Jeff Sents

Was wondering if anyone out there could help me with a problem I'm having
with the parking brake lever on my 97 XJ? In short, the button popped off a
number of years ago. Annoying, but the brake itself worked (just needed two
hands).

All was well until I had the local dealer do the airbag control module
relocation last week. (This was a recall item to relocate the module from
underneath the driver's seat to inside the center console.) In the process
they somehow 'unhooked' the end of the operating rod that travels down
though the handle and into the ratchect mechanism of the brake assembly.
Now they can't seem to figure out how to 'rehook' it (and are, of course,
telling me I need to drop the $80 to buy a whole new parking brake
assembly.)

It's been many moons since I drew ascii art, but I've tried to draw the
whole thing below (using fixed font, of course.) The bottom line is
normally, the rod is spring loaded at the button end (pushing out), and
something then would be 'holding' on to the other end down in the
ratchet/console. The ratchet end is no longer attached. Does anyone have
any idea how to get this thing attached again?

Thanks in advance,
Jeff Sents

sents (at) mindspring (dot) com



Side view of parking brake handle (from drivers seat)


-----------------------------------------------------
|----| | _______
| / | | (What's back here?)
| ===////////===============================| |-|
| \ | | |
|----| | ( + )
------------------------------------------ | | <
\\ <
button spring rod <
<
ratchet
& gears


The rod itself is pretty simple and looks like:

________
|
==========================================|


<------------------ ------------->????
The botton & spring So something
on this end are must be 'holding'
pushing the rod onto this end of
to the left rod

Jerry Bransford

Jeff, I can't believe you're letting the dealer get away with this. Tell
them THEY need to restore it so it works as well as when you drove it in.
In fact, I can't believe the dealer is asking you to pay them to fix what
they screwed up.

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
To email, remove 'me' from my email address
KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.***.net/jerrypb/

"Jeff Sents" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3EO7b.1574$zx2.101@newsread1.news.atl.earthli nk.net...
> Was wondering if anyone out there could help me with a problem I'm having
> with the parking brake lever on my 97 XJ? In short, the button popped off
a
> number of years ago. Annoying, but the brake itself worked (just needed
two
> hands).
>
> All was well until I had the local dealer do the airbag control module
> relocation last week. (This was a recall item to relocate the module from
> underneath the driver's seat to inside the center console.) In the
process
> they somehow 'unhooked' the end of the operating rod that travels down
> though the handle and into the ratchect mechanism of the brake assembly.
> Now they can't seem to figure out how to 'rehook' it (and are, of course,
> telling me I need to drop the $80 to buy a whole new parking brake
> assembly.)
>
> It's been many moons since I drew ascii art, but I've tried to draw the
> whole thing below (using fixed font, of course.) The bottom line is
> normally, the rod is spring loaded at the button end (pushing out), and
> something then would be 'holding' on to the other end down in the
> ratchet/console. The ratchet end is no longer attached. Does anyone have
> any idea how to get this thing attached again?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Jeff Sents
>
> sents (at) mindspring (dot) com
>
>
>
> Side view of parking brake handle (from drivers seat)
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
> |----| | _______
> | / | | (What's back here?)
> | ===////////===============================| |-|
> | \ | | |
> |----| | ( + )
> ------------------------------------------ | | <
> \\ <
> button spring rod <
> <
> ratchet
> & gears
>
>
> The rod itself is pretty simple and looks like:
>
> ________
> |
> ==========================================|
>
>
> <------------------ ------------->????
> The botton & spring So something
> on this end are must be 'holding'
> pushing the rod onto this end of
> to the left rod
>
>
>

Jerry Bransford

Jeff, I can't believe you're letting the dealer get away with this. Tell
them THEY need to restore it so it works as well as when you drove it in.
In fact, I can't believe the dealer is asking you to pay them to fix what
they screwed up.

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
To email, remove 'me' from my email address
KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.***.net/jerrypb/

"Jeff Sents" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3EO7b.1574$zx2.101@newsread1.news.atl.earthli nk.net...
> Was wondering if anyone out there could help me with a problem I'm having
> with the parking brake lever on my 97 XJ? In short, the button popped off
a
> number of years ago. Annoying, but the brake itself worked (just needed
two
> hands).
>
> All was well until I had the local dealer do the airbag control module
> relocation last week. (This was a recall item to relocate the module from
> underneath the driver's seat to inside the center console.) In the
process
> they somehow 'unhooked' the end of the operating rod that travels down
> though the handle and into the ratchect mechanism of the brake assembly.
> Now they can't seem to figure out how to 'rehook' it (and are, of course,
> telling me I need to drop the $80 to buy a whole new parking brake
> assembly.)
>
> It's been many moons since I drew ascii art, but I've tried to draw the
> whole thing below (using fixed font, of course.) The bottom line is
> normally, the rod is spring loaded at the button end (pushing out), and
> something then would be 'holding' on to the other end down in the
> ratchet/console. The ratchet end is no longer attached. Does anyone have
> any idea how to get this thing attached again?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Jeff Sents
>
> sents (at) mindspring (dot) com
>
>
>
> Side view of parking brake handle (from drivers seat)
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
> |----| | _______
> | / | | (What's back here?)
> | ===////////===============================| |-|
> | \ | | |
> |----| | ( + )
> ------------------------------------------ | | <
> \\ <
> button spring rod <
> <
> ratchet
> & gears
>
>
> The rod itself is pretty simple and looks like:
>
> ________
> |
> ==========================================|
>
>
> <------------------ ------------->????
> The botton & spring So something
> on this end are must be 'holding'
> pushing the rod onto this end of
> to the left rod
>
>
>

Jeff Sents

Oh I have no intention of letting them get away with it. It's still there.
One way or another they're gonna either fix it, or pay for someone else to.

But, my main concern (to be honest) is to simply get it working again....
I need my Jeep!



"Jerry Bransford" <jerrypb@mecox.net> wrote in message
news:fGP7b.48496$Qy4.8266@fed1read05...
> Jeff, I can't believe you're letting the dealer get away with this. Tell
> them THEY need to restore it so it works as well as when you drove it in.
> In fact, I can't believe the dealer is asking you to pay them to fix what
> they screwed up.
>
> Jerry
> --
> Jerry Bransford
> To email, remove 'me' from my email address
> KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
> See the Geezer Jeep at
> http://members.***.net/jerrypb/
>
> "Jeff Sents" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:3EO7b.1574$zx2.101@newsread1.news.atl.earthli nk.net...
> > Was wondering if anyone out there could help me with a problem I'm
having
> > with the parking brake lever on my 97 XJ? In short, the button popped
off
> a
> > number of years ago. Annoying, but the brake itself worked (just needed
> two
> > hands).
> >
> > All was well until I had the local dealer do the airbag control module
> > relocation last week. (This was a recall item to relocate the module
from
> > underneath the driver's seat to inside the center console.) In the
> process
> > they somehow 'unhooked' the end of the operating rod that travels down
> > though the handle and into the ratchect mechanism of the brake assembly.
> > Now they can't seem to figure out how to 'rehook' it (and are, of
course,
> > telling me I need to drop the $80 to buy a whole new parking brake
> > assembly.)
> >
> > It's been many moons since I drew ascii art, but I've tried to draw the
> > whole thing below (using fixed font, of course.) The bottom line is
> > normally, the rod is spring loaded at the button end (pushing out), and
> > something then would be 'holding' on to the other end down in the
> > ratchet/console. The ratchet end is no longer attached. Does anyone
have
> > any idea how to get this thing attached again?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Jeff Sents
> >
> > sents (at) mindspring (dot) com
> >
> >
> >
> > Side view of parking brake handle (from drivers seat)
> >
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------
> > |----| | _______
> > | / | | (What's back
here?)
> > | ===////////===============================| |-|
> > | \ | | |
> > |----| | ( + )
> > ------------------------------------------ | | <
> > \\ <
> > button spring rod <
> > <
> > ratchet
> > & gears
> >
> >
> > The rod itself is pretty simple and looks like:
> >
> > ________
> > |
> > ==========================================|
> >
> >
> > <------------------ ------------->????
> > The botton & spring So something
> > on this end are must be 'holding'
> > pushing the rod onto this end of
> > to the left rod
> >
> >
> >
>
>

Jeff Sents

Oh I have no intention of letting them get away with it. It's still there.
One way or another they're gonna either fix it, or pay for someone else to.

But, my main concern (to be honest) is to simply get it working again....
I need my Jeep!



"Jerry Bransford" <jerrypb@mecox.net> wrote in message
news:fGP7b.48496$Qy4.8266@fed1read05...
> Jeff, I can't believe you're letting the dealer get away with this. Tell
> them THEY need to restore it so it works as well as when you drove it in.
> In fact, I can't believe the dealer is asking you to pay them to fix what
> they screwed up.
>
> Jerry
> --
> Jerry Bransford
> To email, remove 'me' from my email address
> KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
> See the Geezer Jeep at
> http://members.***.net/jerrypb/
>
> "Jeff Sents" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:3EO7b.1574$zx2.101@newsread1.news.atl.earthli nk.net...
> > Was wondering if anyone out there could help me with a problem I'm
having
> > with the parking brake lever on my 97 XJ? In short, the button popped
off
> a
> > number of years ago. Annoying, but the brake itself worked (just needed
> two
> > hands).
> >
> > All was well until I had the local dealer do the airbag control module
> > relocation last week. (This was a recall item to relocate the module
from
> > underneath the driver's seat to inside the center console.) In the
> process
> > they somehow 'unhooked' the end of the operating rod that travels down
> > though the handle and into the ratchect mechanism of the brake assembly.
> > Now they can't seem to figure out how to 'rehook' it (and are, of
course,
> > telling me I need to drop the $80 to buy a whole new parking brake
> > assembly.)
> >
> > It's been many moons since I drew ascii art, but I've tried to draw the
> > whole thing below (using fixed font, of course.) The bottom line is
> > normally, the rod is spring loaded at the button end (pushing out), and
> > something then would be 'holding' on to the other end down in the
> > ratchet/console. The ratchet end is no longer attached. Does anyone
have
> > any idea how to get this thing attached again?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Jeff Sents
> >
> > sents (at) mindspring (dot) com
> >
> >
> >
> > Side view of parking brake handle (from drivers seat)
> >
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------
> > |----| | _______
> > | / | | (What's back
here?)
> > | ===////////===============================| |-|
> > | \ | | |
> > |----| | ( + )
> > ------------------------------------------ | | <
> > \\ <
> > button spring rod <
> > <
> > ratchet
> > & gears
> >
> >
> > The rod itself is pretty simple and looks like:
> >
> > ________
> > |
> > ==========================================|
> >
> >
> > <------------------ ------------->????
> > The botton & spring So something
> > on this end are must be 'holding'
> > pushing the rod onto this end of
> > to the left rod
> >
> >
> >
>
>

Lon Stowell

Approximately 9/10/03 18:07, Jeff Sents uttered for posterity:

> Oh I have no intention of letting them get away with it. It's still there.
> One way or another they're gonna either fix it, or pay for someone else to.
>
> But, my main concern (to be honest) is to simply get it working again....
> I need my Jeep!

There was a safety recall on some of the ZJ's for the parking
brake button popping off and the parking brake more or less
going kaput. You might want to see if NHTSA has a similar one
for the XJ...

Or just tell the service manager you plan to follow him around
and park your XJ uphill from whatever he drives until he fixes
what his mechanic screwed up.

Lon Stowell

Approximately 9/10/03 18:07, Jeff Sents uttered for posterity:

> Oh I have no intention of letting them get away with it. It's still there.
> One way or another they're gonna either fix it, or pay for someone else to.
>
> But, my main concern (to be honest) is to simply get it working again....
> I need my Jeep!

There was a safety recall on some of the ZJ's for the parking
brake button popping off and the parking brake more or less
going kaput. You might want to see if NHTSA has a similar one
for the XJ...

Or just tell the service manager you plan to follow him around
and park your XJ uphill from whatever he drives until he fixes
what his mechanic screwed up.

Rich Pierson

Mine did that a few years ago, 98XJ bought new in dec of 97. I had the
whole thing replaced, cost was ~$80 and I kept the old one as I still had
the button. First I tried epoxying it in, not strong enough. Finally took
some aluminum stock, filed it to shape, dipped it in some blackener that I
use for marking special reloaded ammo and expoxied THAT in with JB weld. It
is not going anywhere and if the replacement ever breaks I have a spare.

Take note, that threaded rod is not threaded, they are concentric rings
around it, not threads...

Lon Stowell <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in
news:7vR7b.215562$2x.61340@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.n et:

> Approximately 9/10/03 18:07, Jeff Sents uttered for posterity:
>
>> Oh I have no intention of letting them get away with it. It's still
>> there. One way or another they're gonna either fix it, or pay for
>> someone else to.
>>
>> But, my main concern (to be honest) is to simply get it working
>> again.... I need my Jeep!
>
> There was a safety recall on some of the ZJ's for the parking
> brake button popping off and the parking brake more or less
> going kaput. You might want to see if NHTSA has a similar one
> for the XJ...
>
> Or just tell the service manager you plan to follow him around
> and park your XJ uphill from whatever he drives until he fixes
> what his mechanic screwed up.
>
>

Rich Pierson

Mine did that a few years ago, 98XJ bought new in dec of 97. I had the
whole thing replaced, cost was ~$80 and I kept the old one as I still had
the button. First I tried epoxying it in, not strong enough. Finally took
some aluminum stock, filed it to shape, dipped it in some blackener that I
use for marking special reloaded ammo and expoxied THAT in with JB weld. It
is not going anywhere and if the replacement ever breaks I have a spare.

Take note, that threaded rod is not threaded, they are concentric rings
around it, not threads...

Lon Stowell <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in
news:7vR7b.215562$2x.61340@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.n et:

> Approximately 9/10/03 18:07, Jeff Sents uttered for posterity:
>
>> Oh I have no intention of letting them get away with it. It's still
>> there. One way or another they're gonna either fix it, or pay for
>> someone else to.
>>
>> But, my main concern (to be honest) is to simply get it working
>> again.... I need my Jeep!
>
> There was a safety recall on some of the ZJ's for the parking
> brake button popping off and the parking brake more or less
> going kaput. You might want to see if NHTSA has a similar one
> for the XJ...
>
> Or just tell the service manager you plan to follow him around
> and park your XJ uphill from whatever he drives until he fixes
> what his mechanic screwed up.
>
>