1970 'Cuda parking/emergency brake question

[usraptor]

I have a question about what causes the foot pedal/ratchet assembly to return to the "oof" or unlocked or up position after the release lever is pulled.  When I push the pedal down and then pull the release lever, the pedal does not come back up unless I reach down and pull it up.  Is this because the cable itself is not adjusted tight enough.  I did a search on here and read a thread about a small spring that may be broken or missing but that seems to operate the release lever and not the pedal/ratchet assembly as far as I can tell.  I removed by pedal assembly from the car and both the springs on the lever and the small spring inside at the rear are both present and neither are broken.  Besides, I don't see how either of these springs is connected to the pedal ratchet assembly.  I looked in the service manual and at a few pictures on line but nothing describes how the pedal/ratchet assembly returns to the "off" position so I'm assuming that the tension on the cable and the springs in the rear drum assembly are what pull the ratchet assembly/pedal back to the "off" position.  Is this correct?     If not what am I missing.   

FYI, my cable was not tight enough to engage the rear brakes or prevent the car from rolling.

[anlauto]

Cable tension is what returns the pedal.

[usraptor]

Cable tension is what returns the pedal.

Thanks Alan, that's what I sort of thought.  In retrospect, I should have tightened up the cable until it held the car before I removed the assembly in the car.   It's just that it worked correctly when I first installed it and then stopped, even though when pushed the brakes wouldn't hold the car. .  Cable was probably just barely tight enough at first and stretched a bit over several months as it was a new cable as were all the rear brake components. Live and learn. 

[usraptor]

[quote author=Wedg2Go link=

Mine actually pushed through the front brace. This will cause the pedal to not return to the upper position since it places the ratchet and assembly in a release but loose position. I would imagine if this spring is broken,it would have the same cause and effect.

Let us know if this is the case.
[/quote]

Thanks for the suggestion, but no, the spring is not broken and is in place and did not poke through.

[screamindriver]

Grease is an important factor also.. The cables need to slide effortlessly through the sheathing{s} after time the cables bind up from dirt/rust and you're committed to pulling it back up...And there's a fine line between that perfect adjustment between too much brake drag and not enough tension...