Hi all,

I did somthing really clever today and drove 7-8 miles with the parking brake on - and now I don't have one. To be honest, it must have been on its way out anyway if I didn't even notice the resistance. I've always had to pull the handle a lonnnng way to apply the brake.

The brake now won't hold the car in either drive or neutral at idle. It holds better going forwards than backwards (not just due to the gearing, it moves backwards when pushed manually as well, but not forwards).

I have a 1960 Plymouth with first gen Slant and A-904 trans. The parking brake on these cars is a cable operated drum between the trans and the propshaft - and does not act on the wheel brakes at all.

I was wondering if anyone knows where to get linings for these types of brakes? Also, do you reckon taking some slack out of the cable will improve things a bit?

Any and all help greatly appreciated as always.

All the best,
60Ply

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1960 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan
Stock 60 225
Push button 3 speed Torqueflite
Right Hooker

One last thing - How reasonable is it to do this in-car?

I think I can get hold of a place that will let me use a ramp to work under the car which should make things easier.

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1960 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan
Stock 60 225
Push button 3 speed Torqueflite
Right Hooker

It sounds like the shoes wore out and are not adjusted properly. Just replace the shoes, adjust, then adjust the parking brake cable.

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"You know a car is really yours when you've touched every fastener on it." -David Freiburger

I am in the process of doing this on a 1956 Desoto. Having a local brake shop reline the shoes. It is not hard to do this job. Just make sure you watch how everything comes apart (ei: which way the strut bar and star wheel adjuster face). A decent manual, with pics is a plus. Make sure you adj the star wheel, before adjusting the cable.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

I just did the same job on a "friends" 51 Plymouth and took the old brake band to them and the shop relined it. Granted it was the external contracting brake but still the same.

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50 chrysler,54 Plymouth, 64 Valiant conv 4 speed, 66 Valiant V8 wagon, 70 Challenger R/T 440+6 conv 4 speed,80 Colt, 98 Neon ACR,84 Honda V45 Magna
Taking care of 57 300C conv,48 T&C conv. Missing my 67 GTX and 36 Ply coupe

I ordered a new band and lining from Bernbaum. It arrive in on piece and installed perfectly. I used it once an a weld broke. I tacked it back together and I'm good to go.

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1960 Seneca 225 turbo soon to be EFI

Hi Ken,

How easy was fitting the part? I have my brake shoes from Andy B but not in a position to be able to do the job yet. How long did it take?

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1960 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan
Stock 60 225
Push button 3 speed Torqueflite
Right Hooker

I have the external type on my manual transmission, but according to my service manual, the internal like yours has at least two adjustments.
The easier of the two is at the pedal. The other is an adjustment similar to GM drum brakes-a star nut on a threaded shaft pushes the shoes apart. To get at that requires dropping prop shaft and they list a puller for removing the drum.

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1960 Seneca 225 turbo soon to be EFI

Ok, how the hell do you get the damn nut that holds the drum on off?!? I spent two hours trying to get it off. Thread looks good and the nut's in good shape, I couldn't get enough force on it. Tried kroiling the sh*t out of it, heating (propane torch, I don't have oxy acetylene) and waxing it and nothing seems to work.

Any suggestions??

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1960 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan
Stock 60 225
Push button 3 speed Torqueflite
Right Hooker

For anyone looking back over this in years to come, finally got the nut moved.
Hours with a borrowed impact wrench (only 300 foot pound one, home depot kind of size I guess) finally sorted it. Damn near killed the wrench trying to break it loose.

The big problem is that the transmission is soft mounted so it's very difficult to 'shock' the nut using sockets and a hammer on a breaker bar, even when holding the drum with a specially made tool (that clamps to the propshaft bolts). I guess the impact wrench hits in a truly circular fashion that probably helps avoid the soft mounting problem.

Anyhow, all back together and works beautifully.

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1960 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan
Stock 60 225
Push button 3 speed Torqueflite
Right Hooker

I had a similar experience with the rear brake drums on a '55 Plymouth. After a day of heating and trying (and breaking) pullers, I decided to start fresh next day. I pulled out a 5lb sledge and hit it sharply dead on and it popped off and landed with a thud at my feet no worse for the wear.

I'm glad it went well for you.

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1960 Seneca 225 turbo soon to be EFI