shoes with the spring toward the
front of the vehicle (remember, “spring forward”).
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Figure 78–17 A typical rear disc brake auxiliary drum brake friction assembly.
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CALIPER-ACTUATED DISC PARKING BRAKES
Caliper-actuated disc parking brakes are used on vehicles with
rear disc brakes equipped with floating or sliding brake calipers.
The single-piston construction of these calipers makes them

easier to mechanically actuate than multiple-piston fixed calipers.
In this design, a special mechanism in the caliper applies the

caliper piston mechanically.
The mechanism is operated by a parking brake cable attached to a

lever that protrudes from the inboard side of the caliper.
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Ball and Ramp Actuation The ball and ramp actuating system
found in Ford rear brake calipers has three steel balls located in
ramp-shaped detents between two plates.
Figure 78–18 A Ford rear brake

caliper ball and ramp-type apply
mechanism.
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One plate has a thrust screw attached that is threaded into an
adjuster mechanism in the caliper piston. The other plate is part
of the operating shaft that extends out of the caliper. The
actuating lever is mounted to the end of this shaft.
As the parking brake cable moves the lever and rotates the
operating shaft, the balls ride up the ramps and force the two
plates apart. The operating shaft plate cannot move because it
butts against the caliper body.
The thrust screw plate, which is pinned to the caliper body to

prevent it from rotating, is driven away from the operating shaft
and toward the rotor where the thrust screw moves the caliper
piston to apply the brake.
See Figure 78–19.

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Figure 78–19 Operation of a ball and ramp-type rear disc brake caliper parking brake.
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Adjustment of the ball and ramp linkage in the caliper is automatic,
and takes place during service brake application. When the caliper
piston moves away from the thrust screw, an adjuster nut inside the
piston rotates on the thrust screw to take up slack created by wear.
Figure 78–20 Automatic adjustment
of a ball and ramp-type rear disc
brake parking brake occurs when
the service brakes are applied.
A drive ring on the nut

prevents it from rotating
in the opposite direction
when the parking brake
is applied.
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Screw, Nut, and Cone Actuation GMs’ rear disc parking brake
uses a screw, nut, and cone mechanism to apply the caliper piston.
Figure 78–21 A typical GM rear disc

brake with an integral parking brake.
This type uses a screw, nut, and cone
mechanism to apply the caliper piston.
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The actuator screw with parking Figure 78–22 Parking brake application of
a General Motors rear drive brake caliper.
brake lever attached extends
through the caliper body.
The caliper piston has a specially
shaped nut that threads onto the
actuator screw, butts against the
backside of the cone, and is
splined so it can’t rotate unless
the cone does.
The cone is a slip fit in the piston,
free to rotate unless held against a
clutch surface located near the
outer end of the piston bore.
The cable moves the lever and
rotates the actuator screw. Continued
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The nut unthreads along the screw, Figure 78–23 Automatic adjustment of
a General Motors rear disc brake caliper.
and jams the cone against the
clutch surface of the caliper piston.
This prevents the cone from
rotating as the caliper piston is
keyed to the brake pad, which is
fixed in the caliper.
Movement of the nut along the
actuator thread forces the cone
and piston out against the
inboard pad to apply the brake.
Adjustment of the screw, nut, and
cone occurs automatically during
normal operation as the service
brakes are released. Continued
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Note that the outer end of the nut is in constant contact with the cone
whenever the service brakes are not applied. If the automatic
adjusting system fails, tension of the adjustor spring against the
thrust bearing at the back
of the piston will retract
the cone and piston from
the rotor until the cone
does contact the nut,
resulting in low brake
pedal.
Figure 78–24 Removing the piston

from a typical General Motors rear
disc brake caliper.
See Figures 78–25

through 78–31. Continued
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Figure 78–25 Installing the piston into a General Motors rear disc brake caliper.
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Figure 78–26 A piston installation tool is required to fully install the piston into a General
Motors rear disc brake caliper.
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Figure 78–27 A spanner wrench (or needle-nose
pliers) can be used to rotate the caliper piston
prior to installing the disc brake pads. A notch on
the piston must line up with a tab on the back of
the brake pad to keep the piston from rotating
when the parking brake is applied.
Figure 78–28 After removing parking brake lever

and thrust bearing, remove the antirotation pin.
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Figure 78–29 Unscrew the thrust screw from
the piston with an Allen (hex) wrench. After
removing the thrust screw, push the piston
out of the caliper bore.
Figure 78–30 To test the piston adjuster, thread

the thrust screw into the piston. Hold the piston
and pull the thrust screw outward 1/4 in. (6 mm).
The adjuster nut should not turn when the thrust
screw retracts. Replace the piston assembly if
not functioning correctly.
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Figure 78–31 To adjust the parking brake cable on a Ford vehicle equipped with rear disc
brakes, start by loosening the cable adjustment until the cables to the calipers are slack Tighten
until the caliper lever moves. Position a 1/4-in. drill bit or dowel into the caliper alignment hole.
Adjustment is correct if the parking brake lever does not hit the 1/4-in. dowel.
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The Parking Brake Click Test
When diagnosing any brake problem, apply the parking brake and count
the “clicks.” This method works for both hand- and foot-operated parking
brakes. Most vehicle manufacturers specify a maximum of 10 clicks. If the
parking brake travel exceeds this amount, the rear brakes may be worn or
out of adjustment.
If the rear brake lining is usable, check for the proper operation of the self-
adjustment mechanism. If the rear brakes are out of adjustment, the
service brake pedal will also be low. This 10-click test is a fast and easy
way to determine if the problem is due to rear brakes.
CAUTION: Do not adjust the parking brake cable until the rear brakes
have been thoroughly inspected and adjusted.

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PARKING BRAKE CABLE ADJUSTMENT
Most manufacturers specify a minimum of 3 or 4, and a maximum
of 8 to 10, clicks when applying the parking brake. Most vehicle
manufacturers specify that the rear brakes be inspected and
adjusted correctly before attempting to adjust the parking brake
cable. Always follow the manufacturer’s procedure exactly.
General procedure for parking brake adjustment:

1. Make certain that the rear service brakes are adjusted
correctly and the lining is serviceable.
2. With the drums installed, apply the parking brake 3 or 4

clicks. There should be a slight drag on both rear wheels.
Continued
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3. Adjust the cable at the equalizer (equalizes one cable’s force to
both rear brakes) if necessary until there is a slight drag on both
rear brakes.
Figure 78–32 After checking

that rear brakes are OK and
properly adjusted, parking
brake cable can be adjusted.
Always follow manufacturer’s
recommended procedure.
See Figure 78–33. Continued

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4. Release the parking brake. Both rear brakes should be free and
not dragging. Repair or replace rusted cables or readjust as
necessary to ensure that the brakes are not dragging.
Figure 78–33 Many hand-operated parking brakes are adjusted inside the vehicle.
NOTE: Some vehicles are equipped with an automatic adjusting parking

brake lever/cable. Simply cycling the parking brake on/off/on three times
is often all that is required to adjust the parking brake cable.
Continued
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NOTE: The rear parking brake adjustment should always be checked
whenever replacing the rear brake linings. It may be necessary to loosen
the parking brake cable adjustment to allow clearance to get the drum over
the new linings. This could happen because someone may have adjusted
the parking brake cable during the life of the rear linings.
Figure 78–34 Always check that the

brake shoes contact the anchor pin.

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To prevent possible parking brake cable adjustment problems
when installing new rear brakes, always observe the following:
1. Both brake shoes should make contact with the anchor pin
at the top. If not, check the parking brake cable for improper
adjustment or improper installation of the brake shoes.
2. Feel the tension of the parking brake cable under the vehicle.
It should be slightly loose (with the parking brake “off”).
3. Lubricate the parking brake cable to ensure that water or ice

will not cause rust or freezing of the cable. This is necessary
because even though the parking brake lever is released
inside the vehicle, a stuck parking brake cable could cause the
linings to remain out against the drums.
Continued
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4. If the parking brake needs to be adjusted (will not hold on a
hill or requires excessive lever movement), always check and
adjust the rear brake adjustment before adjusting the parking
brake cable.
Figure 78–35 A 1/8-in. (3-mm) drill

bit is placed through an access
hole in the backing plate to adjust
this General Motors leading-
trailing rear parking brake. Adjust
the parking brake cable until the
drill can just fit between the shoe
web and the parking brake lever. Continued
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The Hose Clamp or Wrench Trick
It is often difficult to remove a parking
brake cable from the backing plate
due to the design of the retainer. The
many fingers used to hold the cable to
the backing plate can be squeezed all
at once if a hose clamp is used to
compress the fingers. A wrench as
shown here can also be used.
Figure 78–36 Many parking brake cables can be

removed easily from the backing plate using a
1/2-in. (13-mm) box-end wrench. The wrench fits
over the retainer finger on the end of the parking
brake cable.

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How Does An Electric Parking Brake Work?
Electric parking brake (EPB) systems are available using two different
designs including:
1. A cable-pulling type that uses an electric motor to pull the parking
brake cable rather than a mechanical handle or foot pedal.
2. A more advanced unit uses a computer-controlled motor attached
to the brake caliper to activate it.
Some vehicles use an electric parking

brake (EPB) that can be activated when
the vehicles stops and then goes off as
soon as the gas pedal is pressed,
preventing the car from moving while
stopped.
Figure 78–37 An electric parking brake
button on the center console of a Jaguar.

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SUMMARY
1. Government regulation requires that the parking brake be able to
hold a fully loaded vehicle on a 20% grade.
2. The typical parking brake uses either a hand-operated lever or a

foot operated pedal to activate the parking brake.
3. On a typical drum brake system, the parking brake cable moves a

parking brake lever attached to the secondary brake shoe. The
primary shoe is applied through force being transferred through
the strut.
4. All parking brake cables should move freely. The rear brakes
should be adjusted properly before the parking brake is adjusted.

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end

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start

Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition ©©2008

Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition ©©2008

electric parking brake (EPB) • equalizer

red brake warning lamp

Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition ©©2008

After 1967, federal regulations required use of dual or tandem

In case one-half of the system fails, a dash brake warning lamp

See Figure 78–1 for a typical parking brake system.

Foot pedals and floor-mounted

See Figure 78–3.

Some vehicles were equipped with a system that required the

The pedal is released by a pull or a small T-handle or lever under

On some vehicles, the release lever is integrated into the

See Figure 78–5.

Figure 78–6 Automatic parking

Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition ©©2008

Linkage Cables Parking brake cable is made of woven-steel wire

Control cables attach to the parking brake pedal, lever, or handle

See Figure 78–8.

Figure 78–9 Notice how rust inside

Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition ©©2008

Unfortunately, the amount of physical force a driver can apply to

See Figure 78–10.

To prevent unequal application, most parking brake linkages use

See Figure 78–11.

Equalizers come in many

This type of equalizer pivots

Figure 78–12 Some parking

Figure 78–13 Many parking brake

Most combine intermediate

Because the primary shoe is attached to the secondary shoe on

Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition ©©2008

Excellent parking brakes because

Integral Drum Parking Brakes

The typical integral drum parking brake has a pivoting lever

See Figure 78–15.

The rotor splash shield, or a

Dual-servo parking brake friction assemblies operate in essentially

See Figure 78–17.

NOTE: To reassemble a drum brake is to remember the parking brake

The single-piston construction of these calipers makes them

In this design, a special mechanism in the caliper applies the

The mechanism is operated by a parking brake cable attached to a

Figure 78–18 A Ford rear brake

The thrust screw plate, which is pinned to the caliper body to

See Figure 78–19.

A drive ring on the nut

Figure 78–21 A typical GM rear disc

Figure 78–24 Removing the piston

See Figures 78–25

Figure 78–28 After removing parking brake lever

Figure 78–30 To test the piston adjuster, thread

Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition ©©2008

General procedure for parking brake adjustment:

2. With the drums installed, apply the parking brake 3 or 4

Figure 78–32 After checking

See Figure 78–33. Continued

NOTE: Some vehicles are equipped with an automatic adjusting parking

Figure 78–34 Always check that the

Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition ©©2008

3. Lubricate the parking brake cable to ensure that water or ice

Figure 78–35 A 1/8-in. (3-mm) drill