Parking brake cable

[deadlevel]

Today, with all of 42 hours on the machine (xuv550) the parking cable broke. My faith in green is gone. I'm going to figure out a better way for the cable to work, fix this thing and trade it on a Kawasaki, or something. Having a cracked bed, carburetor replacement and now this before it's even two years old is BS. What has happened to quality that JD had? And I do mean HAD....

[plateauman57]

Hmmmmm, my parking brake is not working on my rsx 850i but the cable doesn't seem to be broke. It didn't gradually get worse it just quit working completely.

[vanderrt]

Plateauman57 same thing happened to me one day it was working the next day it wasn't. There is a small piece of metal on the brake when the parking brake is pressed it releases the parking brake. The spring keeps it out of the way when you are setting the parking brake. I flipped mine forward and it released the brake then flipped back to set it until I could get it fixed. You'll see it when you look. The spring that keeps it in place is either broken or bent as it was in my case. The dealer replaced the whole assembly under warrentee. If you want to to keep this from happening press hard on the brake then set the parking brake. You don't have to press as hard on the parking brake to set it this way. If it's not under warrentee you should be able to get the spring through your dealer and fix it. Good luck

[plateauman57]

Plateauman57 same thing happened to me one day it was working the next day it wasn't. There is a small piece of metal on the brake when the parking brake is pressed it releases the parking brake. The spring keeps it out of the way when you are setting the parking brake. I flipped mine forward and it released the brake then flipped back to set it until I could get it fixed. You'll see it when you look. The spring that keeps it in place is either broken or bent as it was in my case. The dealer replaced the whole assembly under warrentee. If you want to to keep this from happening press hard on the brake then set the parking brake. You don't have to press as hard on the parking brake to set it this way. If it's not under warrentee you should be able to get the spring through your dealer and fix it. Good luck



Not not sure I'm understanding you. My parking break occasionally when I pushed it down it would just spring back up. Usually on the next try it would grab and stay down and hold the machine in place. Then a couple of weeks ago it would not catch at all and stay down. The next day it started catching and staying down but it's not holding the machine at all. It's as if the parking break is not on.

[vanderrt]

Sorry I thought it was engaging at all. Sound like the cable is either disconnected or broken.

[Dane]

The parking brake and regular brakes are totally different systems and in no way related. The regular brakes are sorta similar to a car where a hydraulic master cylinder at top of the pedal on the front side of the firewall pressurizes brake lines for all four brakes (single system, not a dual crossover like a car). The parking brake is purely mechanical. A cable is connected to the parking brake lever. Stepping on it pulls a cable attached to a mechanical disc brake attached to the front wheel drive shaft just before it enters the front differential. There is a mechanical catch on the parking brake that is spring loaded to catch serrations when you step on the pedal and makes a clicking sound as you step on the pedal. The spring holds the catch (sector).

If you depress the pedal and it goes all the way to the floor you've probably broken the cable. I haven't measured the size of the parking brake cable but the throttle cable is only .050" which is really small. If they used the same size for the parking brake it's no doubt it can be eventually broken especially if you really depress the parking brake hard.

If you parking brake pedal gets firm about half way down but doesn't stay when you step on it than there is something wrong with the catch mechanism. Luckily it's right out in the open where you can see at the top of the pedal. Get down on your knees and watch as you push the pedal down. You'll see the latch/sector near the top pivots and is held against the notches by a spring. If it is working sometimes I'd probably start with hosing the mechanism off if it's dirty. If it's still intermittent I'd apply a squirt of oil or WD-40 to make sure everything moves freely.

[plateauman57]

My cable was in fact broken. Where it connects to the parking brake. Not sure what it's made of but it's cheap lead or pewter it appears. Asked the dealer if they had any recalls on it. Said the 550 did but not my rsx 850i. So I paid the $50 for a new cable.

Anyone replaced one before? Is there much to it? Couldn't really trace mine to see where it goes til I get it in the garage with plenty of light. Thanks

[dieselsmith]

Any updates on this mine is broke. I have the updated parts but don't know how to put them in.

[plateauman57]

Any updates on this mine is broke. I have the updated parts but don't know how to put them in.

I replaced mine. I needed three small hands to do it but was able to get it done with my two fat hands. My JD service guy printed me out the instructions on how to route the new cable. Would send them to ya but traded mine in for an 825 so I didn't keep them. Sorry.

[Dane]

It happened to mine yesterday. I suppose I'll get another chance to skin my knuckles and curse a bit.

[Dane]

It turned out to not be a broken cable. The pin connecting the cable to the brake was missing.

On the plus side I have been wondering for a long time why there were two cables going to the parking brake housing. One cable goes to the parking brake pedal like you'd expect. The other goes to the 2wd, 4wd, diff lock lever. In the parking brake housing the brake cable and the one from the shift lever pull on the same arm but on opposite sides of the pivot point. I think it might be some interlock to prevent engaging the differential lock while the parking brake is engaged. It doesn't really work on my machine. Either the linkage is out of adjustment or the cable is long enough with enough curves to stretch/flex enough negating it's effectiveness.

[jd.rasentrac]

Hi Dane, I've often probs w/ the connectors on the harness, too. Next time, I'll fix it w/ a zip tie 3324