Ford Truck E-Brake Drum Brake Nightmares

[joesregalproject]

So on my 1995 F150, I have replaced nearly the entire braking system, including all of the emergency brake cables. Now for some reason, with all new parts (I'm certain I've got the correct parts), the rear drums are giving me issues. Just for reference, I have replaced the shoes, all the hardware, adjusters, springs and both wheel cylinders and the emergency brake cables front to rear.

Now the driver's side rear brake seems to be working just fine. I have plenty of adjustment in it and I can easily get the drum on and off.

The passenger side is where I'm having an issue. The rearward shoe will not seat into place because the emergency brake cable is too short once inside the drum and its pulling the parking brake lever too far forward and the parking brake lever hits on the axle tube itself before the shoe will seat.

Because of this, the drum needs hammered over the shoes with the star adjuster all the way in and then is still way too tight and the wheel won't turn. And because it is so tight, the emergency brake pedal is way too stiff to push down.

It's almost as if that right rear cable is too short, but it went into place easily and is the exact same size as the one I took off.

I'm wondering if u have the left and right cables flipped around in the equalizer bracket which may be using up a little bit of slack, but I can't find a diagram or other truck around to check. I installed it the same way it was before, so it would have had to have been wrong before as well.

At this point I'm sore, cold,and frustrated with these brakes. I've had them apart about 15 times now and they still are wrong. I'm about ready to throw in the towel and take it to a mechanic, which I really don't want to do. I'm asking here as a last resort. Any ideas?

 

[pagrunt]

Hate to ask but did you get the the cable for the right wheel base?

 

[joesregalproject]

Hate to ask but did you get the the cable for the right wheel base?

I did, the rear cables are all the same, the difference is in the intermediate cable, which I've checked is for my truck (155" WB).

 

[Texas82GP]

Take a break. Sleep on it. If all the old parts match up to the new parts, it's assembled wrong, though by looking at the other side, the problem should show up. It's either a wrong part or it's put together wrong. You'll get it. Your a talented mechanic.

 

[1evilregal]

I agree with Jared.... frustration will cause you to overlook the simplest of things. take a break, sleep on it, and take a spirited drive in the Bimmer to clear your head... these things will usually fall into place afterward!

one thing you could check, have you looked at both the cable and the sheath to see if both were the same lengths? also check a year model below and above for part #'s on those cables, ford is the worst I've seen about using parts left in the bins or using them before the new runs....

you've done so much more complicated things on all your other projects, so yeah, you got this!

 

[Texas82GP]

An anecdote for you: Back in the mid 80's my dad and brother were replacing the clutch in one of my dad's medium duty trucks. They were pushing hard to get it done because dad needed the truck to go to work. They tried for hours to get the transmission stabbed. I think around midnight they threw in the towel, packed everything up and went home. They came back the next morming and it went right in. Sometimes you just have to get away from it and start fresh.

 

[ssn696]

Just a thought - your shoe kit had four pieces. No chance you may have two fronts on one side and two rears on the other? Been there, done that.

 

[Texas82GP]

Short shoe to the front

 

[Ribbedroof]

Is it possible that you have the cable swapped end-for-end? Sometimes they use the same type of connection on both ends, but different lengths from end of jacket/fitting to the slug

 

[joesregalproject]

Thanks for all the replies and votes of confidence. I woke up with the stomach flu this morning so that's going to force me to step away from it for a couple days anyways. Silver lining, I guess?

The cables only fit one way, so they aren't swapped end for end. The shoes are installed with the short shoe to the front (took the wheels off to check). I still think I may have the cables flipped at the equalizer.

I am going to check +/- one year, as Darin suggested, because I remember having a similar situation with a Lincoln Town Car I worked on a while ago.

For some reason it's always these stupid, little things that should be easy that seem get in the way.