Tire engaging parking brake

A tire engaging parking brake for use with a vehicle having a vehicle frame supporting a tire from a suspension, the tire engaging parking brake comprising:

• a base securable to the vehicle frame;
• a brake pad mounting arm pivotally connected at an inner end to the base;
• a brake pad connected to the brake pad mounting arm adjacent an outer end of the brake pad mounting arm;
• an over-center linkage including an inner link connected at an inner end to the base at a position forward of the pivotal connection of the brake pad mounting arm to the base, and an outer link pivotally connected at an inner end to the inner link and pivotally connected at an outer end to a distal end of the brake pad mounting arm;
• and
• a lever arm cooperable with the inner link for pivoting the inner link, the outer link and the brake pad mounting arm between a retracted position and a tire engaging position in which the inner link and the outer link extend in an over-center condition,
• wherein the base comprises a U-shaped channel oriented sideways including a channel web, an upper leg extending from the channel web, and a lower leg extending from the channel web.