Mark_604

I had a nasty brake squealing sound at slow speeds and it turned out the parking brake levers were both seized. I only use my parking brake when I'm on an incline so maybe once a week. I'm wondering if using it every night when I'm parking no matter what would help this problem from happening again.

I didn't even realize the parking brakes were a drum brake on these trucks I assumed they were connected to the rear disk brakes.

Kung

I rarely use them - MAYBE once a week at most (usually if I'm parked on an uphill slope) and I've never had any issues with my '13 F150 parking brake.

Now, my '04, on the other hand...

soaringfalcon

iTrader: (1)

I use mine all the time, every time I park. even with that, mine seized up as well, at 30K, and kept seizing. The dealer ended up replacing the actuators in both drum with, what they said was, a redesigned part. I have not had any issues since.

Blue2016XL

I've always been told, either use it or don't use it. If you very rarely use it and you decide, it could hang up on you. Like Kung, I use it on inclines for safety and it makes it easier to get the truck out of park. I've done this with all of the vehicles I have owned and had no issues. Even in the salt belt.

antony1103

I have used it every time I parked for the all 100k miles on the truck. Never had it seize up on me, and I live in the rust belt. Still have the original rear rotor/drum and shoes on the parking brake. Call me lucky I guess, but I think I owe a lot to the Krown undercoating I get every fall. Its worth every penny IMO. No chassis squeaks/squeals, windows move fast and smooth, cables still slide like new, and you would never know I drive on salted roads if you look under the truck.

Spiky

Mark_604

I guess I'll start using it more then. It started out with the parking brake not releasing all the way and I'd just pull the pedal with my hand so the light would turn out. I guess it eventually didn't release the levers even when I did manually pull the pedal all the way back.

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BamaCraig

I use it every time and have for all of the vehicles i have owned or driven.

LarryMc

Same here!

bassJAM

I've had cars/trucks that were stick shifts so I used the parking brake every time I parked, as well as auto's where I only use the parking brake a couple times a year on steep inclines.

I'm convinced it's just luck of the draw if you'll have issues. I've had parking brakes I've used every day seize at 80k miles, and I've had one's that practically never get used still work fine after 200k miles.