E28 Brake Lever Spring

[Robert/Texas]

Someone was sitting in my early ’28 open cab pickup and for some reason pulled real hard on the emergency brake handle. This car has the handbrake by the driver’s door. I didn’t realize until later that some damage was done. The pawl and the ratchet appear to be OK but they will not engage unless I push them together from underneath. There is no brake lever return spring as pictured in the MACs catalog so I assume that spring popped or broke off.

I probably will order one from Snyders but was hoping that someone could tell me how in goes on and if there are some tricks in installing it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Robert

[Charles Reese]

hope this helps some ... after reading the later threads, agree it is likely a spring in the handle or binding issue
left: inside frame rail
center: outside frame rail
right: 1-1-28 Parts List ... part A2711 may be the spring in question. (Brattons #03883), you will also need replace the rivet (#03882). Be very careful with the pawl rod (possibly the binding part) i dont think they are being reproduced.

[Joe K]

In his pix above it's looking like there may be a piece of the old spring left.

Joe K

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Joe K

In his pix above it's looking like there may be a piece of the old spring left.

Joe K

I saw the same thing, but didn't he say the pawl doesn't grab the notches, which would mean the coiled compression spring inside the handle is broken or out of place. Must be a 2 spring problem.

[dlshady]

The return spring that's pictured in the Mac's catalog (and the one that Charles posted) goes on the inside of the framerail and is there to return the emergency brake handle to the forward position. It doesn't have anything to do with keeping the pawl engaged. There is a small spring inside the handle itself, up at the very top that pushes up on the rod and keeps the pawl engaged. I'm guessing that it's probably what has broken and the handle itself will need to be disassembled in order to replace it.

[dlshady]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I saw the same thing, but didn't he say the pawl doesn't grab the notches, which would mean the coiled compression spring inside the handle is broken or out of place. Must be a 2 spring problem.

"The pawl and the ratchet appear to be OK but they will not engage unless I push them together from underneath. "

Actually, I think that's exactly what he's describing. Or am I reading it wrong?

[Marco Tahtaras]

I agree with the last assessments. That would mean that he could reset the pawl from above simply be spreading the 'grip'. Yes, that would mean the long internal coil spring is broken or somehow the pawl rod got bent and is binding.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by dlshady

"The pawl and the ratchet appear to be OK but they will not engage unless I push them together from underneath. "

Actually, I think that's exactly what he's describing. Or am I reading it wrong?

Yes, the pawl doesn't grab the notches because of a spring fault inside the handle, or as Marco said maybe it's binding in the rod.

[Robert/Texas]

Many thanks to all of you. I just looked at it again. The thing that looks like part of the spring is actually the split ends of a cotter pin. The camera focus/angle caused this.

That spring is actually broken. On the outside of the frame behind the handle/ratchet/pawl assembly there is a small bracket mounted to the frame. This bracket has a bolt through it and the end of the broken spring is still there. The coil is still in the inside of the frame,

I bought this pickup at the Chickasha swap meet 24 years ago. I am certain now that the spring was broken when I got as it was always necessary to move the lever forward as well as squeezing the handle to release it. I never pulled the lever very far back as it locked up the brakes at about 2 or 3 clicks. Actually I watch the ammeter as I apply this brake so as to not leave the brake light on.

The problem happened when someone was helping me load the pickup on my tilting trailer. I think my next step is to get everything out and apart so I can figure out what I need or I might just try to find another assembly at Chickasha next month,

Thanks again and any other ideas/suggestions are welcome. Anything to help make this job easier for this near 80 year old will be much appreciated.

Robert

[Joe K]

Note how the bracket on Mr. Reese's pix bolts to the frame-rail. His bracket seems to be placed from the outside of the rails and you see only two bolts in his pix. Your bracket seems to apply on the inside with the two bolts. You may both want to explore further the mounting of the bracket to determine which of the two is correct?

I think you can do this job without removing the body though. It will be tight to place the spring AROUND the bracket (removal of the lever will be necessary) but pulling the shaft may allow you enough room to do this.

Joe K

[Robert/Texas]

Joe,

My bracket and pawl etc. is on the outside and the spring is on the inside of the rail and it looks just like Mr. Reese's pictures. I'm not good at crawling under a car and taking pictures. Also I used an old tiny camera.

I would be happy to get it working as well as it was before the incident but I think I'll need to remove the entire assembly to get to the other spring and the rod if it's bent.

The car is in my workshop now but other priorities will keep me from working on it for a while (married LOL).

Thanks for your interest and assistance.

Robert

[ora masters]

Robert this is a two man job not easy ask me how I know good luck

[d.j. moordigian]

You will have to remove A-2743 (arm) too get the handle out. I made a
new rod for the inside of the handle, the spring was serviceable,....I made
the rod from 7/32" drill rod. The Aluminum rivet is available from some of
the suppliers. Not a bad job, but it does take time to get the "squeeze handle"
in the proper place.......trial and error thing.

[al's28/33]

My '28 has this bracket bolted to the framerail with an oval hole above for where the left hand E-brake would have been, but alas, previous owners may have upgraded to the later brake assembly. It is now in front of the shifter.

Has it been determined when these left hand assemblies were eliminated and the holes/brackets no longer made in the frame ?? I would love to better date my '28.

[cobra2]

I have a couple of these complete assemblies and would sell one.

[Robert/Texas]

Thanks again to all of you.

Just after my last posting I managed to rupture the main tendon in my left foot. I got x-rays and an MRI and the doctor recommends that I do not have surgery due to my age but said that it is OK for me to walk but that it will be a little difficult and tiring. This has been keeping me from doing much on my old cars or most anything else where I have to walk a lot or get up and down.

Well I finally got back to the car this afternoon I was preparing to remove the whole assembly but started fiddling with the brake handle again, moving the handle and squeezing the grip. I felt something give and feel what happened was almost miraculous. Actually I think there must have been some debris somewhere in the mechanism.

I’ve owned this car for around 25 years and from the time I bought it the e-brake handle when released would never return to the front unless you moved it there. The new problem was that the pawl would not spring into the ratchet. Now it works perfectly as it should. Not only that, previously when I moved the handle 3 clicks the brake light came on. Now I can only move the handle 2 clicks and it locks the brakes up and the light doesn’t come on.

I doubt I will ever figure this out and hope I won’t need to mess with this again and wish that all of my problems could be so easily solved.

I’m a happy camper. I’ll see some of you in Chickasha

Robert