Parking brake

[77Travco]

Also..... 77, how did you get the drum off? I was under the assumption that the whole donut assembly had to be taken off the drive shaft- or does the drum just slide aft after you take the bolts off?

\nI didn't... there is a small inspection door on the front to adjust/inspect the shoes.

[RobC]

So it sounds like to replace/reline the shoes or to get at any of the springs the driveshaft has to come off and the brake drum removed?\n\nI fear I need to get at the cable mechanism/tension spring inside the housing to make sure it is all moving like it should and inspect it properly. \n\nI sense a major PIA coming my way....

[RobC]

Shot of my exposed parking brake. Now that I can get to it I need to get in there and figure out why the cable is stuck. Still trying to figure out how to get the drum off. Looks like you have to pull U-joint pin and slide it off the drive shaft.\n\nThe benefits of ripping out your floor....\n\n

WIN_20140915_183319.JPG

[badbillybiker]

Hi \nSubject arose a while back. A blowup was posted on the E-Brake... \nI myself would think about a line-loc or something along those lines. \nIMOO the drive shaft E-Brake is as good as a small rock against a wheel of your choosing and.... only on a flat surface...\nCome to a safe and complete stop, then use the park pawl...again IMOO\nBBB

[RobC]

Thanks BBB. I saw the blowup but still didn't help on how to get the drum off. I would love to ditch this thing and put a better e-brake on it.\n\nRobC

[Acesneights]

yeah mine has not worked in a long time. At best it will help the pawl hold the Rig parked. As far as stopping the rig in a brake failure, you might as well have a boot nailed to a stick for an emergency brake shoe. I think the drum slides off but I have not taken one apart in a long time.

[badbillybiker]

Hello... American Motors (Javelin) Mounted their rear brake drums in a similar way. A single nut held the drum to the axle.\nThe axle was splined and also assisted to prevent turning was a woodruff key... The whole car as in the travco was driven by the splined and keyed brake drum locked into place by the single large nut..Same for the E-brake on the Travco. Romove the nut and washer making sure the brake shoes are NOT expanded against the drum. Get a 3 or 4 arm wheel puller to back the drum off the splined shaft. Keep in mind a 7 ton (14000 pound) motor home is being driven by that splined and held in place by one nut brake drum..I dont want to even test/pull mine because if it sticks or is "frozen" I will need a sawzall or torches to cut the cable... Not worth the work as it is only a token brake IMO. Hope this clears up the problem a little...Study the illustration...\nHTH.\nBBB...

[RobC]

Thank BBB. I will poke around through the inspection port and see what I can see. I am scared that if someone Pulls the e-brake lever it is going to get stuck and then I am-well, you know.\n\nI want to make sure it is turning freely then just abandon it in place and retrofit a better e-brake that can actually stop the rig in an emergency.\n\nRobC

[badbillybiker]

Hi... If you are determined to "fix/repair"the token e-brake... Do NOT in anyway try to activate it unless you are willing to have a brake that is now frozen in the "lock" position and you are ready to cut or what ever it takes to get the thing loose.\nIf on a light grade, to drop the shaft, the RV/load will have to be taken off the u-joint for removal.. Obviously if you can move on down the road without the brake dragging or smoking the shoes are away from the drum... I IMOO would NOT try it.. Let this sleeping dog lie... BTW have never heard of a 727 Torqueflite without a parking pawl/pin. As this is a 7 ton, subject to weight correction, "tank" to be really effective it would have to be almost at a full stop before engaging on a flat surface or the drive shaft would twist if not tear out the joints. Keep in mind this is a strong transmission but still came originally out of a automobile by chrysler. This was their best trans but in no way was a unit really or specifically designed for a 7 ton travco RV... Summation.... Get a line-lock...and chocks... that e-brake drum met minimum, AFAIK, legalities and again used originally to park a dodge charger, imperial or something. Think about it... proably better off cutting the cable at the drum and doing a line-lock or something, just in case "someone" with you thinks you forgot to set it while you're out on a tour and takes it on their own to help you out thinking you "forgot" to set the brake and does it for you...I cannot emphasize that this brake, even working properly at doing what chrsler says it does, is really ineffective once restored to a freely working cable and shoes...a disk brake setup from a gocart would be more effective... Enuff' said from this end...Rebuttals are wanted as I would like to hear the pro's on this... always an open mind... HTH\nBBB

[Acesneights]

I have to agree with the e brake being pretty useless. About as useless as the driveshaft brake they put on the old 60's Mack DM600's. A joke at best. A driveshaft brake can work but it needs to be sized accordingly like the one in my Deuce...