1970 Challenger parking brake lever, need a picture?

[Brads70]

So I was going over my car today getting it ready for the season when I tried my e-brake. It went limp right to the floor. At first I thought oh great the cable broke, but when I took the side kick panel off to see what was up, it was not broken. The pedal was loose with no ratchet function. When I fiddled with the release lever it worked again? Reason I'm asking for a picture is the release lever is just flopping around loose, like not attached to the dash frame at all? What should it be ?
Another question... I have rear disc brakes from DrDiff that use a Ford Cobra caliper. When I engage the e-brake it does work, like the car won't move in gear, but when I give it some gas it does move, not real easily but it does move . Is this normal? Is this how it's supposed to function? I never use it.... Maybe it needs adjusting?   
Any words of wisdom out there? 

[Marc70challenger]

Mine did something similar. The release arm shaft is connected with cheapish press fitting to arm hanging from the mechanism (mine broke off). If I remember right, that arm needed the pressure from its attachment to the release arm shaft (reason for the spring on release arm shaft)  If you look at pic, if the release arm is not attached to mechanism arm then the mechanism arm swings as if you are pulling back to fully release ... least that's what it did to me and pedal dropped to floor.

I just reattached it with a small bolt and 2 nuts (it needs to swivel)

I found this pic online. Says for a 70 cuda. Lol. I not sure if it's same for Challenger but looks like it from memory.

[Brads70]

Mine did something similar. The release arm shaft is connected with cheapish press fitting to arm hanging from the mechanism (mine broke off). If I remember right, that arm needed the pressure from its attachment to the release arm shaft (reason for the spring on release arm shaft)  If you look at pic, if the release arm is not attached to mechanism arm then the mechanism arm swings as if you are pulling back to fully release ... least that's what it did to me and pedal dropped to floor.

I just reattached it with a small bolt and 2 nuts (it needs to swivel)

I found this pic online. Says for a 70 cuda. Lol. I not sure if it's same for Challenger but looks like it from memory.

Thanks, that looks the same. The release arm on mine really flops around. I just went to look , thought maybe that bushing was missing but nope it's there.

[usraptor]

Having the same issue with my '70 Cuda.  Haven't had time yet to investigate but Marc70Challenger's explanation sounds reasonable.  Regarding the car moving while the brake is applied and given a little gas, I can't speak for your set up but both my 2011 Silverado and 2014 Acadia, both with 4 wheel disc brakes, will move if I put the car in gear and give it gas if I forget to release the break, especially the Silverado.

[70/6chall]

OK Brad, here's what I found, parking brake illustrations from 1970 Challenger & Dart service manual Vol. 1, and 1973 Dodge chassis service manual. Parking brake index pg. 5-17 for the 70 manual and pg. 5-29 for the 73 manual basically they look the same.

[70/6chall]

And for the '73

[anlauto]

You're missing the small return spring inside the pedal assembly. It probably broke or just came off.

[70/6chall]

Brad hopefully between marc70's e-brake picture and the illustrations from the chassis service manuals you'll be able to assess your problem, if not I have more reference material. Glad to help.
Thanks,    Al

[Brads70]

You're missing the small return spring inside the pedal assembly. It probably broke or just came off.

Thanks Alan. Would you happen to have a picture of it? It seems to be working ok now? It would drop to the floor when the ratchet didn't work, I fiddled with the floppy release arm then it works again? I'd like to be sure it's all good before I put the kick panel/sill plate back on.

[Cuda Cody]

Is this the spring you are missing?

[Marc70challenger]

This is how I see the mechanism working.  The pedal turns a cog inside the assembly.  The little lever looking arm (which the handle release arm connects to) rotates in-and-out  a "locking" tab on the cog.

I think what Alan is saying is that locking arm has a small spring (which you cant see in pic) inside the assembly which pulls the lock in the "locking" position.  Then when you pull the handle, it pulls the lock out (against the internal spring).

If Allen is right, it probably "works" ok now because the pressure of the spring you highlighted is forcing that lever into the lock position.  But because the internal small spring may be missing, it could be why the handle arm is sloppy like Brad says.

[Brads70]

Is this the spring you are missing?

No, that one is there and seems to be working ok. The release arm has a lot of "play" in it and I'm figuring it has something to do with my problem?

[Brads70]

This is how I see the mechanism working.  The pedal turns a cog inside the assembly.  The little lever looking arm (which the handle release arm connects to) rotates in-and-out  a "locking" tab on the cog.

I think what Alan is saying is that locking arm has a small spring (which you cant see in pic) inside the assembly which pulls the lock in the "locking" position.  Then when you pull the handle, it pulls the lock out (against the internal spring).

If Allen is right, it probably "works" ok now because the pressure of the spring you highlighted is forcing that lever into the lock position.  But because the internal small spring may be missing, it could be why the handle arm is sloppy like Brad says.

Make sense to me. I guess I'd better hunt around for a replacement?

[Marc70challenger]

You could unbolt the entire mechanism and pull it out to take a better look at the guts ?

Looking around for pics I see replacement ones (not OEM design but generic) for 100$ ... OEM style are more ...

But with your skills, you could fix yours easy ... 

[jimynick]

Brad, talk nice to Alan; I wouldn't be surprised if he has an old one somewhere.