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ewalberg
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Past: San Francisco. Present: Germany
Vehicle(s): 2000 g500
Posts: 1887
| POP!... and now the parking-brake lever won't develop any tension on the parking brake system.
So in the relatively recent past, the parking brake was adjusted (in California), because it was pulling to the top without building much force. Then I was on a trip a few days ago, and went to pull the parking brake, and before I could build much tension in it, I got a POP!, and suddenly the lever was free moving without building any tension. Any thoughts? I haven't got much experience with parking brakes. Since it's not building any tension at all, my thinking (my hope) would be that it's failed right at the lever and not somewhere else.
Edited by ewalberg 11/4/2019 6:42 PM
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Inkblotz
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Georgia
Vehicle(s): 90 300GD "Thundering Turtle II", w/ 603A turbo
Posts: 3186
| RE: POP!... and now the parking-brake lever won't develop any tension on the parking brake system.
Follow the hand brake down and there is a cover at the end of the lever that should lift up and off. You will see 2 cables with threaded ends and 2 nuts attached to them. This is the internal adjustment spot. Look to see if they are still in place or if one or the other has come loose from its retainer.
 (parking brake.png)
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 parking brake.png (129KB - 17 downloads)
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ewalberg
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Past: San Francisco. Present: Germany
Vehicle(s): 2000 g500
Posts: 1887
| RE: POP!... and now the parking-brake lever won't develop any tension on the parking brake system.
I don't quite follow what you mean about being able to lift the cover,... if I just yank on the main black shroud, it'll lift off?
In any case, I can look underneath the cover see the two cables with nuts on them (nuts labeled 240 in this diagram). I don't see anything broken, but they both now appear now be loose and appear to be almost put into tension when I pull the lever all the way to the top of its travel.
Edited by ewalberg 11/25/2019 5:54 PM
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Inkblotz
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Georgia
Vehicle(s): 90 300GD "Thundering Turtle II", w/ 603A turbo
Posts: 3186
| Re: POP!... and now the parking-brake lever won't develop any tension on the parking brake system.
When the handle is down the cables with nuts #240 should be a little loose. When you pull up the handle you should hear 3 clicks and that should be enough to secure the brake. If the handle easily goes up higher than 3 clicks before the brakes are secured then the nuts #240 need to be adjusted equally to shorten the pull of the handle. |
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AlanMcR
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, CA, Los Altos
Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL
Posts: 3500
| RE: POP!... and now the parking-brake lever won't develop any tension on the parking brake system.
Sounds more like the cable has been rusting internal to the housing and finally parted.
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ewalberg
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Past: San Francisco. Present: Germany
Vehicle(s): 2000 g500
Posts: 1887
| RE: POP!... and now the parking-brake lever won't develop any tension on the parking brake system.
Yeah... something suddenly broke or popped out of place. Over the years it had never needed adjustment but it had slowly come to a point where it was at the top of its travel without holding much force. It was then re-adjusted by the shop, so that it pulled good tension and was well set with the usual ~3 clicks. Then all of a sudden, when I was going to set the brake, before I reached full tension it popped. Now it's totally loose all the way to the top of its travel. Both of the cables are loose. It would compare it to the feel of traditional bike brake housings... everything can be adjusted right, but if the housing accidentally pops out of the grommet that allows it to pull tension between open sections of cable, you suddenly have no tension in the system. |
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