E-Brake Pedal Won't Hold (Brake Works Though)

[ktmall07]

Hey all, 

 

My parking brake pedal won't stay engaged, almost like the release won't disengage completely (I can hear the teeth catch, but then it almost immediately slips along the teeth with a CLACK-CLACK-CLACK sound and the pedal releases completely).

 

Any ideas? 

 

The brake itself works, I've tested it multiple times, it's just that the pedal won't hold, so if I want the brake to be engaged full time, I have to hold the pedal down myself, which, for obvious reasons, defeats the purpose of a parking brake to begin with 

[watchamakalit]

There is a spring on the very top of the pedal mechanism that keeps the ratchet paw engaged. Check that it hasnt come unhooked. I had that problem on mine.

[ktmall07]

Do you mean the spring connected to the release handle? That's still working fine it seems, am I missing another spring?

[Pete M]

not sure if this would be the cure, but the link in my sig should have a writeup on refurbishing the teeth on the catch gear.  

[ghetdjc320]

Refurbished e brake units should be finding their way to the vendors section shortly

[ktmall07]

I ended up replacing the old spring connected to the release handle, and found that the teeth are very worn, but the pedal seems to hold now! We'll see if it's still having problems in a week haha

 

@ghetdjc320 I might hit you up on that if I'm still having problems! 

[Minuit]

The factory parking brake mechanisms suffer from a design flaw (my guess is improperly hardened ratchet teeth) that basically means EVERY MJ parking brake mechanism will do this eventually. This was the subject of a recall for 1986 models, but it's present in all of them. You can refinish the teeth and add stronger springs, but my guess is that it's probably going to happen again.

 

I'll be converting my 89 to a hand parking brake for exactly this reason. No way I can trust them again after seeing pictures of some of the worn teeth.