Parking Brake Adjustment Dana 60

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RonJon '06

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1985 W350 with a Dana/Spicer 60 rear axle and can't get the parking brake to fully engage. I replaced the brake shoes and have adjusted both sides with minimal drag during the install and more drag via the access hole in the back of the mounting plate. The vehicle sat for years and the cable coming from the cab was very slack but I have tightened that up as far as I dare.

Is the little square shaped gizmo in the pic supposed to be placed against the metal of the primary brake shoe? The top pic is mine after the install and the bottom pic I found on the web.

brake drum.jpg

Picture042.jpg

Any help would be great, this is my first time working with these axles and can't find any instructions anywhere.
 

crazzywolfie

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you most likely need to adjust the cable along the drivers side frame rail somewhere. i just don't know the exact details since the heavier duty trucks use a slightly different cable setup.
 
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RonJon '06

RonJon '06

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Yeah, that's what I thought it was too but it's as tight as I can get it now. In fact it's a little too tight 'cause the pedal comes up with a loud thwack but I can still just drive right out of the parking brake at idle. Its like its not spreading both shoes against the drum.
 

dodge dude94

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Me thinks the same thing. My cable is the same.
 

crazzywolfie

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will the park brake hold the truck from rolling on a hill or prevent it from moving when just idling in gear? i don't think it is suppose to hold your truck when you step on the gas while in gear.
 
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RonJon '06

RonJon '06

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will the park brake hold the truck from rolling on a hill or prevent it from moving when just idling in gear? i don't think it is suppose to hold your truck when you step on the gas while in gear.

No, it won't hold the truck on level ground in gear at idle and won't hold the truck on any kind of incline at all in neutral. When I had the rear end jacked up I couldn't turn the wheel by hand with the parking brake on but if I put it in gear the wheel would spin.

Me thinks the same thing. My cable is the same.

Me thinks I'm gonna have to take those freaking hubs off again dang it.:(
 

crazzywolfie

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can you possibly adjust the cables any more? i know i got mine way over adjusted to make it work on both my vehicles.
 
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RonJon '06

RonJon '06

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I can try it. At one point I had the cable adjusted so tight I could only get the pedal 3/4 of the way to the floor and thought I was gonna break it, still wouldn't engage. Could the cable be rusted and stuck inside the cable guide leading into the drum?
 

crazzywolfie

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that is a possibly since they are old. the only way to find out would have been to pull the cable and check but you would pull it all apart again lol
 
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RonJon '06

RonJon '06

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I took the drum off today and found that the driver's side adjuster cable came off.....:wtf:

IMG_20140918_111403350.jpg


Hopefully that's it, I'll know after I put the wheels back on.
 

crazzywolfie

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cool. did you check the cables?. i did learn a new trick to learn remove cables from the backing plate if you need to. looks like a small hose clamp should do the job
brake.jpg
 
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RonJon '06

RonJon '06

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Yeah, the cables are OK. I pressed the emergency brake pedal with the drums off and the levers moved the shoes out on both sides.

That's a great trick, I'll have to remember that one.
 

crazzywolfie

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that is good to hear.

ya i learned that trick the other day when i was searching for a dana 60 rear axle brake diagram for you. i could see it coming in very handy for me.
 
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