Ireland Parking/Emergency Brake Refresh Kit—Installation?

[schuetz1619]

This looks like a well-designed, inexpensive fix for the standard floppy, loose 2002 parking brake: Three shim washers are added to both sides of the lever pivot to keep the assembly from wobbling.

 

It might really well work if I could figure out how to assemble it. The issue is holding the outermost washers in place on both sides of the lever as you push, swing, and pivot the arm (complete with toothed gear, which slips out easily) into position to accept the bolt. I calculate that approximately 5 hands are necessary.

 

Hos anyone successfully installed one of these? If so, I'love to hear how.  Thanks.

[visionaut]

Here’s an photo from an older thread by Ryan Danco showing his install of a prior version of the kit…

 

I remember cursing a lot when I did mine.

 

 

[Rodolfo Lasparri]

10 minutes ago, visionaut said:

Here’s an photo from an older thread by Ryan Danco showing his install of a prior version of the kit…

 

I remember cursing a lot when I did mine.

 

 

+1 - Same here for me, it was not fun. I also ordered a new billet button from IE at the time and the thread pitch was not the same as the rod - so I had to tap it - that was really a PIA! Good luck.

[Dudeland]

I used a little bit of tape to hold the bearings in place.   I agree,  a PIA, but it is really nice once it is in. 

 

 

[jp5Touring]

I think I use a small punch and some painters tape. Took like five minutes, boom done.

It is a bit of Rubic's cube though. 

[beammmer]

I did the fix, remember cursing a lot, how it was completed, I have no idea.  It’s nice that it’s done. 
 

Don

[williamggruff]

You may find the instructions here helpful:

 

 

[jp5Touring]

My memory is terrible. I used those instructions and they worked great.    

[schuetz1619]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. Here are some additional thoughts and a suggestion that ultimately solved the project for me.

 

Below is a cut-away diagram of the assembly from the Blue Book:  This shows the position the components need to be in for assembly.

 

The assembly will want to fall apart as you insert it into the frame and attempt to get the bottom of the "locking teeth element" (A) to catch onto the body. If you make it that far, the 

 

Suggestion: To prevent this, cut a piece of ½" dowel to the outer width of the lever at the pivot point. Wrap it with one layer of vinyl electrician's tape to slightly increase its diameter.

 

With the assembly done as shown in the picture and the button pressed in fully and taped into that position, put the Ireland washers onto their collars and tape their tops to the lever. Insert the dowel into the pivot. The assembly will now remain stable through the mounting process.

 

Slip (force) the lever into its frame and center the lever's mounting hole onto the corresponding holes in the frame. Now you can insert the bolt, pushing the dowel out the other side. If there's too much resistance from internal pressure on the dowel, catch the thread of the bolt onto the edge of the pivot and turn it by hand. 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by schuetz1619

[Mike Self]

From an old column of mine, detailing the replacement of an emergency brake cable, and how to keep all the handle pieces in place when reassembling:

 

  I quickly discovered that the cable wouldn’t pass around the emergency brake handle—not enough room.  I’d have to remove the handle.  That was easy—but as soon as I freed it from its pivot pin, pieces flew everywhere, propelled by the release button spring.   I managed to get the cable in place, then had to reinstall the brake handle.  For this I needed at least three hands to hold the pieces in place:  the handle itself, the ratchet plate and the release button with its infernal spring.  Not only did they have to be held in place, but the pieces had to be aligned—with the release button depressed--so the pivot pin could be replaced.   A half dozen futile two-handed attempts ensued until the light bulb came on.  A small pair of needle nose Vise Grips held the release button and its spring in the proper location, and with only a little grunting the pivot pin slipped into place. 

 

Cheers

mike

[Lucky 7]

I had to do mine like six times because I kept messing around with the console and handbrake setups. Sucked at first, but eventually I got quick with it. By the end I was just dropping the thrust bearing stacks down the side and jamming a Bic pen through the hole to keep everything in place. A little squeezing on the mounting tabs keeps the bearings from falling down, then catch them with the pen. Once it’s all there, push the pen out with the bolt and you’re good to go.