Parking Brake Components

The parking brake is a mechanical system designed to hold the vehicle stationary when parked. There are several kinds of parking brake systems, depending on whether the vehicle has drum or disc service brakes in the rear. Vehicles with rear drum brakes have the simplest parking brake system because the service brake shoes are also the parking brake shoes. However, instead of being actuated by the hydraulic wheel cylinders, the shoes are applied using a series of linkage and cables actuated by a hand lever or foot pedal.

Rear disc brake vehicles have caliper actuated parking brake pads or parking brake shoes that act on the inside of the brake rotors. Caliper actuated parking brakes mechanically apply the caliper pistons on the rear service brake calipers. Other rear disc brake vehicles have a brake drum within the rotor and a small set of brake shoes. These pads and shoes are cable actuated, but some newer vehicles have electronic parking brakes. On these systems an electronic motor pulls the cables or there are electric motors mounted on the rear calipers. Some of these vehicles have separate calipers for parking brakes only.

Electronic parking brakes can be set by the driver, but they may also automatically apply when the vehicle is placed in Park or turned off. Parking brake systems often suffer more problems from lack of use, especially on vehicles with automatic transmissions. If an automatic transmission vehicle is seldom parked on an incline, the parking brake may hardly ever be applied. Unfortunately, this lack of use can result in cables and adjusters that corrode and seize, resulting in a parking brake that won’t release, or has excessive lever or pedal travel.

If inspection proves that replacement parts are in order, look no further because we can supply you with all of your parking brake needs. We have parking brake shoes, pads, cables, linkage, hardware, adjusters, even release levers, and much more. All of our replacement parts are designed and manufactured to meet or exceed OE specifications for fit, performance, and durability. This means that for a more affordable price, you get parts that will fit and install the same as OE, operate and perform the same as OE, and deliver OE reliability.

Independent control of the rear brakes has traditionally been needed to keep the vehicle stationary when parked, particularly on an incline. But as bootleggers and Hollywood stunt drivers realized, and today’s drifters and rally drivers know, the parking brake, or emergency brake, can also be used to initiate a slide for drifting or making tight turns. Today there are also hydraulic hand brakes that can be used to enable burnouts and launching at the drag strip. But no matter how you use your rear brakes, we have the parking and hand brake setups to do the job.