Parking brake for 14bff w/ discs?

[4-play]

For you guys that have a 14bff with disc brakes, what are you using for a parking/emergency brake? TIA

 

[toomany]

Most people use Cadilac Eldorado calipers. I'm not sure the year. If you do a search you will find a ton of info on it.

 

[spoolnaround]

Its still not in the vehicle but I bought a driveline e-brake.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

The Caddy calipers are pretty weak even when adjusted, more money than they are worth IMO.

I use a line lock and it works well but its not a mechanical parking brake.


Somebody should put a little time into a bracket to use a newer, more common caliper that has an emergency brake. Rear discs are so common now that I guarantee there is a better option than the '70s Cadillac stuff.

 

[dfl701]

I wonder if kert can come up with somethin. Because so many people want the e brake

 

[bp71k5]

I had a pretty hard time finding the 76-78 eldorado calipers. I could not find any rebuilt ones from any parts stores (even special order). TSM was the only place selling them but they're new and fairly expensive.

 

[nchinca]

I had the Caddy calipers. They did not hold no matter what I did. I now use 3/4 ton fronts on the rear and use a wheel chock for now (until I can afford the D/L brake).

 

[dyeager535]

The Caddy calipers are pretty weak even when adjusted, more money than they are worth IMO.

I use a line lock and it works well but its not a mechanical parking brake.


Somebody should put a little time into a bracket to use a newer, more common caliper that has an emergency brake. Rear discs are so common now that I guarantee there is a better option than the '70s Cadillac stuff.

My dads running 76-78 rear caddy calibers on his truck, e-brake is no weaker or stronger than the stock 14FF drum. Needed some time to adjust itself right (rarely used/driven), once it did, no problems.

 

[jonrpick]

One of the vendors here has been working on this. He basically created a bracket that provides mounting for two calipers. It's two separate systems: one caliper is your standard rear braking caliper, and the other is tied into a separate system for parking. It would use standard off-the-shelf, non-e-brake calipers.

Cool idea, but I think he was still working on the controls to make it all work.

I've been looking for the thread for a while...can't find it.

 

[dyeager535]

Seems like 4 calipers would be a lot more costly and complex than say, a single driveline brake with e-brake-less calipers at the wheels.

 

[4X4HIGH]

I run the Caddy Eldo calipers and have them adjusted so that it holds my rig with no problems. I can leave the engine running, trans in gear and e-brake on while on a hill facing down and they hold perfectly.

 

[jt512]

One of the vendors here has been working on this. He basically created a bracket that provides mounting for two calipers. It's two separate systems: one caliper is your standard rear braking caliper, and the other is tied into a separate system for parking. It would use standard off-the-shelf, non-e-brake calipers.

Cool idea, but I think he was still working on the controls to make it all work.

I've been looking for the thread for a while...can't find it.

I remember seeing that as well, I'm pretty sure it was Kert who had the pics. But it does seem like alot of extra work/install issues then going another route.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Methinks part of the reason yours work so well is the Seville levers/spring/bracket setup that you're using on the Eldorado calipers.

I've found it difficult to mount an external (i.e. not on the caliper itself) cable bracket in a way that the angle of the cable pull on the lever is optimized. Then again, my bracket is a hack job anyway.

It seems that one way to get the e-brake to hold better is to step on the service brake hard, and then set the e-brake with the foot still on the brake pedal - basically applying hydraulic force on the calipers, and then using the mechanical lever to sorta lock the caliper.

What has helped my system was to link up the left and right cables from the caliper, and use a pulley to apply the force from the e-brake pedal. The pulley allows for equalizing the force between left and right side, no matter where the levers are in their travel to the next adjustment step.

That could very well be why i have success where others don't. To be honest, i don't know why more people don't use the seville/fleetwood brackets/springs since they are SO easy to find. It only requires drilling and tapping one hole in the caliper for it to work. Also, my year rig has both cables down the driver side then the passenger side crosses over in front of the pinion so i get equal pull like you're talking about.

 

[jonrpick]

I remember seeing that as well, I'm pretty sure it was Kert who had the pics. But it does seem like alot of extra work/install issues then going another route.

It wasn't Kert... Gravel Maker possibly...

 

[4X4HIGH]

...how about because it's a PITA for the uninitiated to put an Eldo caliper back together again?

Why would you take one apart.

 

[protechk5]

That could very well be why i have success where others don't. To be honest, i don't know why more people don't use the seville/fleetwood brackets/springs since they are SO easy to find. It only requires drilling and tapping one hole in the caliper for it to work. Also, my year rig has both cables down the driver side then the passenger side crosses over in front of the pinion so i get equal pull like you're talking about.

do you have a write up or link to that, ive never heard of that before.

 

[rcamacho]

Interesting idea swapping the brackets between the types of calipers. I'm running the larger caddy calipers and concur that they are hard to come by now and the linkage does not generate a lot of leverage without some significant re-work to the cable runs and geometry. Mine holds but not as well as I would like.

 

[4X4HIGH]

You can drill an Eldo caliper for the Seville bracket without breaking the caliper down?

Yep, no need to take anything apart to drill and tap the required hole. Once you have the brackets in hand it is self explanatory as to where the hole needs to be. Just lay the bracket in place and mark the hole and then drill and tap.

 

[BGKYK5]

Its still not in the vehicle but I bought a driveline e-brake.

Spooln, is that a HAD DL brake or did you get it someplace else?


I'd love for somebody to come up with a good drum-in-hat parking brake setup. There was a guy on Pirate who did it, but IIRC, he did a bunch of custom machining.

 

[cuervo]

I'm not sure who pointed me in the direction of TSM but I purchased these sweet calipers with ebrakes on them.