and yes I have searched

both my gf's 1988 4 runner and my 1989 ext cab ,,, the parking brake has tension but will not lock into place! How do I fix this??

help is appreciated as always!

 

adjust rear drums or replace rear brake shoes. make sure e-brake cable is actuating both brake levers.

 

ahhhh yes....what were those stupid things called?

Bell Cranks.

Yes, Bell Cranks.

little arms that get actuated when you pull the lever. or not.

that is, if you have drum brakes in the back.

the way to see if this works or not is to get under the back and have someone pull the lever and see if they move. mine were corroded in place. this is a rpair that you can do, but it is a bit of a PITA.

 

picture of one of my bell cranks

 

cmon Jerry show him how I really fixed those haha.

 

you would have to show your damage to your flatbed to demonstrate that.

 

you mean my bumper? that I actually finished off at RC?

 

oh yeah....we killed that too....hehehehe

so, the whole idea here is to have someone pull the lever and see what the action (or, inaction) is and take it from there.

bell cranks can be replaced, or better yet, freed and fixed. if, indeed, that's your problem.

 

I would like to add the bell crank is most likely your problem if you have an auto trans as they don't get used much.

If manual trans then most likely adjusting or replace rear brake drum/shoe is most likely the fix.

Jerry you are periodically using your e-brake now right?

 

ummmmmmmm.....what.......you're breaking up.......

 

what would be the best way to fix them? i know the drivers side on my truck is frozen.

 

to be honest with you........if XXXTREME and I made a "how-to" video that day, it would have been hilarious.

basically, i soaked it (what you can see and reach) repeatedly in PB Blaster and smashed the lever (top) several, several times with a hammer until it started to work loose and then finally was able to be worked easily by hand. driver's side tried the same technique and no dice. had to remove it and beat the snot out of it (causing above referenced damage to XXXTREME's flatbed and bumper) until we got it to budge and ten we knew we were getting somewhere.....we -re-installed it with it barely moving and used it's mounts as leverage to make it free up. by the time we were done, both sides moved very easily and engaged and disengaged without problem.

there is a rubber boot thingy that traps moisture / muck / road salt in an area that moves (much like your elbow)and has 2 different metals touching (if i recall correctly).....so corrosion is the enemy force here

 

take them off and beat the crap out of em, hahah no really, but yeah really, wait no seriously here you go: http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forum...ank-repair.pdf

 

wow,,, I will look at it this afternoon,,, and yeah it's a v6 5spd model,,, both trucks

 

Be carful banging on the bell cranks. I did mine last summer and cracked the outer piece that the bolts go into I think its aluminum. I ended up getting one off my parts truck and sand blasted it to get out most of the corrosion then soaking it and hitting it that worked. In any case they're a pain.

 

Also on the subject of E-brakes what do I do if the left side e-brake works (left is the one the the main cable goes to) but the right one won't hold the wheel? There is a pivot that the lines are attached to which looks like its meant to even the amount of pull on each brake and that pivot is working so I was wondering how to adjust that so it will actually work on both wheels? Thanks for your help!

 

If the bell cranks are seised the E-brake won't engage even if the handle in the cab feels tight. Did I get your question Razed?

 

I gave up on mine. Then,

 

rikinwyoming If you go under your trucks on the right side in front of the crossmember near the back of the cab there's a leaver and the front half of the E-Brake cable connects to the back half. Where the back half goes into that there is a long threaded section. You can try tightening that effectively shortening the line so the E-brake engages faster(sooner). This may help if the mechanism in the cab is reaching the end of its slide.

 

No it all works smoothly it just doesn't tighten enough