Parking Brake

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Skrain
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Parking Brake

Post by Skrain »

Coming home from the car show, I stopped to get gas. At the gas station I set the parking brake, but it pulled so far that it seems to have pulled past the end of the ratchets on the handle. I just released the handle and I got the car home with no problem, and I just park in gear, but any help on info about adjusting the parking brake on an EM would be appreciated.
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by bbodie52 »

:chevy: :wrench: You need to determine the reason for the sudden change in the behavior of the parking brake mechanism. There could be broken strands in the front or rear transverse cable, or a guide pulley could have broken or loosened. A failing cable usually gives little warning. In a manual transmission car you have some backup by also leaving the car in gear. But in Corvairs with Powerglide transmissions the hazard becomes worse because the Corvair automatic transmission does not have a PARK position to lock the transmission.

In any case, I recommend you review the shop manual section that covers the parking brake and then thoroughly inspect the entire system to determine the source of your problem. A big change in parking brake lever travel usually indicates a failed component that must be repaired or replaced, and an inspection is the only way to determine the cause.
EM Parking Brake Assembly.jpg
I have attached the appropriate section of the 1961 Shop Manual that covers parking brake adjustment and inspection.
1961 Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 5 - Brakes.pdf
1961 Chevrolet Corvair Shop Manual - Section 5 - Brakes
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Skrain
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by Skrain »

Looks like it's time for a new Parking brake cable. I need to take off the tunnel cover and the toe plate cover to check the pulleys, but the threaded rod on the rear end of the cable seems to be so bunged up that we can't even get any adjustment on it.
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Skrain
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by Skrain »

A Quick Question...are the parking brake cable pulleys metal, or plastic?
I have to get some safe ramps to get the car up in the air a bit before I tackle the parking brake repair. Just wondering what the chances are that one of the pulleys gave out, or is it more likely the cable stretched enough to quit working, since both ends seem to be intact?
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1949 Ford 8N Tractor
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azdave
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by azdave »

Skrain wrote:A Quick Question...are the parking brake cable pulleys metal, or plastic?
I have to get some safe ramps to get the car up in the air a bit before I tackle the parking brake repair. Just wondering what the chances are that one of the pulleys gave out, or is it more likely the cable stretched enough to quit working, since both ends seem to be intact?
As far as I know, EM's have plastic pulleys and they do fail often. The cables usually break up by the handle or at the first pulley in my limited experiences repairing several earlies for friends. I commonly find bad cable clamp type repairs too, sometimes inside the tunnel cover.
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Skrain
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by Skrain »

My gearhead neighbor just traced out the parking brake cable, and discovered that it's the pulley on the steering column that has come apart. :doh:
Have a new one on order from Clark's, so maybe it won't be major surgery to get it fixed! :tu:
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by cad-kid »

:tu:
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65CherryMonza
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by 65CherryMonza »

Guys this might be a dum question but can you park a 65 automatic Corvair without its parking brake ?

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Re: Parking Brake

Post by terribleted »

65CherryMonza wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 12:59 pm Guys this might be a dum question but can you park a 65 automatic Corvair without its parking brake ?

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Not if you do not want it to roll away.
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by bbodie52 »

Even the big guys remember to set their wheel chocks...
Wheel Chocks.jpg

When I bought a used 1973 Datsun 240Z years ago, I discovered a set of folding wheel chocks were included with the jack. I always thought this was a wise addition to the emergency tool pack, so I added them to my Corvair trunk. Even more essential for Powerglide-equipped Corvairs, since the automatic transmission has no PARK mechanism, and the emergency brake cable can fail without warning!

Wheel Chocks

The metal, folding Datsun wheel chocks I was referring to look like this...

Image


The wheel chocks shown below were one design I liked of many offered on Amazon.com...

Image

Click on the link below...
:link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wheel+chocks&ref=nb_sb_noss


Corvairs are rare... don't let yours get away!
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65CherryMonza
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by 65CherryMonza »

bbodie52 wrote:Even the big guys remember to set their wheel chocks...

Image


When I bought a used 1973 Datsun 240Z years ago, I discovered a set of folding wheel chocks were included with the jack. I always thought this was a wise addition to the emergency tool pack, so I added them to my Corvair trunk. Even more essential for Powerglide-equipped Corvairs, since the automatic transmission has no PARK mechanism, and the emergency brake cable can fail without warning!

Wheel Chocks

The metal, folding Datsun wheel chocks I was referring to look like this...

Image


The wheel chocks shown below were one design I liked of many offered on Amazon.com...

Image

Click on the link below...
:link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wheel+chocks&ref=nb_sb_noss


Corvairs are rare... don't let yours get away!
[emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji28][emoji482]
That's what I did but got the cable fixed temporary it was broken right at the pull point in the back so new piece of cable and saddle clamps. But I'll order a new one right away...
And I will buy some wheel chocks tomorrow for the trunk and the extra weight will help with the ride too... Thanks for the laugh... [emoji1303]

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bbodie52
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Re: Parking Brake

Post by bbodie52 »

The wheel chocks are handy when you jack up the car but still have some wheels on the ground. It can help to prevent the car from rolling when you are working on it.
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
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