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Parking Brake Question

77TexasBronc

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
2,002
Loc.
Baytown Texas
The earlier model Broncos E-brake setup has a reduction lever with the adjuster located under the floor board driver side area however my 77 has a straight thru adjuster without the reduction lever. I am wondering why this is different and was the reduction built in the foot lever mechanism for the 77 instead the under the floor part like the early models?

The reason for this weird questions is I recently ditched my E-brake foot lever on my 77 to make room for the new fuse panel and my plan was to go to an under the dash straight pull handle which I have already done however the handle will only move about 1\2” to 1” or so and doesn’t function properly. My thinking is if I added in the older linkage that had the reduction then my straight pull handle would have more throw and function properly.

Anyone every run into this? Any other ideas? TIA
 

72Sport

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
2,954
The earlier model Broncos E-brake setup has a reduction lever with the adjuster located under the floor board driver side area however my 77 has a straight thru adjuster without the reduction lever. I am wondering why this is different and was the reduction built in the foot lever mechanism for the 77 instead the under the floor part like the early models?
Anyone every run into this? Any other ideas? TIA

I am not sure about the hand operation type but this is what I found on my 72 after noticing that it did not want to stay at the top of the drive way.

Ford did a lousy job welding the bracket that holds the cables to the bottom of the body. Mine didn't have a very good weld job. It flexed every time I put on the e brake. I think it had two welds and they were in a straight line. You might want to check yours.

The later foot pedal has a finer tooth ratchet mechanism and a little more mechanical advantage and cable travel built into the pedal. Probably because the pivot points are slightly different. It is also stronger than the 72 where it mounts to the bottom of the dash.

I removed my 72 stuff and went to 76-77 stuff. It still wouldn't stay at the top of the driveway. I reinstalled the lever underneath and moved the pivot so I had more travel at the wheels. With the built in increased travel in the 77 pedal and moving the pivot on the 72 linkage underneath I was able to fix the problem without causing too much foot pressure to apply the e brake. It now stays where I put it, at least for now. When I first set it up I had new everything in the rear drum brakes since I had just converted to 76-77 rear brakes.

Others have installed hand brakes but I am not sure it would work for me. My leg is much stronger than my arm.

I think the "reduction" lever as you call it was actually to increase travel without causing excessive foot pressure to apply the e brake.

Again thanks to Mad for taking time from fishing to supply me pictures of the 77 setup.
 
OP
OP
7

77TexasBronc

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
2,002
Loc.
Baytown Texas
Thanks for the reply 72Sport.

Oops…I just realized in my hast to get this thread posted today at work, :-X I forgot to mention a very pertinent detail. I no longer have the 77 rear drum brakes; I am now running the BC disk setup. The disk brake setup doesn’t have a lot of play before the pads contact the disk. The straight pull under the dash handle I have seems to require more throw to operate correctly. I believe if I had the older style linkage/adjuster then this setup may work.

That’s my thinking away, has anyone else done this mod?
 
OP
OP
7

77TexasBronc

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
2,002
Loc.
Baytown Texas
Does anyone have the older style setup they would like to part with for a fair price? I am mainly needing the reduction lever with the adjuster and spring that is located under the floorboard driver side. I dont need the inside foot lever part or cables.
 
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