98' parking brake cable broke, self adjusting pedal assembly?

[BillB]

My left parking break cable broke so I put a new one in, now it has too much slack (about 1 1/2").
I read in my manual that your suppose to put a drill bit on a hole in the parking brake pedal assemble before installing a new cable....to keep tension in the assembly. Because the cable broke I could not do that.

Does anyone really know how to retention that assembly to take slack out? If that is the problem?

 

[BillB]

I DO NOT need to know about adjusting the drum brake shoes, there ok and everything else looks good....the parking brake worked fine before that cable broke.

I simple need to know if it is true that the self adjusting parking brake pedal assembly needs to be reset/tensioned, and if that is probably the problem?

 

[BillB]

OK, I removed the pedal assembly & noticed that the round sprocket on the pedal arm itself wasn't touching the 1/2 moon sprocket the cable is on....I wacked it a few times w/ a hammer and now the sprockets are just touching....but that didn't seem to take up much slack in the cable?
I think that 1/2 moon sprocket needs to be further up to take up more slack?

Anyone have any experience w/ these???

 

[BillB]

Well I put it back in and that didn't do much of anything.

It's strange know one here or anywhere else o/l knows how to fix these Ranger emergency brake assemblies (my 1998 is the same as a 2011)....I can't even see how you could ever take the cable off the assembly!

 

[BillB]

Well I figured it out....my cable snapped because my left rear brake backing plate spun off the axle flange. It pulled SO hard on the pedal assembly that the self adjuster 1/2 moon sprocket was jammed on the TOP side of the assembly.
I whacked the sprocket w/ a hammer & crowbar until it loosened up and went bellow the pedal arm....now it self adjusts and works fine! It was a fluke problem w/ my Ranger.

 

[kdcarter]

E-Brake Question

How difficult is it to change cable and pedal assembly. And if my pedal doesn't completely release, but stops and needs to be pushed up with my foot before the E-Brake light goes off, is it likely there is a spring in the assembly broken?

 

[BillB]

How difficult is it to change cable and pedal assembly. And if my pedal doesn't completely release, but stops and needs to be pushed up with my foot before the E-Brake light goes off, is it likely there is a spring in the assembly broken?

It seems like the tension in the brake cable itself snaps the pedal back/up....if I remember right? Is there slack in your cable?
There could be something wrong w/ the pedal assembly itself too I guess....and it's a PITA to get those 3 bolts out (& back in).

 

[williamdavid]

There should be a little loose, but you should be able to pedal more than 1/4 inch before the gas starts to open. I must be a bit so that the gas is not available, when you leave the gas.

 

[bmerr98]

You've probably noticed the e brake cable is in sections. I had the section that attaches to the pedal break a couple years ago. It is a major pita. Not one of Ford's better ideas. Don't recall many specifics of the job though, but the pedal did need to come out.

The extra slack may be due to the cable being stretched out.