gofastboater

I have an '01 Ford. I hardly ever use the parking brake as my garage and work are very flat. Had to use it at a boat ramp the other month and the cable snapped from rusting away. Pulled the rotors off and found the shoes and pivots had rusted away also. Old adage says "Use it or lose it". Sounds good to me. As far as how to keep the cables from rusting away, you can't. Only solution I can think of is to get them custom made out of stainless steel cable.

fountain_brian

I don't think I have ever used a parking brake at a ramp or anywhere else for that matter.

MullenTJ86

Always used it if I was jumping out of the truck, like others said...helps to keep the truck from rolling back after putting it in park.

Gimme Fuel

Bahahahahaah! My personal GMC with 196k miles still drives better than this 2015 Ferd POS. Although, this gutless 6.2 gasser has been the first F250 out of my last 3 work trucks that I haven't had any major issues with so far. Although the others I had were all Powerjokes so that explains the issue! The stupid expensive issues our well maintained fleet trucks encounter just turn me off from spending money to own a Ford. They are just far less refined and undergone less engineering development by my eye. More of a "close enough, that'll work" feel.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

I always use mine.
2002 Chevy Avalanche 2500... the E-brakes worked pretty well.
2000 Ford F-350 with a 135K miles... the E-brake pads inside the rotor were probably pretty worn, and didn't really hold the truck well on a steep ramp, but I still used them. You have to disassemble the entirety of the rear axle to change them. I had new pads in the box, for about 4 years; never got to that job and gave them to a friend with the same truck.
2003 Chevy 2500HD with 130K miles... the E-brake worked pretty well on launch ramps. Then, it the cable broke 2 weeks ago. I need to get that fixed.
2018 Ram 3500... the E-brake works really well.

There is one REALLY, steep ramp that we used a couple times at Smith Mountain Lake, VA. I locked every truck in 4WD Low when using it, and also ALWAYS had someone in the driver's seat with their foot on the brakes.

This is where EoH brakes are really important and show their superiority. With EoH brakes, they are still applied, and you can adjust from the cab; when you have the rig on the ramp and trailer in the water.
Surge brakes, only work when going forward, in a straight line.
Electric brakes, WOULD work, but I don't think it's a smart idea to apply them when the brakes are under water. Fresh water, maybe. But salt water... no way.

ICDEDPPL

iTrader: (1)

I leave my truck in 4 wheel low and in drive while loading with the parking brake on. The Ram dually parking brakes are huge.
I know sideways just had a coronary

18ftswitzer

NightHawk

Had a buddy back my truck down the ramp once while I took the boat. He was an big e-brake user and I never was. Later that day after picking up there I was, on the side of the interstate, tired and sweating in 90 degree heat, girlfriend b-itching, beating the drums off smoking brakes and cutting e-brake cables on my truck.

sleev-les

I always use mine.. I also have a line lock to prevent rollback. I love that feature on my F350.

bck

Use it regularly and lube it. Check it and service as necessary whenever you replace other rear brake components.