It's a late car; when I pull up on the eBrake handle it doesn't set. It will go back down to the floor. Is a part sticking ?

It would make ya think that something is not catching? I've never had one apart. I would assume there are some sort of notches, as I recall it clicks.

I have a hydraulic one.

That's right: it's not catching....

mine wasn't catching. I took it out of the car, soaked in vinegar for a day,lubed it up and it worked great.

Hi Jim, I think it just need some oil inside the handle.

There is a toothed pawl that should catch on the larger toothed part. The spring in the handle should engage it. I have parts for them. Can get you pictures tomorrow. The button unscrews. There is a spring under it. The spring may be bent or broken. You can do that with the handle still in the car.
Bruce

I'll check that out first. Thanks for the suggestions

Bruce,

Sounds like the spring is Kaput.


I don't think there is a throw out bearing in there.....so it should be okay

If the spring were bad I would think there would be no tension on the button. Could be the rod that pushes on the pawl.

Jim, unscrew the blk plastic knob and look. Sounds like the spring broke. Is there tension when you depress the button? If so, I would think the spring is good.

Unscrewed the button and pulled the spring; spring is not broken. Replaced both and still doesn't catch when pulled.

Is my next step going to be seat removal and ??

You have a hydraulic parking brake? Not safe, not effective over the long term (i.e., hours), and illegal in the US.

The Cap'n

There's a rod inside, the one that the washer, spring, and knob work with, and it has a welded flat steel finger near the bottom that has a well known propensity for breaking off. You need to remove the lever assembly and take a look at it. WARNING!: There are early and late rods, and they don't interchange!

The Cap'n

A seat removal is required ?

Maybe not, but it makes access easier, and it takes all of 15 seconds. So why not?

--DD

eisier to do with the seat out. It takes ten seconds and no tools to remove a seat. reach down to the track next to the brake. Hold the flat spring up with a finger. Slide the seat forward. done.

[quote name='mepstein' date='Sep 14 2014, 11:23 AM' post='2085989']
[quote name='jim_hoyland' post='2085957' date='Sep 14 2014, 12:35 PM']
A seat removal is required ?
[/quote]
eisier to do with the seat out. It takes ten seconds and no tools to remove a seat. reach down to the track next to the brake. Hold the flat spring up with a finger. Slide the seat forward. done.
[/quot

You are going to have to replace the handle. I have not found a way to take them apart without damaging them. I have a used one that needs paint and a replacement handle. I think they are still available as they are the same on 911's.
Bruce

Did you try lubing it. The spring might not have enough force to overcome 40 years of corrosion. Hit it with a lot of lube and try working the mechanism. Sounds like there's nothing to loose at this point.

Here is the layout of the parts.

Is the rod and piece on the right end one piece ?

No.

The Cap'n

Which parts are causing the handle to not catch ?

There are five parts there Jim.

If it isn't catching then any part that dynamically acts on the pawl. The pawl the "toothed" part is the part that catches.

Are you sure it's just not sticking?

I'll find out when I open it up; that was my thought too.

Dissassembled the handle from the body. The rod and pawl are still one piece. The other tooted part looked ok, I'm not sure whether the teeth are too worn.

Couple of questions: How do I release the cable from the back end of the eBrake lever; and, can the teflon bushing be replaced-are they available?

I'm thinking the pawl is not lining up on the catch ?? The real catch had a washer on one side....

Reassembled after inspection; looks like the teeth on the pawl are worn enough to not lock into the other piece....

Here's a pic...

Does the pawl move with the rod? (The rod and pawl are 2 separate pieces.) Order of assembly: rod, washer, spring, button. The rod goes over the pawl, which should pivot when you move the rod. If the teeth are nasty, clean 'em up with a file. It would be HIGHLY unusual for them to be worn enough to cause the parking brake not to work.

Good luck!

The Cap'n

Same thing just happened in my '76. Spray grease and wd40 worked for me along with manually moving the pawl til it loosened. Yeah, I took the seat out so I didn't have to struggle. If something is broken that is a different story.

I didn't see anything broken. You could make the teeth sharper with a file if you are careful not to take too much metal away.

I took apart the assembly from the '72, with the folder handle. Are the newer ones impossible because they don't bend in the middle?

I can' detach the assembly from the cable at the back of the eBrake, am I doing this wrong ?

You''re not .... they're usually rusted and break on their own. Like the Cap'n says, sharpen & deepen the groove in the pawl with a file. You don't have to take it off the car.

I have a late (75) handle; in reading a pat posting, it appears that early eBrake levers had a short piece of metal sprung to OSH the pawl into the ratchet. Do late handles work the same ?

Here' a pic of the part... And it comes fro: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=79116

Jim,

From the pic in the post, note that the rod goes over the end of the pawl. No spring is needed down there as the rod is spring loaded.

Sharpen the cut in the pawl and be done with it.

The pawl teeth are really worn; Bruce is sending a replacement lever assembly. Thanks for the info...

Jim, I think this is all a sign that you let your car sit too much with the e-brake on. Drive it, sir!!

Actually, I drive it almost every day; and it made the trip to Porsche Parade in Monterey.