Parking Brake will not Set

[toomdog]

Hi folks,
I tried digging around here with a few different searches, but have found nothing despite some vague memories of seeing something related in the past.

As stated in the title, I can't set my parking brake. About six hours ago, I bought my first bus, a 1970 pop top camper with a 1971 1600cc in back. Lots of other neat details I'd like to share, but this isn't the place for that.

The brake worked fine when we test drove and went out to lunch. Getting ready to leave the restaurant, the previous owner had to help me release the parking brake (I got it halfway off?). Then leaving his house, I took the brake off and drove a couple blocks before realizing I had again failed to release it. A bit of fiddling, and I pulled it back out, turned the handle, and it popped right back in, fully releasing. It worked three more times on the start of the journey home, but now that we have gotten to the hotel, I can't set it.

Pulling on the handle locks it up—won't pull out. Pulling the handle while rotated will apply the brake, but as soon as you let go, it ratchets back in and releases.
I have noticed some space around the rod attached to the handle; almost seems like the bushing has started coming apart. There is a little bit of soft, chewed up rubber floating on the rod between the bracket and the handle.

I have found that lifting the handle up encourages the ratchet to work correctly, so I have set the brake and wedged a flathead screwdriver in there for tonight.

Is the bushing itself the issue or is there something else going on? is this something I can jury rig for the trip home (I plan to drive 1800 miles in the next four days)? Is there any harm that could come from the screwdriver trick?

[Abscate]

For your trip home, get the brake off, park on the flat, and put in in first gear.

Put two bricks around a front wheel for safety

If it sticks on for the long drive you will torch your back brakes
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[SGKent]

Welcome. I sincerely hope that having bought a 50 year old car that you are mechanically inclined. Here is an image of the typical parts used in a bus parking brake. Here is an ad where someone has all the parts to rebuild the dash portion of the e-brake. There are people selling whole used ones for less but you may get someone else's worn one. It is also possible you are having trouble with the cables. Or, the pawl may be worn out - which the part is available still from a couple suppliers in Europe. There are a couple different designs of the pull bar so this ad may or may not work - or it may be you only need the bad parts from it. Or you can contact someone like Ken Madson at TheBusco and ask him to find you good used parts to replace your worn out ones. There is also BustedBus and Interstate VW parts in So Cal for used parts. They do not wear out commonly but they can. Good luck.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2691865

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[kreemoweet]

Sounds like something with the ratchet is messed up. When the handle is rotated, there should be no ratchet action at all, the handle and lever simply move in and out smoothly. Only when the handle is pulled out without rotating does the ratchet kick in, and the handle should remain in place wherever you let go of it. Rotating the handle requires stretching a spring, so no-rotation is the normal position of the handle.

The bushing is mostly for decoration only, or to prevent scraping on the dash, it plays no part in the brake operation.
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[toomdog]

Per the diagram SGKent has shared (thank you very much!):
My item 4 is rotated 90 degrees clockwise from this representation. And,
My item 25 has a notched keyhole at the boom (part of the outer ring is offest from the circumference),
I don't have 27 AND 26, but rather a piece that looks like 26 is free on the shaft.

It's unclear from this diagram where item 39 goes, but it doesn't look like anything I saw in that area last night.

I suppose will park as if we don't have a parking braking break for the rest of the journey. And yes, you could say I am mechanically inclined, having fixed a number of issues on my 69 Ghia after having aquired her last year. But not half as inclined as my dad who has had three busses, three bugs, and two Ghias over the years (and is also riding along).

[busdaddy]

#27 is only found on later models, a 1970 will only have the #26 rubber bumper and #25 plastic guide collar.

If that guide collar/bushing gets really worn #4 can flip back over on itself like yours has.
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[andrewtf]

#39 is a warning light switch - very similar to the one that is (was?) in the drivers door. This is handy in seeing if the emergency brake is on - especially if you are rocking a cup holder in the ashtray space.

(edit - #27 is a wide collar that depresses switch #39 when the brake lever is all the way in)

I cannot say which years have this.
Our '75 Riviera does Not.
Our '77 Riviera Does.

And welcome to a fellow Illinoisian bus Owner.
We are a fairly rare breed.

Andrew
Urbana, Illinois
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'75 Riviera - 'BIG EMMA' - Travel Beast
'77 Riviera - 'Murphy' - Daily driver in nice weather
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[toomdog]

Thanks for the great responses, folks. It sounds like I know what to work on when I get home (among many other things haha).

Here's my solution (along with parking in reverse) until I get home:

Andrew: Thanks for the warm welcome—I guess you could say I'm newly spawned;I think I've just about gotten 500 miles under my belt so far. Located in Quad City area.