What's needed to hook up an emergency brake?

[Track T-4]

I want to hook up an emergency brake to my rear disc brakes but something is apparently missing. I had this car in to the shop for work on the differential and was told the part to hook up the emergency brake was missing on both calipers. There is a Lokar e-brake unit already mounted in the car so I just need to hook up the cables but...

From these photos, can anyone ID the brakes and tell me what is missing so I can - hopefully - get the missing parts? They are power-assist and mounted on a Ford 9" rear.

Please disregard all the dirt, cleanup is planned over the winter. And apologies for posting this '37 Ford problem on the T-Bucket forum but this is the site I frequent and it's a great group of folks.

 

[Hotrod46]

They appear to be GM metric rear calipers.

http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/DC/2898-05000074.html?utm_content=DN&utm_term=1980-1985 Cadillac Seville Brake Caliper A1 Cardone Rear Left 80-85 Cadillac Brake Caliper 1984 83&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ff&utm_campaign=PartsGeek Google Base&gclid=Cj0KEQiAwaqkBRDHx6rzxMqAobgBEiQAxJazJ2bzLD3yIiAIzgRT-xY4bnyLecspVLPs3q4wiW1DrjoaAmxl8P8HAQ


Looks like you are missing all the cable levers and brackets, as well as the spring. It might be easier to just trade them in on some rebuilt calipers. Should be early 80's Cadillac Seville parts and they are different parts for right and left.

Mike

 

[Track T-4]

Hotrod46,
Just curious why Cadillac Seville, is there something specific about those or will others work?
Thanks, Bruce

 

[Hotrod46]

There may be others, but I remembered those off the top of my head. A good auto parts guy could look them up and maybe see what else they fit or a salvage yard with a set of interchange manuals.

 

[T-Test]

Calipers were different for the autos with disk brakes that used the hat type rotors rather than the disk type. Calipers come with/without the E-Brake arms and return springs, the arms which came only with the disk type rotors. Hat type rotors used a cable setup like a regular brake system with a backing plate, as the E-Brake shoes were inside the rotor hats like on early Corvettes. Find a competent parts man to help you out. Camaros, Cadillacs and others will all work if you match rotor to caliper and weld caliper bracket to axle housing where needed. Good hunting!

 

[Screaming Metal]

Theres also a driveshaft mounted / yoke-pinion mounted E-brake also....
Speedway, Curry, and others carry them....

 

[Screaming Metal]

Heres some pics for visual reference....and can be easily adapted to most any rear with a min. of work....
www.google.com/search?q=pinion+or+driveshaft+mounted+emergency+brake&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=jkSYVIXsAs6OyASCooLwDw&ved=0CCUQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=628

 

[fletcherson]

Hotrod46,
Just curious why Cadillac Seville, is there something specific about those or will others work?
Thanks, Bruce

Older heavier trucks like late 60's GM C50,C60 series had transmission mounted drum style parking brakes. I bet they could be made to work well with a little fabrication if you don't want to shell out 350 clams for an aftermarket yoke mount brake, or want to do something different.

 

[Track T-4]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I was hoping to be able to buy and add the parts to my current calipers needed to make them e-brake capable but that looks like that won't work. The calipers already on my car are working well so I am hesitant to take a chance and mess with them or buy calipers that might not work.

I'm familiar with the driveshaft-mounted unit. Bought it from Total Performance a couple of years ago for $255 and installed it in my "T". Speedway is now selling the same unit for $300 and $349. An easier installation than replacing both calipers but probably more costly than the calipers.

I received an offline message and photos from a member who suggested my wheels may be too deep and interfere with the lever that is on the e-brake ready calipers. So am taking a look to see it that might be an issue.

Still in a quandary and open for suggestions.

 

[choppinczech]

It looks to me like the cable would miss the inside of your wheels.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321125327238?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[HenrysT]

Is your T registered already? Some DOT's want the E brake at the wheels, what happens when/if you drop the drive shaft with a trans mounted brake? Or if you loose your spider gears with a pinion mounted brake?

 

[fletcherson]

Is your T registered already? Some DOT's want the E brake at the wheels, what happens when/if you drop the drive shaft with a trans mounted brake? Or if you loose your spider gears with a pinion mounted brake?

If it is a "emergency brake" I agree, but as a "parking brake" It's very unlikely to be an issue. The pinion or trans mount brakes have good holding power due to the mechanical advantage afforded by the differential gears. The one on my 66 c60 will stop the truck (Big, heavy truck). Good point about the inspection process. One should check to see what's required before wasting time and money. I have an old boom style wrecker that we use for various severe duty chores, and it has a manual line lock that locks all 4 wheels. It works good, but I could for see issues if there was a fluid leak.

 

[Hackerbilt]

Although I prefer to see wheel mounted assemblies, I wonder would there be (could there be?) a problem with a trans mounted brake when you consider several common vehicles over the years used just that setup?
Toyota Landcruiser used them for years and also late 50's Mopar "pushbutton automatic" cars...the latter, not having a PARK pawl for the auto trans, relied solely on the shaft mounted park brake to keep the vehicle from rolling down any hill it was parked on!
I'd be very surprised if any DOT had issues with their use...as long as the thing actually works and is applied mechanically.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Correct HB....after all, the trans. park is just really a pin going in the hole kinda thing....simple straight, to the point. Yes, the old parking brakes were on the tailshfts....
One could always add a small, simple cylinder and plumb it into the the brake line itself. Quick, easy and dirty.
Its all in how you wanna do it. One could also get a big bike disc brake and caliper and adapt it to the rearend yoke. Hurst-Airheart had a addon unit that was cable operated....
A simple, low powered parking brake....

 

[T-Test]

I have used a go cart brake rotor and caliper[mechanical] machined and drilled to fit a 9" Ford pinon yoke with a cable and home made E- Brake lever Like the ones you can buy. Hardest part is the bracket to mount the caliper to the 3rd member, and getting the pattern for the rotor to fit the yoke.

 

[bamabucket]

I also use the pinion mounted unit and purchased it from Total Performance when the price was lower like Track T-4 did. I have rear drum brakes on a 9" rear end so I suppose I would have been better off just getting the cables and using the drum brakes as parking brakes since the levers are still there on the shoes. I have wondered if the holding power of the small disk is as much as that of the brake shoes in case I did need to use the "parking brake" as an emergency brake as I have had to do with other cars in the past.

 

[fletcherson]

I also use the pinion mounted unit and purchased it from Total Performance when the price was lower like Track T-4 did. I have rear drum brakes on a 9" rear end so I suppose I would have been better off just getting the cables and using the drum brakes as parking brakes since the levers are still there on the shoes. I have wondered if the holding power of the small disk is as much as that of the brake shoes in case I did need to use the "parking brake" as an emergency brake as I have had to do with other cars in the past.

It would be good to test it as a backup plan. That's a plus with standard shift, it gives another option to at least slow down.

 

[T-Test]

Park on an inclined hill about 45* and engage E- brake. Put tranny in neutral and if it holds, your good to go!! If not, be prepared to hit brake pedal. Both E-brake systems are good, but as stated elsewhere, if you lose the drive shaft, pinion mounted brake is naught for use as is with a manual tranny.

 

[Track T-4]

Thanks for your thoughts. I'll have to do some more measuring and research.
Can someone explain to me the difference between "hat type rotors rather than the disk type" mentioned by Test-T?
For what it's worth, the wheels on the car are 15" and I've been told the calipers are Corvette but haven't seen any numbers so I can confirm.

 

[fletcherson]

Thanks for your thoughts. I'll have to do some more measuring and research.
Can someone explain to me the difference between "hat type rotors rather than the disk type" mentioned by Test-T?
For what it's worth, the wheels on the car are 15" and I've been told the calipers are Corvette but haven't seen any numbers so I can confirm.

Hat type have a small drum for parking brakes and look like a hat