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Need brake help...where to find parking brake lever??

jonrpick

jonrpick

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Ok, so I'm reinstalling the brakes on my rear 10-bolt, and I have no idea where to start.

First off, I'm pretty sure I have a couple of extra parts in the hold-down kit, and second, all I have to work with is an exploded diagram.

Does anyone have a link to actual step-by-step instructions, or at the least a SET of very detailed pictures that I can use to go by?

It's been forever since I had to completely service drum brakes, (like 8 or 9 years) and then it was on a Mazda 323.

Thanks all...

Edit: Found... http://www.pbase.com/nufsed/drumbrake
 
Well apparently my kits didn't include a parking brake lever, and neither Autozone nor Advance Auto's websites list the part... :confused::confused::confused:

I don't want to reuse the old one because it filthy, rusty, and not keeping with my theme of "all new" rear brakes. :p:

So where do I get a new one? Please tell me this isn't a dealer-only item.
 
Probably dealer only, maybe the "help" section at the parts store. It's going to get rusty and dirty no matter what, which doesn't affect operation, and isn't visible, so why replace?

I can probably get you the GM part number if you REALLY want it. :)
 
The lever prolly does not come in the "hardware" kit, that being the springs and such that are wear items. The dealer might list it, but I'm pretty sure the levers aren't available aftermarket. I'm not 100% sure what you're looking for, as there are several levers in there, IIRC ... check LMC's catalog, maybe.

I would imagine that a stiff wirebrushing and soaking in WD40 or brake cleaner or even just soap & water -- is gonna be your best bet for the other parts of the mechanism.

-- A
 
dyeager535 said:
Probably dealer only, maybe the "help" section at the parts store. It's going to get rusty and dirty no matter what, which doesn't affect operation, and isn't visible, so why replace?

I can probably get you the GM part number if you REALLY want it. :)
Click to expand...

I know it'll get dirty, but I'm minimizing it as much as possible. I'm putting a gloss coat on everything I can to make it harder for dirt to stick, and hoping a quick shot of brake cleaner will be all that's needed to clean them. Hell, tonight I masked off the rubber boots on the new wheel cylinders and primed and painted the bare iron to prevent rust.

It's overkill, but I hate the dirt and rust in there.

If you could get the GM number, that'd be great. Then I'd at least have something to cross-reference at a parts store.

Thanks...
 
dremu said:
The lever prolly does not come in the "hardware" kit, that being the springs and such that are wear items. The dealer might list it, but I'm pretty sure the levers aren't available aftermarket. I'm not 100% sure what you're looking for, as there are several levers in there, IIRC ... check LMC's catalog, maybe.

I would imagine that a stiff wirebrushing and soaking in WD40 or brake cleaner or even just soap & water -- is gonna be your best bet for the other parts of the mechanism.

-- A
Click to expand...

dremu said:
Well, I may stand corrected.

http://lmctruck.com/icatalog/bzc/full.asp?page=137

#4 is what I'm used to for a hardware kit, but I see they sell #5 and #6 as well.

But Dorian's right, unless it's rusted to the point of bending, no point in replacing it.

-- A
Click to expand...

Heh... you beat me to it. I didn't think about LMC, and the catalog was right next to me. Cheap too.

However, upon close examination, that's only one piece. It's actually 2 pieces that I needed.

Here's the Chevelle equivalent:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/68-6...013QQitemZ230222156625QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

The bigger levers on the outside are the ones that actually connect to the shoes.

In fact, in this diagram, the "lever" that LMC sells is referred to as a "strut".

http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d8011e39e.gif
 
Should work for you:
http://rides.webshots.com/album/561036416UNTMMP?vhost=rides&start=0
Last page of them, "brake1" "brake2"

It's taken me a while to realize this, but think about it like this. If your brake hard parts are original (and many likely are) then they are almost 20 years old, at the newest. If new ones last me another 20 years, I'm going to be a pretty old guy by the time they fail again, if the truck isn't wrecked or rusted out by then.

That's a lot of time and effort to spend on something that's going to work as-is for 20+ years. But hey, I put a 205 in my truck when a 208 or 241 would have worked perfectly fine. :)
 
dyeager535 said:
Should work for you:
http://rides.webshots.com/album/561036416UNTMMP?vhost=rides&start=0
Last page of them, "brake1" "brake2"

It's taken me a while to realize this, but think about it like this. If your brake hard parts are original (and many likely are) then they are almost 20 years old, at the newest. If new ones last me another 20 years, I'm going to be a pretty old guy by the time they fail again, if the truck isn't wrecked or rusted out by then.

That's a lot of time and effort to spend on something that's going to work as-is for 20+ years. But hey, I put a 205 in my truck when a 208 or 241 would have worked perfectly fine. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks... and I agree, it is somewhat pointless... BUT, I am OCD about stuff like this. The idea of having old, nasty parts mixed in with all the new stuff is the kind of thing that keeps me up at night.

However, I may just sand these down and hit them with a wire brush and call it good. They shouldn't be this damn hard to replace.
 
It is actually washing soda, and should be available anywhere that sells laundry soap. It is a booster product for laundry soap, but when used with the described parts it can remove the rust. Basically get you a piece of scrap steel, put the part in the plastic tub with the positive cable connected to it (I may be backwards so someone will correct me), then put the scrap piece of steel in the tub, but leave the connector from the negative battery cable out of the water mix. Add the soda and water, put the battery charger on 2 amp, and wait. It will completely remove the rust without damaging the original steel.

Edit: Make sure you do this in a well ventilated area, it will offgas hydrogen. Please don't blow yourself up.
 
That works awesome. Just be sure to leave it going overnight and when you wake up it'll be good as new. (Relative term)
 
From what I understand, the part you wish to clean has to be grounded (via the negative on the batt. charger) for this to work. Otherwise, you've only got 1/2 of the circuit. It may work without it though, I haven't tried this one myself.
 
cdoggwsu said:
From what I understand, the part you wish to clean has to be grounded (via the negative on the batt. charger) for this to work. Otherwise, you've only got 1/2 of the circuit. It may work without it though, I haven't tried this one myself.
Click to expand...
I think you may be right, the positive goes to the scrap steel, and the negative goes to the part.
 
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