Emergency brake return spring installation tool

nkaminar

nkaminar

Well-known member
The return spring for the emergency (parking) brake is notoriously hard to install. It has to be pushed or pulled to hook over the arm where the rod attaches. I made a simple tool that makes the installation possible that I want to share with you all. It is the right size so that it can be leveraged against the other parts down there so that brute force is not necessary. I had to heat the screwdriver red hot to bend it. I made the notch using the cut off wheel on my Dremel. Once the spring caught on the lever I was able to snap it into position with another screwdriver.
 

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Can you pose it on your car in position? I'm away and can't look at my car and can't visualize.

It has been 6 years since I needed such a tool, but I may have pulled the spring with Mason's twine from the rear and then levered it over like you.
 
This is how I did my spring tool and it works.
 

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I used an old brake rod, cut off a foot or so from the eyelet end and bent to fit around the axle. I made a small open cut in the eyelet to engage the spring end. A one-handed pull and Voila! easy peasy. a large screwdriver in your other hand helps to set spring onto the brake arm. Still can't believe some poor guy had to do this all day long at the factory.
 
Bruce, Below is a photo of my tool in place. You can see how it wedges between the spring and the axle, so not a lot of force is used to put the spring in place and the tool will stay in place by just the spring pressure. The design could be modified a little by adding a curve to match the axle so that it stays in place better. The danger being that the plastic could melt with heat needed to bend the screwdriver so close to the handle. The curve that is already there acts like a cam to create a mechanical advantage against the strong spring. It is really easy to use.
 

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nkaminar said:
Bruce, Below is a photo of my tool in place. You can see how it wedges between the spring and the axle, so not a lot of force is used to put the spring in place and the tool will stay in place by just the spring pressure. The design could be modified a little by adding a curve to match the axle so that it stays in place better. The danger being that the plastic could melt with heat needed to bend the screwdriver so close to the handle. The curve that is already there acts like a cam to create a mechanical advantage against the strong spring. It is really easy to use.
Click to expand...

That lever action is just right!
 
nkaminar said:
Bruce, Below is a photo of my tool in place. You can see how it wedges between the spring and the axle, so not a lot of force is used to put the spring in place and the tool will stay in place by just the spring pressure. The design could be modified a little by adding a curve to match the axle so that it stays in place better. The danger being that the plastic could melt with heat needed to bend the screwdriver so close to the handle. The curve that is already there acts like a cam to create a mechanical advantage against the strong spring. It is really easy to use.
Click to expand...

Neil, I like it! Can you post some dimensions of your tool so I don't have to re-invent it? It might help others also. Thanks.
 
I like tools and have many but I only have done these springs once. I tied a loop of heavy twine, finagled the spring on, and then cut & removed the twine. one hand pulls the spring and the other is free to make any adjustments that might be needed.
 
Blockhead, Here are the dimensions I measured. That is not to say that these are ideal or the best dimensions. I encourage you to experiment.
 

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Made at Parking Brake Spring Installer similar to Neil's today. I used an old Snap-On Screwdriver that lost it's handle years ago and a spare wooden handle.

581931
 

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There is a spring tool used in the lawn garden industry.It works GREAT. I have found it is much easier to remove the rear wishbones and build the complete backing plates first. Install plates then the wishbones. Depending on your location some people call these radius rods.
 
Bigsnapper43 said:
There is a spring tool used in the lawn garden industry.It works GREAT. I have found it is much easier to remove the rear wishbones and build the complete backing plates first. Install plates then the wishbones. Depending on your location some people call these radius rods.
Click to expand...

Any purchase details on the tool?
 
Big Snapper, For the last brake job I did, about 2 weeks ago, I found a way to remove the backing plates without removing the wishbone. I removed the arm for the emergency brake and took the shaft out along with the carrier for the emergency brake shoe. Then the service brake arm can be snapped over center to put it in a position where it will allow the backing plate to be removed. The cam for the rear service brake will snap over center if you pull the arm far enough. After putting the backing plate back on the arm can be snapped back into its proper position.
 
nkaminar said:
Big Snapper, For the last brake job I did, about 2 weeks ago, I found a way to remove the backing plates without removing the wishbone. I removed the arm for the emergency brake and took the shaft out along with the carrier for the emergency brake shoe. Then the service brake arm can be snapped over center to put it in a position where it will allow the backing plate to be removed. The cam for the rear service brake will snap over center if you pull the arm far enough. After putting the backing plate back on the arm can be snapped back into its proper position.
Click to expand...

Boy, that saves a lot of work!
 
nkaminar said:
Big Snapper, For the last brake job I did, about 2 weeks ago, I found a way to remove the backing plates without removing the wishbone. I removed the arm for the emergency brake and took the shaft out along with the carrier for the emergency brake shoe. Then the service brake arm can be snapped over center to put it in a position where it will allow the backing plate to be removed. The cam for the rear service brake will snap over center if you pull the arm far enough. After putting the backing plate back on the arm can be snapped back into its proper position.
Click to expand...

That’s the way I do it. But then I had to fight the e-brake spring to get it back on. Hopefully your tool will make that task easier.
 
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