E- brake not holding. Scout ll

XRAY94553

XRAY94553

Member
I’ve got a 1978 scout ll. The E brake is not holding. The pedal mechanism works great.
ive adjusted the slop on the cable underneath to where it’s not super loose when the e brake is released. I did run out of adjustment on the threaded rod. It’s at the max of if it’s travel but the cable has proper tension. I’ve recently rebuilt the-rear brakes new shoes and springs nice and tidy. I’ve tried backing up and stopping multiple times to get the brakes to adjust in. But it’s still not close enough to hold the scout. Every time. Should I just replace the rear E brake lines?
 
No it used to go full travel now after I adjusted it. It goes down no more than half way. Should I lift the rear up and adjust the brakes to where they are locked then back off till they are just free.
 
Mine have never hold to well either. I tap the brakes if it starts to move and it usually stays stopped.
 
Kinda what makes it work for me too. Strange how I’ve not seen any vids or solution to the scout ll e brake prob
 
is it not holding forward or backward. ? i think by the way its designed, the E brake only expands one brake shoe per side, and that one side shoe, forward motion helps pull the shoe in to the drum. consequently its never going to hold well from rolling backwards.
 
original poster---- are you a manual trans or automatic ?

i am a manual sitting on a steep hill i turn the engine off and use reverse, its the lowest gear therefore the most leverage and holding power for parking on a hill
 
Good idea. There’s gotta be a solution though. IH couldn’t have designed such a weak link in the brake system. That would have been a huge legal liability. But who knows. Things got the input guys.
 
The Scout II utilizes Bendix brakes. Designed and engineered by the Bendix Corp.
If your parking brake does not function properly on a hill, either uphill or downhill, it needs repair or service.
It is not the fault of IH from 40+ years ago.
 
I replaced the brakes I tried adjusting the brakes ,the parking brake cable and bleeding them. My Parking brake pedal is great. Doesn’t go too low. Brakes work great. It’s just the dang emergency brake. Not holding the truck.
 
are you rear brakes adjust properly ? that might help a little.

also try mashing your brake pedal and mashing your e brake pedal at the same time, use the hydraulic system to help make sure you have the pad as mashed against the drum as much as it can be.
 
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If your brakes are new and not fully seated or broken in yet, then the parking brake won't hold very well. If all other parts are within tolerance and adjusted properly, as you drive the Scout some more, you'll probably find the parking brake holds better as things wear in.
 
Great input I’ll double check what you guys recommend. I did just replace the rear axle bearing ,seal ,and brake shoes and springs. Just not clear on how much drag you should adjust the brakes too. I’m going to adjust them to locked up then go to free to turn but with a little muscle behind it. Not totally free spinning. I’ll keep you all posted if interested. Thanks again
 
There are drum brake calipers (measuring calipers) you can buy for pretty cheap that allow you to measure the average circumference of your drum and then adjust your shoes to that rough measurement. The other consideration here is your drums themselves. If they've been turned a few times and the actual diameter is larger then the maximum diameter cast into the drum, they are no longer in spec and should be replaced.
 
When adjusting the rear brakes, jack the vehicle up and of course toss some jack stands under it. With the tires on, you should hear the brake shoes slightly touching the drum when turning the tire, but shouldn't be so tight that you can feel resistance. If you hear the rubbing sound but goes away briefly while turning the tire, then that indicates a warped drum or bent axle shaft.
 
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