Parking brake system (Audi 100 C4)

When the parking brake lever is activated, a rigid rod under the car floor moves forward. At its end is a rocker arm - a balancing bracket. The brake cables are attached to it, going back to the brake drum shields or to the brake disc calipers. The purpose of the balancing bracket is to distribute the force applied when tightening the parking brake lever as evenly as possible between the rear wheels. The rocker arm balances the variations in the friction coefficient of both brake cables.

On models with rear drum brakes, the drive cables pull the parking brake levers of the rear brake shoes and press them against the drum. At the same time, the parking brake lever rests on the front brake shoe via the pressure rod. Thus, it also brakes.

On models with rear disc brakes, the brake cables act via the drive lever, push rod and adjuster mechanism on the brake shoes in the manner described in the section "Rear wheel disc brakes".

(The original version of the article is posted on the website audimanual)