I've killed my parking brake

[slantflat]

Howdy all.

I feel compelled to tell you that I've screwed up the parking brake on my M35A2C. I took off driving with it on and realized it about 500 feet away. It used to be I would pull all the way up on the handle and it would hold on the last click, now it doesn't hold at all.

I've got the TM for the truck and also happen to have an article in Military Vehicles Magazine open to the parking brake page right on my kitchen table. So I'll start reading and then break out some tools. Or maybe I can adjust it?

Anything I should know that isn't in writing? Until I get to it I will be carrying around the all-important fire wood to park against. I usually park a stick shift in gear anyway but for some reason I've heard that's a bad thing to do with a deuce. Hm.


Mike

 

[clinto]

First, you need to see how much material is left. If there is plenty of material left, then it's simply a matter of tightening it to take up the slack created by the grinding off of the friction material. If the shoes are worn out, you'll need to replace them (duh) and readjust them.

I swear every time I do one of these I say that next time I am pulling the bed off to access the system.

 

[212sparky]

You can adjust the parking brake. Depending on the style, twist the knob on the lever. If that if all the way tight. Loosen it and crawl under the truck and adjust the cable by tightening the nut on the threaded rod attached to the cable. good time to inspect the brake springs and grease the assembly.

 

[rrrr]

I installed a parking brake switch and warning light on my deuce for this exact reason. Ericks has both. They are used on the M35A3 and I believe the M35A2C also has them.

 

[wreckerman893]

The reason it is dangerous to park a deuce in gear is that if someone reaches in and hits the starter button (if the power switch is on) it will crank in gear and take off. That is why I always put my deuces in low range when I parked them. If for some reason that happened they would not move very fast and there would be time to react. I actually witnessed an incident in Germany where a soldier was killed when he was pinned between two deuces when this happened. Parking in neutral is always the best bet with at least one wheel chocked.

 

[welldigger]

First, you need to see how much material is left. If there is plenty of material left, then it's simply a matter of tightening it to take up the slack created by the grinding off of the friction material. If the shoes are worn out, you'll need to replace them (duh) and readjust them.

I swear every time I do one of these I say that next time I am pulling the bed off to access the system.

You can also have the shoes re-lined. Might save you a bit of money if they are worn out.

 

[doghead]

I just added a parking brake light to one of my trucks.

I used a generic motorcycle rear barake light switch.

I made a simple mount and it attaches to the brake arm(on the same location that the return spring does).

Powered off the gauge spider, so it switches on with the ignition.

I used a red lens on a gauge panel light, mounted in the center of the panel.

If that that does not help, I'll add a flasher to it or a buzzer too.

 

[KaiserM109]

I've killed my parking brake

Mike

You didn't kill it, it was never alive.

I've screwed with mine and still can't get it to hold properly. I absolutely NEVER trust it.

 

[73m819]

ALWAYS chock a deuce, at least the a1 & a2 and a multi. 5t, if the truck starts to roll and in gear, the engine WILL START, does not need the switch to be on, if it rolls backwards and the trans is in a forward gear, the engine WILL start only in reverse rotation (very bad for the engine)

 

[clinto]

You can also have the shoes re-lined. Might save you a bit of money if they are worn out.

That's going to be the only way to fly in the near future. You used to be able to buy new shoes for $50. Now? Absolutely ridiculous. I'll reline them before I pay $150 for a pair of 'em.

 

[Jeepsinker]

What about brake shoes from the parking brake drums on Allison equipped older school buses and some older R.Vs and heavy trucks? Would those work, or are they the wrong size?