Emergency brake pawl question
 

Just seeking some suggestions to solve a problem.

I have just replaced the Emergency Brake Handle Lever Ratchet and the Emergency Brake Pawl. My problem is that when I depress the pistol grip, there is not enough movement for the pawl to clear the ratchet. I can drag the pawl up the ratchet - and wreck the teeth I guess in time, but a fully depressed handle does not allow me to move the pawl down the ratchet to disengage the emergency brake.

The pawl rod does not appear to have anything wrong with it - looks straight and true. The pistol grip handle looks serviceable.

Attached photos hopefully assist in showing what my issue is. The second photo of the pistol grip shows where it was when the pawl and ratchet were engaged as per the other photos.

Any Fordbarners with an idea to get myself a functioning emergency brake?

Re: Emergency brake pawl question
 

This may help -
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=302239
g'day mate

Re: Emergency brake pawl question
 

I think this is a repro part dimention issue . Remove the repro plate and lay the old one on top to see if they are the same size . If not because of the plates construction it would be difficult to modify it so try to get a correct plate . I have a 28 phaeton with the same setup the pawl easily clears the ratchet .

John in snow on the way Suffolk County England .

Re: Emergency brake pawl question
 

John, you are on the money regarding the parts. Whilst the two pawls, old and new are the same size, when you line up the two holes in each (I used bolts/drill bit to hold firmly in place) it is clear that the repro holes are incorrectly placed - as per these pictures. Not out by much - but enough to throw the pawl off kilter such that I have the problem.

The question is - would another pawl be any more accurate? Supply here in Australia of this particular part is sketchy (I waited several weeks for US supply). Could I "re-position" the incorrectly placed smaller hole? Weld up and re-drill?

John, not in snow (unfortunately) but in tropical, balmy Far North Queensland Australia!

Re: Emergency brake pawl question
 

How much slop is there in the linkage? It looks like there may be a bolt where the release lever attaches to the handle.

Re: Emergency brake pawl question
 

I think that you would be better off "rebuilding" the original pawl. Maybe have a bushing installed if the holes are egg-shaped and a little good old hand file work around the edges.
As simple as that part seems to be you know the original will always be better than that repop
Just my $0.02

Re: Emergency brake pawl question
 

4 different pawl configurations depending on year/month produced

Re: Emergency brake pawl question
 

In the end my issue did not directly relate to either the pawl of the ratchet. I dismantled the handle to give it a clean and realised I had another "farmers fix" Instead of the pivot pin in the pistol grip handle there was an undersized bolt. When I replaced that with my own "farmers fix" of an oversized bolt reduced to the diameter of the pivot pin, it all came together with the pawl and ratchet. Previously when depressing the pistol grip there was enough play upwards so as to not to push down on the pawl.

Why did it take to the very end for me to realise this was the real problem?

Again, thanks for the responses.

Re: Emergency brake pawl question
 

Coz when you find the problem, it is the end of it!