One of the most fun, interesting and easy projects I did to the van was to eliminate the Parking Brake on the Ford Transit. Why? Well, first, I have no idea why something so heavy and bulky is still being used on these vehicles when all other vehicles have already switched to Electronic Actuator Operated Parking Brakes. AKA Push Button Parking Brakes. You see these in use on a variety of cars and trucks today, but not in the van market – yet.
Early on, I knew I needed to make both seats swivel as they would be my only seating area. Early on I also knew I was going to have to modify the parking brake that was located between the two seats to make this happen. Someone had already figured that part out, but it was when I first drove the Ford Transit on my way back from PA that I realized that big clunky brake was in my way. The VW Bus was much smaller and yet, much easier to walk between the seats of. I wasn’t about to deal with this big brake there and I set out to finding a solution.
Having already driven vehicles with these Push Parking Button Brake systems, I wondered if I could adapt something to make that work. Then one day I found it. I didn’t need to adapt anything – E-Stopp had already come up with a system for me or rather, for Custom cars. I looked at it and knew I had my solution.
It was the first week of January 2018 when I got under the van and removed the large clunky parking brake system and installed the E-Stopp. While it was an easy install, I wanted it more custom, and knowing my dash would be torn apart soon, I planned for the exact spot I would install the parking button. Now most people will not go through the trouble it took to mount that button where I did, but that is where I wanted it. My Plan B was to utilize the only blank switch spot in the top of the dash next to the gauges, but since plan A worked, that is where it went.
As far as I can find, I was the first person to install this modification in January 2018. I am hoping that by 2020, Ford will have caught on and begin using these in the new vans. Are you listening Ford? Mercedes? RAM?
Enjoy the video:
PART 1
PART 2
