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Jason Joyner
Jason Joyner

Manufacturing Engineer

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Jason Joyner

Manufacturing Engineer

September 22, 2022September 22, 2022

Ford Ranger Parking Brake Release Handle

In the summer of 2020, the parking brake release handle on my truck snapped off. Specifically, the plastic handle that attaches to the release rod. After some searching, I found that replacements for only the handle do not exist and replacing the entire assemble at a cost of over $100 would be required. I instead decided to see if I could duplicate the original handle and 3D print myself a new one. For less than $20 for a spool of black ABS plastic, I’m quite happy with the results. After 2 years of semi-frequent use, it is still just as functional as it was in 2020.

Design

The design was fairly simple in Fusion 360. I started with making a sketch of the side profile, and with my calipers was able to quickly get the rough dimensions of the original and extrude a body. I then created a second sketch for the portion that attaches to the metal release rod and extruded that.

Sketch #1, Side Profile, Fusion 360
Sketch #2, Release Rod Adapter, Fusion 360
Final Extrusion, Fusion 360

3D Printing

After this, I exported the drawing out of Fusion to an STL file. I then opened the STL file in the Cura slicer program to send to my 3D printer.

Preview of 3D Print, Cura
Detail of Release Rod End, Cura

The slicer showed there would be support material required for the round section that slides over the metal rod. After printing, I had to use a 7 mm drill bit to remove this material. For ergonomics, I had to make several iterations of this handle in PLA until I found the right combination of curves that it felt correct in my hand. I then did the final print in ABS due to its ability to withstand the temperatures of a vehicle interior.

Various Iterations
Final Print in ABS

Final Result

After I settled on the proper radii of the curves and had a final print, I adhered the handle to the metal rod with 2 part epoxy. After 2 years of use, there is no sign of the print breaking down or coming detached.

Before
After

Project Files

1993-1997 Ford Ranger Parking Brake Handle v11.stl

Ford Ranger Vehicle Mods

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About Me

I am engineer located in Northern Indiana who is always tinkering in his spare time. Professionally, I manage large projects in manufacturing with a focus in the automotive industry.  As I don’t often get a chance to do much design work for my employers, this blog is a place for me to document my personal projects and share my knowledge.

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