What's this ?

[Sheapdog]

Need help identifying this hanging from my truck. Never noticed it before and seems awfully loose. Looks like I can tighten it. Seems odd that it would loosen up out of the blue.

 

[kurek]

PArking brake.

 

[NJMOPAR]

Looks like the parking brake cable.

 

[crash68]

As other said it is the parking brake cable. Don't tighten it until you find out why it's loose. The springs on the parking brake should pull the cable back, something is hanging up.

 

[Sheapdog]

I will take a close look and see if I can find out what the problem is. Last time I used it was for changing my oil. Disengaged it before I drove though. Maybe it didn't completely disengage. The handle in the cab is partially broke from previous owner.

 

[Sheapdog]

Well I checked and can't seem to see anything wrong. Engaged the parking brake and it tightened right up. Put it in gear and truck would not move, so the brake was working. Release the brake and it's loose again and truck can move. Any thoughts?

Edit: I found this link so am going to get back under there and see if I can see anything.
https://www.ramforum.com/threads/used-parking-brake-maybe-8-times-now-it’s-saggin.164381/page-3

 

[Sheapdog]

Well that is the culprit. Pretty rusty, so sprayed what I had to no effect. However I could still get a little movement with it, and was able to get it back to the free position. Wire tightened back up. Still debating on tightening a hair to try and shore it up some more, but bottom line is I will probably have to replace them eventually if I want to use the P-brake and not have to crawl under my truck every time I use it.

 

[SitKneelBend]

Well that is the culprit. Pretty rusty, so sprayed what I had to no effect. However I could still get a little movement with it, and was able to get it back to the free position. Wire tightened back up. Still debating on tightening a hair to try and shore it up some more, but bottom line is I will probably have to replace them eventually if I want to use the P-brake and not have to crawl under my truck every time I use it.

Long discussions had on this. Consensus seems to be use it frequently to prevent this from happening or don't use it at all. The fact that yours went back up without a hammer means you could probably join the former group and be OK.

When the cable sags like that it might feel like its disengaged but it is ever so slightly still engaged and causing drag...

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk

 

[dwhutch]

...and ruin the brake pads/shoes. We were actuallly taught in drivers ed (1974) to use the parking brake to avoid this issue - stop the vehicle, set the parking brake, then put the transmission in park. I cringe when I see someone fly into a parking space and slam the shifter into park and watch the full weight of the vehicle bounce back and forth on the park pin!

 

[tobyd]

stop the vehicle, set the parking brake, then put the transmission in park.

The number of times I've tried to explain this to my wife... We live on a hill and generally park on something of an incline.

I cringe when I see someone fly into a parking space and slam the shifter into park and watch the full weight of the vehicle bounce back and forth on the park pin!

Eeeeeee.

 

[Atcer2018]

The number of times I've tried to explain this to my wife... We live on a hill and generally park on something of an incline.


Eeeeeee.

lol same with my wife and two daughters!

 

[roadrnnr]

One of the Levers in your rear brakes is rusted and not releasing. Crawl under and look at levers where spring attaches. Both should be all the way back. Bet one of them isn't.

If not sure Tap on both with a hammer to see if you can push them all the way back, your cable will tighten up.