ST185 Parking Brake - Driver Side Doesn't Work

Just came to realize the driver side rear wheel is free to move after the parking brake is pulled. Passenger side brakes properly. This tells me the lever cable and the passenger side cable and drum brake shoes are working properly.

Before I start to open up the rear driver side brake assembly, is there a common type of problem that would cause this (i.e.; driver side parking brake cable rusted tight / inner brake shoe mechanism rusted tight / other)? It had been sitting for a long time before being restored, but I did not mess with the rear brakes at all as the disc were of the proper thickness and there was plenty of pad material left - never took all apart to look at the parking brake setup.
 

Magroo

New member
After you pull the rotor off it's setup like a drum brake. There's 2 shoes that push outward, an adjustment screw mechanism and a lever attached to the brake cable. I'd check and see if the cable is binding up.

It might just need an adjustment. There should be a rubber plug you can remove and stick a flathead screw driver in and push against the gear teeth. Make sure the plug hole is in the 6 o'clock position when you do it.
 
Thanks for the input, Magroo. If it needs a simple adjustment, that would mean the cable doesn't pull the mechanism far enough to engage the shoes. If this was the case, the cable wouldn't tighten up. The way the side cables are linked to the center lever cable, that would mean the passenger side wheel cable wouldn't pull on the mechanism to engage the shoes on that side either. In my case, both cables at the connection to the center level cable are very tight. So I think I have a rust problem binding either the cable itself on the driver side, or the shoe engagement mechanism is rusted tight. I'll take a look in the next couple of days.
 

sefiroxx

New member
Here's an image of the parking brake. Yes, one side would engage only if there is resistance on the other side. Note the mounting bolt at the wheel end of the cable, make sure it is in place.
ee6cabf26c65d0d0023fabe462c71988.jpg
 
Interesting - your diagram differs a bit from my ST185 USDM version. But I agree, will need to check everything. Just was wondering if anything was common on these, like easily rusted tight parking brake cables, or if all parking brake problems were cause by rust under the drum hat. I'll advise back what I find when I can get at it.
 

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