Anyone ever change from electronic parking brake to a manual one?

NYC LS8

NYC LS8

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While doing the brakes on my car last weekend, I found out why my parking brake doesn't work. There's a plastic piece at the end of the line that attaches through a hole on a bracket off the caliper. Well, that plastic piece cracked and no longer keeps it secured to where the line can get pulled through it to engage the brake. Seeing as how the more fancy electrical crap a car has the more crap there is to break, I've been pondering swapping to the Gen I manual set-up.

I know the center console would have to be swapped obviously, but is this even feasible to do? Any ideas or am I on my own? lol

TIA.
 
Seems like you would be able just get a 00-02 console, and hook the line up to the calipers like is done on those years. A cable is a cable. I have no idea though.
 
The whole line needs to be replaced. The reason for asking about swapping to a manual one is that this piece broke on it's own.....because it's plastic.
 
I actually use my parking brake quite a bit. Whenever I park on an incline, i set it before I put the car in park or take my foot off the brake. That way it's not a bitch to shift out of park. I have no idea how to help you on the switch though.
 
i can see why you would want to but i hated my gen 1 console. there is about enough storage space for a pack of smokes and maybe 3 condoms but thats it. and if you do it, make sure you get a console that DOES NOT have the stupid flip up cup holders they are so close together that even if you get 2 small drinks(because 2 mediums from taco bell wont fit next to each other) they knock each others tops off when you stop and go then you have mountian dew all over the place. you will also probaly have a problem with the info center saying service parking brake if the switch isnt connected. personaly, there is no way i would get rid of my gen 2 center console after owning a gen 1, i would fix the piece of $hit plastic thing ten times if i had to. just my 2 cents
 
I don't see how hard it could be. People do it drift cars pretty easily. Not that I know anything about anything though...
 
Why don't you just fix the electronic one? You don't really want that old console, do you?
 
Because I can't stand electrical :q:q:q:q that's bound to break. It was just a thought and wanted to see how big of an ordeal it would be to switch it over. Any manual e-brake car I've ever had never gave me a problem.
 
The fitment of the console and the dash wont mesh. The 03+ is a little wider than the 00-02.
 
That plastic piece and line can't be that expensive dude. Maybe order 2 just in case?
 
Try and get the exploded views of the 1st and 2nd gen parking brake setups and go from there
 
King03LS8 said:
That plastic piece and line can't be that expensive dude. Maybe order 2 just in case?
Click to expand...

Expensive isn't the point, it's the way it's constructed. It must have cracked from the cold when I went to use it. Kind of a waste of time if it's only going to do the same thing.
 
It seems like there was a reason they switched (no pun intended) to an electronic e-brake in '03, but I can't remember what it was off the top of my head. Having looked at the diagram of the 2nd Gen e-brake setup, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to retrofit a manual--all it's doing is triggering a motor to pull the e-brake cable.

You'll have to do some fabrication on the center console if you want to have a hand brake. As mentioned, the 1st Gen console won't mate up to a 2nd Gen car, and the shifter surrounds are different shapes and heights--where the 2nd Gen shifter surround is rectangular and stands proud of the console, the 1st Gen surround is more teardrop-shaped and is inset into the console.
 
True, but the same could be set for most of the common failings on the LS. Window regulators, coils, clockspring, dccv, t-stat. And you could always try the swap after fixing it so you could use it in the meantime.

Up a post to NYC LS8^
 
what does the plastic piece look like? maybe it would be worthwile to see if it can be switched with a steel or alum piece. if it is a simple design(something ford is not known for, i know) a skilled shop should be able to weld or mill one.
 
I can understand your frustration, but if you cant stand electrical crap... you are in the way wrong car!


im puting a electronicly controlled brake in mine..... lol LINE LOCK RULES!!!!!!!!
 
SoonerLS said:
It seems like there was a reason they switched (no pun intended) to an electronic e-brake in '03, but I can't remember what it was off the top of my head.
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I think I remember reading that they changed it because getting rid of the ebrake handle gave them tons more room to design a better console. Although for the life of me I can't imagine why they would've wanted to change our beloved and masterfully sculpted gen 1 center console :shifty: As for converting yours, good luck. That would be pretty cool.
 
NHLSV8 said:
I can understand your frustration, but if you cant stand electrical crap... you are in the way wrong car!
Click to expand...

Barking up the wrong tree with that one. I guess you missed the other 3 Lincolns I've had, one of which needed an exorcism. :D
 
I thought this topic was brought up way back, but it was from 1st gen to 2nd gen. I'm not sure if it's actually possible, but I could be wrong.
 
I don't remember any plastic piece the last time I looked back there. I wonder if they changed it to metal in later years (or else I missed it)
 
It's like molded onto the brake line sheath and goes through a hole in the bracket off the caliper. You won't see it unless yours is broken because it looks very out of place lol

I'll see if I can get a picture of it over the weekend.
 
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