Parking brake lever (Renault 19)

The parking brake cable attached to the lever pulls forward a rod located in the center under the bottom of the car. At the threaded end of the rod is a balancer. The brake system drive cables are hung on this balancer. The balancer evenly distributes the force from the parking brake lever tension to both rear wheels.

• On vehicles with drum brakes at the rear, each cable or cable end pulls the parking brake rocker arm, which is mounted on the secondary (passive) brake shoe. This movement presses the shoe against the brake drum. At the same time, the parking brake rocker arm also presses the primary (active) brake shoe outward via the spacer: the rear wheels are then braked.
• In vehicles with rear disc brakes, the ends of the cable act through the outer control levers on the spacers of the adjustment mechanism in the brake cylinders, pressing the brake pads against the discs and locking them.