[terence123cars]

Thanks for the info. I had read your thread on the handle mounting problem but I dont think that is my problem. The brake operational lever in the cockpit seems to be solid in the floor and the cable appears to be operating, however when I park the van on the driveway (fairly steep) I notice that the van is not being held securly by the application of the parking brake. When I am driving the vehicle, the front and rear brakes appear to be operating OK, it's only a problem when i'm on a steeply sloping driveway.The parking brake won't hold the van. The next time I use the van, I'll start the engine and shift from park to reverse, now I am worried because the transmission parking pawl is now jammed in tight and makes an alarming mechanical noise as it is released, as the transmission parking pawl is now being heavily loaded by the van's weight. I'm afraid if I don't fix the parking brake, i'll soon be having problems with a damaged transmission pawl. I also notice that when I apply the parking brake when I'm moving, the braking is pretty minimal.
I think the cable is probably semi-seized. What do you think?