E -brake help

[only 31s]

havent used the e brake in quite some time-so during my inspection my guy fails me cause it didnt work - i say ok and go home to check on it ,so im in my driveway and i crank on the e brake pedal and it worked ,then i go to release it and everything stays locked in the drums- is there any way to free this up without entering the drum,or if I do have to go into the drum -how the hell can i get it off with the brake locked 1/2 10 bolt Thanks for any info.

 

[bp71k5]

There should be springs that retract the shoes on the pedal itself and in the drum. Check the easy one first.

 

[Fordum]

Check the cables. They may be frozen. Be sure to check all the way from the pedal to the drums.

If they are in really bad shape, grab a set of bolt cutters and cut them off about 12 inches from the back of the drums.
That may release them immediately.
Otherwise, try to drive the center back down the sleeve.

Don't do that if the cables are good, only if they are going to have to be replaced anyway.

If the cables are good, and if yours has the adjustment hole, try backing the brake adjustment off all the way.

On some models that will give you enough slack to get the drums off.

Also, try driving it back and forth. Not only might that unjam them, it might show that they are not engaged at all.
The cable might have broken making you think its stuck.

 

[only 31s]

tried--

tried back and forth -forward it stops immediately but then it rolls back almost like its not engaged then forward it stops again. cable is good all the way back to the steel sleeves it rides in-then you can feel the tention keeping it tight at the passenger drum-so im guessing thats the trouble spot-didnt see an adj hole back there. Thanks

 

[Fordum]

You say you can feel the tension keeping them tight at the drum.
You mean you can feel tension in the cable?
If the cable is tight, then the problem is up forward. Something is not releasing the cable.


I didn't give you enough information. The adjustment hole is the normal brake adjustment hole.
Most have it in the bottom of the brake backing plate, some in the top, and a few in the outside of the drum.

On some systems, you can back that all the way off and it will let you get the drum off.

 

[Fordum]

Also, modern drum brakes are what is know as self actuating. Which means the pressure you apply to the shoes causes them to touch the rotating drum.
The friction causes the whole assembly to rotate slightly in the direction the drum is rotating.
This causes them to bind and uses the rotational force to add to the braking power.

Since yours will rotate backwards freely, then only the "forward" shoe is probably touching.

Which means, you may be able to get that drum off, by keeping a steady pull on it while you rotate it backwards.

 

[British Slave]

Is the cable laying on the exhaust pipe?

 

[only 31s]

tight cable

the cable has slack all the way to the rear junction to where it meets the sleeved casings for the cables- then following those, one side retains tention at the back of the drum [pass side]--Could the sleeve inside itself be rusted so the cable cant move freely or be binding inside it? the outside of that sleeve looks good?? will that wound sleeve allow penetrant inside it ??

 

[British Slave]

the cable has slack all the way to the rear junction to where it meets the sleeved casings for the cables- then following those, one side retains tention at the back of the drum [pass side]--Could the sleeve inside itself be rusted so the cable cant move freely or be binding inside it? the outside of that sleeve looks good?? will that wound sleeve allow penetrant inside it ??

There is a plastic liner in the cable. That's why I ask if it has laid on the exhaust pipe. On mine, a muffler shop installed the exhaust pipe and let the cable lay on it. The liner melted, and when cool it would not allow the brake to set. When it was hot, the wire cable would move thru the melted plastic and work fine, but if the brake was set and it cooled, the plastic would harden and the brake would not release. Make sure the cable is run under the exhaust pipe.

 

[diesel4me]

My plow truck's e-brake has very rusted cables,especially the pedal cable,which has a return spring of sorts made into the casing ,that disintegrated,and the cables to each rear wheel were seizing up from never being used (or lubed,yes,I am lax when it comes to doing such maintenence! )..I sprayed all of the cables with a mixture of Marvel Mystery Oil and gas in hopes it would pebnetrate and help free them up,and it did to some degree,but the brakes did not want to release when I pulled on the E-brake release...I drove the truck back & forth in the driveway and each time I went forwaed you could feel it holding back,then it suddenly let go with a "bang"--after doing that several times,I went to try to pass for an inspection sticker at a garage that I know the owner of only from my days of selling auto parts--he hops in the truck and instantly goes for the e-brake pedal,then hesitates,and asks if I ever use it--I said "never"!..then he pushes down on the pedal some,put it in gear,and he felt the brakes "catch" and groan as he pulled it forward,and then said "Ehh,it DOES work,but I hate to see you smoke the shoes up on your way home if it dont release"--and he went on with the rest of the inspection and he didn't even jack it up,he just asked if the front end and steering was tight,said it felt "loose" to him as he pulled it in the bay--I said it has some play in one drag link end,but I have the new one to replace it in the glove box,and I planned to buy the other end and replace them both,and that the steering box has a bit of free play ,but it drives down the road OK and he said "OK",and he put the sticker n it!...

Where in MA are you??..maybe a less anal inspector wont put you thru the third degree when it comes to the E-brake--not many of the places I have taken my vehicles too are very worried about the e-brake,they focus more on the tires,suspention and front end parts that the e-brake..My Contour's e-brake cables were seized tight when I took that in for a sticker a few months ago,and at the same garage that passed my truck,after another place said I needed a lower ball joint & wiper blades to pass,and he just said "hey,the e-brake cables are seized,so I'm not going to try applying them,and he noted the ball joint had "a slight amount of play,but not enough to fail it for a sticker"...the fact he saw I drove both vehicles less than 1000 miles this past year since the last sticker may have influenced his decision to let them "slide" a bit too--but he knows I wont drive anything thats ready to fall apart or is a hazard too...

I have been dousing the cables with penetrant and drain oil since the inspection,in hopes they might free up ,but I'm not holding my breath...most likely both vehicles will need new cables front to rear...my punishment for being neglectfull !..(

 

[only 31s]

just my luck!

iv e been to my guy 4 times,this year i got the newbe[the boss wasnt in ]thought he was going to give me a hassle about ht and tire width[there both arguably close to Mass specs]so he did his thing -jacked it up the whole nine yards-only prob Ebrake- so 60 days to fix for a free insp-I HATE that big R on my big truck!!!!!! Im goin to try soaking it before i rip into it.

 

[diesel4me]

I'd get it fixed right away,you dont really have "60 days" when its a safety item that flunked ,only an emission test fail allows you 60 days to fix it and try again for a free re-test--technically,a cop can pull you over right now and fine you for driving with defective equipment for having a "saftey failure" reject sticker,and I've heard the fine recently went up from 50 bucks to 250,they call it a "moving violation" and often add that charge on top of anything else they decide to cite you for..seems too many people didn't bother fixing a vehicle that flunked emissions,it was cheaper to just pay the 50 bucks if you got stopped,than to fix it right!...

 

[only 31s]

im not too worried

my beast isnt my daily driver.anyhow i have sprayed up my cables and they have slacked up some to where the brakes arent locking ,so into them i go Thanks guys Rob