Ford F-350 Parking Brake Cables
The Ford F-350 Super Duty is fierce enough to help you carry out huge jobs and tow large capacities, while still offering the comfort and safety that the Ford company has built an empire on. Replacing the parking brake cable is an essential part of maintaining your truck to keep it running efficiently for years to come. With a variety of For F-350 parking brake cables to choose from, you can find the right replacement for your truck.
What is a parking brake cable?Your Ford F-350 relies upon the parking brake cable for the emergency brake, or E-brake, to become engaged. This safety measure will ensure that your F-350 remains parked safely without rolling or traveling.
How do parking brake cables work?Parking brake cables aid the E-brake as a fail-safe in case of a total failure on behalf of your vehicle’s braking system. A cable arrangement is entirely mechanical, and as a result, it’s able to bypass the entire hydraulic system efficiently. How this system works is dependent on the types of brakes that your truck uses.
If your Ford uses a drum braking system on the rear axle, the cable will pull on a lever that is mounted in the rear drum. The cable is directly connected to the shoes, so it can effectively pull the shoes into the spinning drum to produce stopping friction. In the case of a disc braking system, shoes which are incorporated into the system are connected to a level which becomes engaged by pressing it down by a foot plate or pulling up on a handle. Once it is engaged, the shoe applies force against the drum within the rotor to stop your vehicle.
No matter what style of braking system your Ford employs, some sort of fail-safe system is necessary as a way to physically link your E-brake foot pedal or the E-brake hand lever to the rear braking system. Many people do not use their E-brake pedal or handle. This is especially true in cases of automatic transmission cars and trucks. If you do not use the E-brake system, it causes the cable to start to corrode which means eventually it will no longer work. The best way to avoid this and keep your Ford safe is by making sure the system is in proper working order and by using it regularly.
When is it time to replace the brake cable?If you notice that it has become increasingly difficult to activate your Ford F-350s emergency brake, this is an indication it is time to replace the parking brake cable.
Continuing to drive your Ford truck around with a loose cable can stop your rear rotor brake shoes from properly engaging. This can leave you at risk. Replacing the cable will provide peace of mind for you, your passengers, and your cargo.