Chapter 18

Parking Brakes

After studyi ng th is chapter, you wi II be able to:

o Explain the function of the parking brake.

o Identify the components and explain the operation of driver applied parking brake levers.
o Describe the construction and explain the operation of automatic parking brake release
mechanisms.

o Identify the components and operation of parking brake warning lights.

o Identify the components of parking brake linkage.
o Explain the operation of parking brake levers and

linkage.

o Describe the construction and operation of drum brake parking brakes.

o Describe the construction and operation of disc brake parking brakes.

Important Terms

Pad<ing brake
Pedal arm
Ratchet
Mu Iti-stroke foot parki I1g
brake
Vacuum release
Push-pull hand brake
Cable fittings
Cable sheath
Cable pulleys

Linkage rods
Brake mu Iti pi ier
Equalizer
Service brakes
Integl"al drum parking
brake
Retaining prong
Parking brake apply
lever

313

Lever strut
Self-contained drum
parking brakes
Screw disc parking
brake
Ball-and-ramp disc
parking brake
Cam disc parking
brake

Auto Brakes

314

This chapter is designed to explain the purpose,

design, and operation of parking brakes, sometimes called
emergency brakes. The parking brake is ohen ignored
since most drivers use th e parking pawl in the automatic
transmission to hold the vehicle. Some technici <l ns also
overlook the parking brake during routine brake service,
since it is seldom the source of customer complaints. This
chapter covers the des ign and operation of both drum and
disc parking brakes. It also covers the use of manual <lnd
autom atic parki ng brake release mechan isms .

the ped<ll arm cau ses it to pivot and pull up on the park
ing br<lke cable. The ped al arm is held in the applied
position by a pawl which engages teeth on the lever
assembly. This holding des ign is known as a ratchet. Th e
pedal arm is rele<l sed by pulling on the br<lke release
handle. Pulling on the handle moves <l linkage rod
which di sengages the ratchet from the teeth on the lever
<lssembly. A spring returns the pedal arm to the relea sed
position. A manua Ily rele<lsed foo t <lctu<lted parki ng
brak e ca n be seen in Figure 18-1.

Parki ng Brake Function

Ratchet
teeth

The primary purpose of the parking brake is to keep

the vehicle from being moved or movin g while it is not
bei ng driven. Although the transm ission ca n be L1sed to
keep the vehicle from mov ing, the parking brake provides
much better holding power, whi ch is especially important
when th e vehicle is parked on a steep grade. On vehicles
with m<lnu al tran smissions, it ca n be used by the dl'iver to
hold the vehicle on an incline w hile rele<lsin g the clutch
and moving hi s or her foot from th e brake to the accelera
tor. This allows the dri ver to start w ithout rollin g back
wards. If the brake hydraulic system fails, th e vehicl e C<ln
be slowed <lnd eventually stopped by applying the parking
brake, <llthough the brak ing effect will be much lower.

Parking
brake cable

Warning light
wire connector

Pedal

arm

Release

handle

Parking Brake Linkage

Before discussing the wheel mounted parkin g brake
components, w e will cover the parking brake actuating
linka ge. The arran gement of leve rs, cables, and link ages
th at make up parking br<lkes is simil ar on all vehi c les. The
major difference is how the dri ver operates the linkage,
and w heth er the relea se mechanism is manu al or auto
matic. All parking brake levers gi ve the driver mechanical
advantage by in creasin g mechanical leverage. Force ca n
be multipli ed by arranging the lever inputs and outputs in
relation to their pivot points. The development and use of
mec hani cal leverage was discussed in Chapter 4.

Driver-Operated Levers
Th e dri ve r operates the linkage through one of two
types of hand leve r or a foot lever with a pedal. Most
mod ern ve hicl es have a foot-oper ate d lever, or a hand
operated lever installed beside or between th e front
sea ts. A few ve hicl es have hand op erated pu sh-pull
levers loc ated under the da shbo ard. Some foot ped als
<lre released by an automatic device.

Foot-Operated Parking Brake

Th e b<l sic component of a foot-operated parking
brake is a leve r that is op era ted by the dri ver's foot. The
lever is usually call ed the pedal arm. Pu shing down on

Cable

Return
spring
Figure 18-1. An overall view of a typical manually released foot
actuated parking brake mechanism. (OaimlerChrysler)

When th e driver presses down on the foot brake, the

pedal arm pivots so th at the po int where it is attac hed to
the ca ble moves up. Thi s causes the parking brake cable
to tighten , actuating the parking brakes, As the ped al arm
sw ings down, the peda l arm teeth skip over the paw l.
On ce the desired parking brake ten sion is rea c hed and
the dri ve r releases foot pressure, th e pawl engages the
nearest tooth, holdin g the brake in the applied position.
A swi tch is connected to the red Brake w<l rnin g li ght,
w hich tells the driver the parking brake is applied when
the ignition is on.
To release the brake, th e dri ver pu lis on th e rele ase
handle, movin g th e rod . The rod disengages the pawl from
the ped al arm teeth , allowing the br<lke to be pulled into
th e released position by the return sp ri ng.

Multi-Stroke Foot Parking Brake

The multi-stroke foot parking brake requires several
appl ications of the pedal arm to set the brake, In other
words, the pedal must be pumped to <lpply the parking
brake. When the driver applies the multi-stroke foot lever
pedal, it returns to its normal released position, even though

Chapter 18

Parking Brakes

315

the parking brakes are applied. Additional applications of

the ped al increase the tension on the parking brake cable.
By allowing more than one pedal application, this parking
brake design can compensate for play in the cables and con
necting linkage caused by lining wear. This is impo/tant
when rear disc brakes are used, since pad wear can greatly
in crease th e amount of distance required to apply the
brakes. See Figure 18-2.

~~ .
\

Multi-stroke

L_J

Foot Brake Vacuum Release

Some foot brakes are relea sed by an automatic vacuum
relea se. The vacuum release is always used on vehicles
with au tomatic transmissions. This release consists of a
small diaphragm assembly attached to the brake release
lever. The chamber can be called a vacuum canister or
vacuum motor. Inside, a flexible rubber diaphragm divides
the chamber into two sections. One side is attached to a
rod and return spring, and the other side is sea led, except
for a vacuum port. The vacuum port is connected to
engine vac uum by hoses and a control va lve. Some vehi
cles use a sepa rate pump to create the vacuum.
The vacuum control valve is attached to the shift
se lector. When the shift lever is in the park position, no
vacuum ca n reach the vacuum chamber. The return spring
keeps the rod in the applied positi on. When the shift lever
is moved to put the transmission into any other gear posi
tion , the control valve is moved by the shifter. The valve
allows vacuum to reach the canister, which draws the
diaphragm in, moving the rod and compressing the return
spring. This releases the parking brake.
Most automatic vacuum rele ases have an emer
gency manual release lever. If vacuum fails to reach the
chamber, the brake may still be relea sed by pulling the
manu al release leve r. On some vehicles, a small hand
operated vacuum pump is in stalled next to the vacuum
chamber. Operating this pump creates enough vacuum
to release the brake when the shift lever is moved. One
type of vacuum operated brake assembly is Illustrated in
Figure 18-3.

cable

Foot

pedal

Figure 18-2. A multi-stroke foot operated parking brake unit.

(Pontiac)

Vacuum source
connection
Vacuum chamber

Firewall

~I~,-r~~
rf::

/':11

Ratchet
teeth

/~I

i
Nut

Hand-Operated Parking Brake

Th e two major types of hand-operated parking brake
levers differ only in where they are loc ated . The dashboard
operated pu sh-pull hand brake lever is used on older ca rs
and some current imported trucks. The floor-mounted
hand lever is common on vehicles with bucket seats. Ea ch
type is shown in Figure 18-4.

Push-Pull Hand Brake

The push-pull hand brake is a metal rod which
travels in side a support tube. The push-pull brake lever
is located directly under the dashboard near the steering
wheel. One side of the rod is flat, and contains a series
of teeth. The rod is attached to a T-handle. When the
T-handl e is pulled outward, the end of the rod pulls on
the cable, engaging the parking brakes. A pawl assembly
located near the end of the suppo rt tube engages th e

Manual release

lever

Brake
pedal

Figure 18-3. A vacuum released parking brake unit. Note the

manual release lever which is used to release the brake in the
event of a vacuum or vacuum operated part failure.
(DaimlerChrysler)

teeth on the rod, holding it in the applied position. On

most modern vehicles, a warn ing li ght will be illuminated
when the parking brake is applied and the ignition
switch is in the on position .

Auto Brakes

316

Lever
Padded handle
Push button release

Cables
Fully covered
Rubber coated
No joints

Parking
brake

Power brake
unit
..-- Push-pull parking
brake control handle

' " Proportioning

valve

8
Figure 18-4. A-A floor mounted hand brake lever and cable assembly. B-A dashboard, hand operated, push-pull hand brake
assembly with related parts. (DaimlerChrysler, Toyota)

To release th e par kin g brake, the T-handl e is turned to

th e left o r ri ght. Thi s twists th e ro d teeth awa y from the
pawl , di sengagin g them. The driver ca n then pu sh the

T-handl e back in, releas ing the parkin g brake. O n som e

pu sh-pull levers, the pawl is disengaged by pushin g a
button located on th e T-handl e. See Figure 18-5.

Chapter 18

Parking Brakes

317

sp rin g-loaded push rod inside the tube connects the pawl
with a pu sh button at the top of the lever. See Figure 18-6.
When the lever is pulled up, it pivots on the support
plate, tightening the brake cable and applying the parking
brake. As the lever moves up, the pawl will slide over the
teeth on th e support bracket. The pawl holds the lever in
place when it is applied. The red Brake warning light is
illuminated when the ignition switch is on and the parking
brake is applied.
To release the brake, the driver pulls up slightly on the
leve r and depresses the push button. Depressing the push
button relea ses the pawl from the support bracket teeth .
The driver ca n then push the lever downward, removing
ca ble tension and relea sing the parking brake. A few floor
mounted brake levers have an automatic adjustment
device. Thi s devi ce will take up any slack in the parking
brake ca bles when the lever is operated.

Support tube

A
Button
2
Turn

Press

Parking Brake Warning light

Figure 18-5. A T-handle push-pull hand brake. A-T-handle

being pulled to set parking brakes. The pawl is engaging the rod
teeth. 8- To disengage the pawl from the rod teeth, pull out
ward slightly, turn the T-handle, and push in . C-Some T-han
dies use a push button to disengage the pawl and teeth.
(Hyundai, Toyota)

A parking brake warning li ght is used on almost all

mode rn vehicles to inform the driver when the parking
brake is applied. Some systems also have a buzzer that
works in conjunction with the warning light. The audible
ton e alerts the driver in case he or she fails to notice the
warning light or if the lightbulb burn s out.
The parking brake warning light is the red Brake warn
ing light on the in strument panel, Figure 18-7. The switch is
in stalled on the parking brake support bracket in a position
where it ca n contact the movable parking brake linkage.
Switch operation is the same for hand and foot parking
brakes. Switch operation and other electrical fundamentals
will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 20.

Floor-Mounted Lever
The operation of the floor-mounted lever is simi lar to
the foot-operated parking brake. The hand lever is a hol
low steel tube or flat steel covered by a plastic sleeve
and/or leather boot attached to the floorboard throu gh a
support plate. The support plate contai ns teeth wh ich
engage a pawl in the bottom of the leve r assembly. A

Push
button

Hand lever
Support plate

r..1{)

Bolt

Pawl
Teelh

~. '~"t
~
~i'~

. ~.)

Floor
bracket

Parking brake
cabl/,

'/
/

//.1'

"10>

- ~""~.--:::::;

/ Control
'od

1_

//

,/

/
/
/

Cable adjuster

/
/
/
/

Boot

(/
I

~~~~ll>='=""".~~=:=S'" ~

~ ~

Nutl

Equalizer

Figure 18-6. A floor mounted, hand operated, lever assembly (Toyota)

Boot

Auto Brakes

318

When the parking brake is actu ated, some part of the

linkage will contact the switch , depressing th e plunger.
Depressing the plunger cau se s co ntacts on the swi tc h to
cl ose . This co mpletes the circu it by grounding th e posi
ti ve terminal to the switch body. The switch body is
ground ed to the battery negative terminal through the
support brac ket and frame. Current flows through the
ign ition switch, fu se, and red Brake warning lamp bulb,
causing it to illuminate. A parking brake as sem bly show
ing one type of sw itch and its loca tion is illu strated in
Figure 18-9.

Brake warning light

Figure 18-7. A brake warning light and its location on the

Parking Brake Apply Linkage

instrument cluster. (Toyota)

The following sections cover the con struction and

operation of the linkage w hich connect the driver operated
parking brake lever w ith the w hee l brakes. Thi s linkage con
sists of cables, rod s, and leve rs. These and other related parts
are cove red in this secti on.

Most wa rning li ght switches have a single positive

terminal. Battery vo ltage is availabl e at th e terminal when
ever the ignition switch is on. The ci rcuit supplying this
voltage is wired through th e ignition switch, a fuse, and the
warning lightbulb, Figure 18-8.

0.50 BLK

-n- - -

~I

~~;:~F:~B~~k
K--:=:~N~-l ~~~ON

- I

. O.\I.IP

DETAilS

L_ ____ ___ ~~~___

---iSles

0.50 BLK

11
0.508LK!
0.50 BRNi, WHT
S206
BLK

, 0.50 BlK!

I
I
I

DISTRIBUTION

_~~~

___ j

G203

BLKIWHT
- - -. . .
0.50 BLKlWHT

7 [i;,2-:,=_2-:::=_2::::_2-:~__ ~__4
r--

C2

SEe FUSE BLOCK

DETAILS CEll 11

------1 INSTRUMENT
I PANEL
'BRAKE' I -
INDICATOR I ~

SEE INSTRU!olENT
PANEL:IVITH .
g~~:,S CLUSTER

:l_______________ _____
ww-:J
0.50 REDIBLK

r-

-C~~I-

2 '

~11
-

0.50 BLK

SEE GROUND
DISTRIBUTION
CELL 14

T
BLK

II

0.50 BLK

0.50 RED/BLK
-

BLK

2.0 BLK

._ ~

SEE GROUND
DISTRIBUTION

-~

_______ J
'-----.

0.50 RED/BLK

10

iI

INPUT

.INDlCAT0R
CONTROL

PARKING:
BRAKE I
SIGNAL I

-1
l___ ~~~NE. ___~ ____ .::~ ____ J
I

BLK I

~_ \ill.!

0.50 RED/BLK
-

O.50PPUGRN

S . o B L K ! 5229

0.50 BLK!

1.25 BLK

_ _ _ ill

=:

~I
r---PowER-z------F----l

BlK

CELL 14

'1

-.

e--------1
I.----<111
~

, S232

CANADA

U:~5BLK! CA~
ADA,

1.25 BLK

BRAKE FLUID
LEVEL SWITCH
CLOSEDWrrH
LOW BRAKE
FLUID LEViL

:nu

0.50 REDIBLK
USA

5~~
0.50 RED/BLK

5 CANADA.
4 USA

0.50 BlK

!<.

[E-;;;~~;' JUNCTlON
I
DISTRIBunON I BLOCK
Il
CELL 14
______
-'I
=m.

Figure 18-8. A brake warning light wiring schematic. (Chevrolet)

DArnME
RUNNING
LAMPS
CONTROLLER

S..

:~I

C203
'

USA

~
BRAKE
SWITCH
CLOSED WIlli
PARKING BRAKE
ENGAGED

Chapter 18

Parking Brakes

319

Parking Brake Cables

Parking brake cables are usually made from strand
ed steel wire. Cable thickness is usually around 3/ 16"
(4.76 mm) . Because cable is flexible, it can be bent
around corners and through openings under the vehicle
body. Figure 18-10 shows a typical parking brake cable
setup. Most vehicles have at least three cables, one from

Wire to dash
warning light

Pawl
Switch
engagement electrical
teeth
connector

Release lever
Support
bracket

Mounting
bolt

the apply lever to the equalizer, and two from the equal
izer to the wheel brakes.
Some cables are coated in plastic to allow them to move
more easily. If one of the cable wires breaks, the plastic coat
ing keeps it in place, so it is not likely to jam the cable.

Cable Fittings
Formed cable fittings are pressed on or bolted to the
ends of the cables. A common fitting is a round ball, cylin
der, or flat end, which installs into a slot in a bracket or
lever, Figure 18-11. These fittings allow the cable to be
attached to the parking brake apply lever and other levers
and components.

.J )

Cable

Light switch
assembly

Parking brake
cable retaining
bracket

1====:/1

lever

sheath

Figure 18-9. A foot operated brake showing the brake warning

light switch and its location. (DaimlerChrysler)

IV

Figure 18-11. A cylinder-type cable fitting that has been

swaged on (pressed) under pressure. This particular one is
used to connect the cable to the equalizer. (DaimlerChrysler)

Cable
Rear brake
cables
Support
Push
Equalizer

Front brake
cable assembly

Clamp bolts

Rotor

Figure 18-10. A floor-mounted hand lever and cable assembly used with rear disc brakes. Note that three separate cables are used.
(Mazda)

320

Auto Brakes

Cable Sheaths

Cable Pulleys

Parking brake cables are furnished as complete units.

For much of its length, the cable is enclosed in a cable

sheath. These sh eaths, sometimes called conduits, are
made of steel wire wrapped tightly together. The sheath
guides and protects the cable . Some sheaths are covered
with rubber to help prevent the entry of dirt and water. The

Sometimes cable pulleys, Figure 18-13, are used to

carry the cable around sharp bends. The pulleys are often
used at the apply lever to reduce wear on the cable. Pulleys
are sometimes used under the vehicle. Occa sionally a piece
of solid conduit is bent into position and used to carry the
cable around a sharp point.

sheath is flexible, aI/owing the cable to move inside. A typ

ical cable sheath is shown in Figure 18-12.

Linkage Rods

Note: The entire cable assembly is simply

referred to as a cable.

On a few vehicles, linkage rods are used as part of the

parking brake linkage. The entire linkage system or just a
portion can make use of rods. One brake system utilizing
a control rod is shown in Figure 18-14.

Brake Multiplier
The parking brake lever is designed so that driver
force is ali that is needed to apply the wheel brakes. In
Parking brake

ola,

~
To rea'"
Control
rod
Sheath

-.,

Cable
Equalizer

To hand or foot
generated parking
brake lever

Sheath
Left rear
brake
Figure 18-12. Brake cable sheaths as used on one parking
brake assembly (Bendix)

29

28

27

26

25

24

23

Equalizer

Figure 18-14. A brake cable apply system that incorporates a

control rod. (FMC)

13

30

brakes

22

21

14

20

Figure 18-13. A hand operated parking brake which uses a cable pulley assembly (6) on the equalizer. The pulley provides smoother
operation, longer cable wear, etc. 1-lnside support attachment. 2-Rubber cover. 3-Lever. 4-Shaft. 5-Pull rod. 6-Pulley
7-Cable. 8-Rubbercover. 9-Front attachment. 10-Cable sleeve. 11-Attachment. 12-Brake drum. 13-Secondary brake shoe.
14-Return spring. 15-Star wheel. 16-Lever. 17-Movable rod. 18-Anchor bolt. 19-Return spring. 20-Rear attachment.
21-Rubber cable guide. 22-Pawl. 23-Ratchet segment. 24-Rivet. 25-0utside support attachment. 26-Warning valve switch.
27-Push rod 28-Parking brake. 29-Spring. 3D-Pushbutton. (Chevrolet)

Chapter 18

321

Parking Brakes

some applications, however, more leverage is needed. The

brake multiplier (also called an intermediate leve r) is

Input cable

incorporated into some parking brake systems to increase

cable pull leverage. The multiplier creates extra mechani
cal advantage by careful placement of the input, output,
and pivot points. This creates more leverage, but at the
expense of distance traveled. If the brakes are properly
adjusted, this decrease in distance will not be a factor. A
brake multipli er is illustrated in Figure 18-15.

This

cable

loose
/

To foot or hand operated

brake assembly

Intermediate
cable

Return
spring

Equalizer
pivots on
tighter
cable

Input cable

This
cable
Pivot
point
Figure 18-15. The brake multiplier as used on one parking
brake control setup. The multiplier acts somewhat like a pry bar
(fulcrum). The longer the leverage, the more pulling force it will
generate. The equalizer takes up slack in the cables.
(General Motors)

Brake Equalizer
A brake equalizer is in stalled in the parking brake sys
tem to provide a balanced, or equal pull on the btake
levers. The equalizer does this by allowing th e application
cable to center itself. The equalizer is a steel bar with
attachments for the brake cables or rods. The input is from
the application cable or control rod. There are one or two
output cables. Note that the cable adjuster is usually
installed at the equa Iizer, Figure 18-15.
In operation, the input cable pulls on the equalizer,
which then pulls the wheel brake cables. If one cable
tightens the wheel brake before the other, the equalizer
will pivot on that cable, Figure 18-16. This allows the
cable on the other side to continue to move until the ten
sion on that wheel brake matches the tension on the first
wheel.

EqualiZer\
pivots on
tighter
cable
B

Figure 18-16. Brake cable equalizer operation. A-Left cable is

loose, equalizer pivots (travels) to the right to take up the slack.
B-Right cable is loose, equalizer travels to the left to take up
the slack.

Linkage Adjusting Devices

As the brake linings and linkage parts wear, it is some
times necessary to adjust the parking brake to ensure that
it operates. Many times, the adjustment is made at the
wheel brak es. This is common on drum brake systems.
Som e disc brake designs are self adjusting. However, many
parking brake systems have linkage adjustment devices .
Most of these are located on the equalizer and consist of a
threaded rod held in position by locknuts. Other vehicles
may have tumbuckles or adjustable levers.
Two adjusters are shown in Figure 18-18. Most of
them are operated by loosening the holding fasteners and
tightening the adjuster device to remove any slack in the
cable.

Support Brackets, Guides, and Heat Shields

The parking brake cables and other parts must be
secured and protected . As mentioned earlier, many cables
are routed through rigid or flexible conduit and some are
covered with rubber. The cables, control rods, multiplier,
and equalizer are attached to the vehicle body by various
brackets and clips. To protect the parking brake compo
nents from road splash and exhaust heat, shields are often
installed. Some typical brackets, gUide, supports, and heat
shields are depicted in Figure 18-17.

Parki ng Brake Types

Previous sections discussed the Iinkage that trans
ferred the driver's hand or foot application to the wheels.
This section covers the parking brake components installed
at the wheels. The wheel parking brakes operate by using
mechan ical I inkage to apply brake friction I inings. The
brake linings normally operated by the brake hydraulic

322

Auto Brakes

Mounting stud

Lever

locknut

assembly

./

W~

-'"\)

_____ Parking brake

warning light switch

Heat

shield

~~
." "

~'~:~

""

(; ,
~~

~ Mounting

~ ~~

bolt

Release cable and

handle assembly

Bracket

spring
Front parking
brake cable

Equalizer
bracket

Clip

Equalizer

Right rear
cable

Bracket

Left rear
cable

Figure 18-17. A foot operated parking brake system illustrating the support brackets, guide clamps, and a heat shield. (OaimlerChrysler)
system are called the service brakes. Most parking brake
mechani sms apply th e service brakes mec hanically. A
few parking brakes operate separate friction linings that
are not connected to the hydrauli c system. Modern vehi
cles are equipped with three main types of parking
brakes:
Integral drum parking brake which applies the brake
shoes on a rear dl'um brake system.
o Self-contained drum parking brake used with some
rear disc brakes.
Integral disc parking brake which applies the brake
pads on a rear disc brake system.
Use of these parking brakes depends on the type of
servi ce brake used on the whee l. Most parking brakes are
installed on the I'ear wheels. A few vehicles have the park
ing brake installed on the front wheels.

Integral Drum Parking Brake

The integral drum parking brake is part of the vehi
cle's drum brake assembly. It applies the same brake shoes
used by the hydrauli c system. The parking brake cabl e
sheath is so lidly attached to the backing plate. Most are
attached by a retaining prong. The retaining prong is a set
of metal fingers, Figure 18-19, which can be pressed
through the backing plate. After the fingers enter the back
ing plate opening, they expand and cannot be removed.
Other cables are held by clamps, clips, etc.
Inside the drum, the cable is attached to the lower
end of the parking brake apply lever. The lever is attached
to the web of the secondary shoe. The secondary and pri
mary shoes are linked through th e parking brake lever
strut. The apply lever pivots on the lever strut.

Operation-Servo Drum Brakes

Note: A few very old cars and large trucks
use a parking brake mounted on the rear
of the transmission. This type is known as
a driveshaft parking brake, and is generally used on
heavy-duty trucks.

When the parkin g brake is applied on servo drum

brakes, the cab le pulls on the lower end of the parkin g
brake lever. The lever moves forward and pushes the lever
strut, which moves the secondary shoe into contact w ith
the drum. The secondary shoe contacts the drum , and also
directs apply pressure through the star wh ee l assembly to

Chapter 18

Parking Brakes

323
Clamp

!L

Bracket
Adjuster
locknut

Bracket
bolts

'--, Cable
fitting
Clamp bolt

Rear cable
assembly (R.H .)

N"t~
~

Rear cable
assembly (L.H.)
Adjuster

Wiring
switch
connector

'cable

Cable

Clamp bolt~

Equalizer

Bracket

Front cable
assembly

-,

Cable
clamp

Parking brake cable

Check for faulty
movement

Parking brake lever

Check for smooth
operation

Tension
spring

..

~~ '~ Adj"";ng

Equalizer

Boot

nut

'----BOlt
B

Figure 18-18. Two parking brake systems using different methods of linkage adjustment. A-Adjuster and locknut used on one side.
B-When both cables are attached to the equalizer, correct adjustment can be obtained by turning the adjusting nut. (Honda, Nissan)

the primary shoe. After the lever strut has applied the sec
ondary shoe, it cannot move any more. The parking brake
lever then pivots on the lever strut and applies additional
pressure to the primary shoe. This action is shown in
Figure 18-20.
When the parking brake is released by the driver, the
lever returns to its released position and the brake shoe
return springs release the shoes.

Operation-Non-Servo Drum Brakes

Pal'king brake operation on a non-servo brake drum
is similar to that on a servo brake. However, the action of
the lever strut is taken by the ad j uster assembly. Si nce the

Parking
brake cable

Parking brake
cable

Figure 18-19. Parking brake cable assembly held in the backing

plate with a retaining prong unit. (Chevrolet)

Auto Brakes

324

Brake shoe
return spring
Secondary
brake shoe

Brake shoe
retu rn spring

Lever strut

Primary
brake shoe

Parking
brake cable

Star wheel
Figure 18-20. Operation of one particular servo brake parking brake assembly. There are a number of different servo brake
styles, (OaimlerChrysler)

bottom anc hor is fixed, no pressure is transferred

between the primary and seconda ry shoes. The brake
lever pivoting action throu gh the adjuster assembly
appl ies both shoes. Figure 18-21 shows the parkin g brake
operation on a typi ca l non-servo drum brake.

Primary shoe

Secondary
shoe

Parking
brake

Self-Contained Drum Parking Brake

Self-contained drum parking brakes are used on
some vehicles with rear disc brakes. The parking brake
assembly consists of two shoes and a brake drum. The
shoes are smaller than co nventional brakes since they act
only as parking brakes. Th e d"um is an integral part of the
rotor assemb ly.
A ba cking plate is fasten ed to the axle housing as a
place for brake shoe attachment and a splash shield. A
fixed anchor or star wheel is install ed at the bottom of the
backing plate. The shoes are attached to the backing plate
and anchor with conventiona I hold-down and retractor

r~~~~~~;~~~NII+--\--T~

Adjuster
rod end
Backing
plate

Figure 18-21. Operation of one type of non-servo parking

brake assembly. This assembly uses a fixed anchor at the bot
tom of the backing plate. This prevents a transfer of pressure
between the primary and secondary brake shoes. (Delco)

Chapter 18

325

Parking Brakes

sprin gs. Brake shoe operation is simil ar to the operation of

co nventi o nal drum brakes. Th ere is a lever and strut,
whi ch moves the tops of th e shoes into contact with the
drum, Figure 18-22. However, there is no hydrauli c wheel
cylinder or automati c adju ster.
Pullin g on the brake cabl e causes the lever to move,
fo rcin g the shoes apart. This presses th e shoes into the
drum . When the ca ble tensio n is released the return
sprin gs draw th e shoes away from the drum, releasing the
brakes. This action is shown in Figure 18-23.

Actuating lever
eccentric cam

Shoe return
spring

Backing
plate

Integral Disc Parking Brake

Shoe return
spring

The use of rear di sc brakes is increas ing . On vehicl es

with no drum brakes, there must be a method o f using the
di sc brakes as parkin g brakes. Several methods are used to
appl y di sc brakes with mechanical linkage. They include
screw, ball-and -ramp, and ca m types .

Note: A few older cars and large trucks use

a lever parking brake which clamps an
extra set of pads to the rotor. This type of
parking brake is independent of the hydraulic disc
brake caliper.

Screw Disc Parking Brake

Th e screw disc parking brake is the most co mmo n
type of ca liper parkin g bra ke actu ator. All parts exc ept for
the JPply lever are located insid e the ca liper housing.

Backing
plate

Shoe
strut

Figure 18-23. A self-contained drum parking brake assembly

The actuating lever turns the eccentric cam which moves the
shoes into drum contact. (Parker)

H ydra ulic system operati o n is simil ar to th at of a con ve n

tional fl oa tin g caliper di sc brake.
In the simplest versi on of thi s design, the pi ston
Jssembl y co ntain s a nut and cone assembly. The nut is
th readed into a lever operated actuator screw. Th e lever is
bolted to the actuator sc rew and has a return spring. Th e

Rear
shoe
Shoe return

,p"og'
Wheel
hub

Parking

brake lever

Parking
brake cable

Pin~
Front shoe
Star wheel adjUster.

1/
0

CfI@ ,

Caliper
bolt

Rear disc brake

assembly

~PIUg

TenSion sPring /
Shoe hold-down cup
Shoe hold-down spring

Rotor with
integral drum

Figure 18-22. An exploded view of a self-contained drum parking brake setup. The parking brake lever and strut moves the shoes
into drum contact. (Lexus)

Auto Brakes

326

act uator screw and lever ca n rotate, but cannot slide in or

out. Th e nut is sp lined to the cone all owi ng it to slide
inside th e cone and piston. This allows the cone and pis
ton to move independently of the nut wh en the piston is
applied with hydraulic pressure. This allows the screw to
remain stationary when the service brakes are app lied.
When the lever is rotated by the cable, the screw
turns. Since the screw is fixed in place and cannot travel
in or out, turnin g it moves the nut outward. Movement of
the nut forces th e co ne and piston outward. The piston
presses the brake pads against the rotor, app lying the
parki ng brake.
When the parkin g brake is released, th e return
spring pulls the lever back to its relea sed position. The
actuator screw will then draw the nut back, allowin g the
piston seal and boot to retract the piston slightly, releas
ing the brakes. A cu taway of th e brakes being applied is
shown in Figure 18-24. The screw type brake adjusts
itself automatically each time it is app lied, if any pad
wear has taken place.
Piston
seal
Outboard

Cone
seal

Caliper
Piston

Thrust
screw

Caliper
piston

Caliper

Operating
shaft

Operating
lever
A

Steel
ball

Thrust
washer

3 ball
B

Released
position

Applied
position

Lever seal
Figure 18-25. A-A cross-sectional view showing an assem
bled bal/-and-ramp unit. B-Bal/-and-ramp assembly in the
released and the applied positions. (Bendix)

Lever
nut

Figure 18-24. A cutaway view of a screw type disc parking

brake assembly showing the brakes being applied. The actuat
ing screw forces the piston pads in contact with the rotor. The
caliper is a sliding type, which applies the outboard brake pad
to the rotor. (EIS)

When the parkin g brake is applied, the cable rotates

the lever and operating shaft. The three steel balls turn with
the operating shaft, and ride up on th e thrust screw ramps.
This increases the space between them, forcing th e thrust
screw away from the operatin g shaft. Since the operating
shaft cannot move in or out, the effect of this increase in
space is to move the thrust screw outward. When the thrust
screw is attac hed to the piston, outward movement of the
thrust screw moves the piston outward, forcing the pads
against the rotor.
When the parking brake is released , the balls roll
back to their lowest point, allowing the seal to retract the
piston. If pad wear has caused excessive play in the apply
unit, the threaded shaft on the thrust screw turns slightly
during release to maintain minimum c learance.

Ball-and-Ramp Disc Parking Brake

Cam Disc Parking Brake

The ball-and-ramp disc parking brake is located inside

the caliper housing. Ball-and-ramp brake units are always
used with Single piston, sliding brake calipers. The ball
and-ramp assembly consists of three steel balls between an
operating shaft and a thrust screw, Figure 18-25. The oper
ating shaft is attached to the apply lever and has three
slots which hold the steel balls in position. The operat
ing shaft and lever can turn but cannot move in or out.
The thrust screw has ramps, or tapered areas, where it
contacts the balls.

Th e cam disc parking brake is used on some Asian

built vehicles. It consists of a lever operated cam, sometimes
called an eccentric, which pushes on a pin or actuator
rod. The actuator rod is attached to the caliper piston.
Figure 18-26 shows a typical cam type parkin g brake.
When the parking brake is applied, the lever rotates,
turning the cam. As the cam rotates to its high point, it
moves the actuator rod outward . As the rod moves out
ward, it pushes the piston outward, causing the pads to
contact the rotor.

Lever

Brake
rotor

Retainer
Check
valve

Boot

Actuating
screw

Chapter 18

327

Parking Brakes

Piston
seal

Adjusting
spring

Adjusting
bolt
Pin
Cam
boot
Cam
Caliper
body

Piston
boot

Caliper
piston

Piston sleeve

Figure 18-26. A cutaway view of a cam disc parking brake. As

the cam rotates (brakes being applied), the pin will push on the
piston sleeve, adjusting bolt, and caliper piston. This action
forces the caliper piston outward, thus applying the brakes by
pinching the rotor between the pads (not shown). (Honda)

When the parking brake is rel eased, the cam moves to

its lowest position, and the pi ston seal moves the piston
and actuator rod inward. To adjust for pad wear, the cam
is tapered so as it turns, the actuator rod moves outward. If
clearance is at the minimum, the cam turns the rod in the
opposite direction when the brake is released. If there is
excessive play in the apply unit, th e cam loses contact with
the apply rod and the threaded shaft does not turn back.
Thi s maintains minimum clearance.

Summary

support brackets and guides. Some parking brake linkages

are protected from the exhaust system and road splash by
heat and splash shields.
The integral drum parking brake is part of the service
drum brake system. It applies the service brakes through an
apply lever installed inside the drum. A lever strut helps to
transmit braking force between the primary and secondary
shoes. The brake linkage can be adjusted to compensate
for wear.
One type of parking brake used with rear disc brakes
is the self-contained drum brake, which is mechanically
opel'ated and has no connection with the brake hydraulic
system. Most rear disc systems have an integral parking
brake which mechanically applies the brake pads. The
three main kinds of integral disc parking brakes are the
screw type, ball-and-ramp type, and cam type. All rely on
the movement of a lever that is converted into pressure on
the disc brake pads.

Review Questions-Chapter 18
Please do not write in this text. Write your answers on
a separate sheet of paper.
1. What is the primary purpose of the parking brake?
2. What is another use of the parking brake?
3. The des ign of the parking brake lever increa ses
mechanical
4. A multi-stroke foot parking brake is usually used
when the rear brakes are
brakes.
5. Automatic foot brake rel eases are operated by engine

The parking brake is used to keep the vehicle from

moving while it is not bein g used. It can also be used as a
backup brake system in an emergency. Th e brake linkage
consists of a series of cables, rods, and leve rs. A hand or
foot lever is used to move the linkage and apply th e park
ing brake.
Foot brakes are held in the applied position by a
ratchet mechanism. Some foot brakes used with disc
brakes require several applications to apply th e parkin g
brake. Most foot brakes are released by hand, but a few are
automatically rel eased by a vacuum operated diaphragm
and control system. Hand brakes can be the common floor
lever, used on bucket seat vehicles, or the push-pull type
with a T-handle mounted under the dashboard. A warning
light illuminates when the ignition is on, telling the driver
the parking brake is applied.
Brake cables are mad e of stranded steel with fittings on
each end for attachment to other parking brake compo
nents. Cables are partially or completely installed inside of
a cab le sheath to protect th em from road splash and dam
age. A parking brake multiplier is used on some parking
brake linkages to increase brake pedal force. The equalizer
is used to provide a balanced pull between the brake cables
at each wheel. These parts are held and protected by

6. The floor mounted hand lever is used on vehicles

with
7. What are parking brake cables usually made from?
8. A parking brake multiplier increases parking brake
_ _ _ at the expense of _ _ _ .
9. The equalizer ensures th at the same amount of force
is applied to each _ _ _ brake.
10. Match the brake with its description.
_ _

Integral drum
parking brake

(A) Applies th e service

disc brakes.

Self-contained
drum parking brake

(8) Applies separate

drum brakes.

_ _ Integral disc

parking brake

(C) Applies a dri veshaft

brake.

(0) Applies the service

drum brakes.

11. On a drum type parking brake, the parking brake

cable is attached to the _ __ brake shoe throu gh a
lever.

Auto Brakes

12. The most common type of disc brake parking brake is

the _ _ type.
13. Moving the cable causes the screw to turn, moving
the ___ forward. This causes the brake pads to
press against the rotor, setting the brake.
14. The cam type disc parking brake is found on _ __
vehicles.
15. The ca m, sometimes called an eccentric, pu shes on
an ___ attached to the hydraulic piston .

5. The multiplier is a kind of ___.

(A) adjuster
(8) strain relief device
(C) lever

(0) pulley
6. Technician A says that the integral drum parking
brake operates the service brakes. Technici an 8 says
that the integral drum parking brake operates a sepa
rate set of brake shoes. Who is right?
(A) A only.
(B) B only.
(C) Both A & B.
(0 ) Neither A nor B.

1. Technician A says that the foot brake is held in the

applied position by a ratchet. Technician B says that
the vacuum release brake will release the brake when
vacuum is removed. Who is right?
(A) A only.
(B) B only.
(C) Both A & B.
(0) Neither A nor B.
2. Th e multi-stroke parking brake is usually used with
vehicles hav ing _ __
(A) rear di sc brakes
(B) rear drum brakes
(C) front di sc brakes
(0) manual transmissions
3. Techni c ian A says that most hand operated parking
brake levers are dash mounted. Technician B says that
th e brake warning lights are illuminated only when
th e ignition is on with the parking brake applied. Who
is right ?

7. The parking brake _ _ is attached to the seco ndary

shoe.
(A) apply lever
(B) equalizer
(C) cable
(0) sheath
8. When a drum parking brake is applied, the brake
transfers parking brake forc e between the
shoes.
(A) multiplier
(B) apply lever
(C) front cable
(0) lever strut
9. All of the following disc parking brake mechanisms
are located inside the caliper, EXCEPT:
(A) ball-and-ramp.
(B) screw.
(C) lever.

(0) cam.

(A) A only.

10. Technician A says that a screw type di sc parking brake

(8) B only.

adjusts itself automatically each time it is applied.

Technician B says that a ball-and-ramp disc parking
brake adju sts itse lf automatically each time it is
appli ed. Who is ri ght?

(C) Both A & B.

(0 ) Neither A nor B.
4. All of the following statements about parking brake
cables are true, EXCEPT:
(A) brake cables have fittings on their ends.
(B) brake cables are made to be very rigid.
(C) brake cables are often enclosed.
(0) many vehicles have three brake cables.

(A) A only.
(B) B only.
(C) Both A & B.
(0) Neither A nor B.