Parking brake won’t disengage?
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From: Seattle
Parking brake won’t disengage?
2000 XLT 5 speed 4x4 with 118,000 miles
So my truck has been parked for a few days, and I got in today to drive it and the emergency brake won’t disengage. The brake release lever pulls, and the pedal pops up and the light goes off, but the truck won’t move. I can shift fine and I can feel it trying to move when I try, but the parking brake is obviously engaged and it won’t go anywhere. With the brake pedal pushed the brake cable is taught, and when it’s released the cable is loose, so it doesn’t seem like the cable is the problem. This must mean there’s a problem in the drum right? How would I figure out which side is stuck and what should I go about replacing to fix it?
Thanks!
So my truck has been parked for a few days, and I got in today to drive it and the emergency brake won’t disengage. The brake release lever pulls, and the pedal pops up and the light goes off, but the truck won’t move. I can shift fine and I can feel it trying to move when I try, but the parking brake is obviously engaged and it won’t go anywhere. With the brake pedal pushed the brake cable is taught, and when it’s released the cable is loose, so it doesn’t seem like the cable is the problem. This must mean there’s a problem in the drum right? How would I figure out which side is stuck and what should I go about replacing to fix it?
Thanks!
Welcome to the forum, if possible try backing up, e-brakes don't hold well in reverse direction, and it may pop loose
Yes there is a problem in one or both drums
Block one front wheel, so truck can't roll away
Put trans in Neutral then jack up one rear wheel, see if it spins, no brake
Then do the same for other rear wheel.
You can't get the drum off with e-brake set.................
On the back side of the brake plate will be a rubber plug at the bottom, pull it out
Inside there will be a Star Wheel, it is used to adjust the brake shoes
You are seeing the back of the star wheel, you want to pull the teeth on the wheel DOWN to loosen the shoes, BUT...........there is a lever that prevents Star Wheel from moving that direction
So you need to put a screw driver thru the hole above star wheel and push the lever away from the wheel so you can move teeth DOWN
Both sides are the same direction to loosen, one side has Reverse threads on star wheel.
Drawing here of this adjustment: http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...3f80211a11.gif
Once you can spin the wheel you should be able to get drum off and see what happened to freeze the e-brake system on that side
And just a Heads up since winter is coming
When a vehicle is older water can get into the e-brake cable sheaths at the rear of the vehicle
And it can FREEZE
So you set the e-brake when you get home and then come out the next morning after overnight freeze..................e-brake won't release, cable is frozen inside the sheath
Get out the torch, lol.
You can spray lube into the sheaths to displace water or enough to prevent solid freeze
Or just don't use e-brake in winter when freezing is likely
Yes there is a problem in one or both drums
Block one front wheel, so truck can't roll away
Put trans in Neutral then jack up one rear wheel, see if it spins, no brake
Then do the same for other rear wheel.
You can't get the drum off with e-brake set.................
On the back side of the brake plate will be a rubber plug at the bottom, pull it out
Inside there will be a Star Wheel, it is used to adjust the brake shoes
You are seeing the back of the star wheel, you want to pull the teeth on the wheel DOWN to loosen the shoes, BUT...........there is a lever that prevents Star Wheel from moving that direction
So you need to put a screw driver thru the hole above star wheel and push the lever away from the wheel so you can move teeth DOWN
Both sides are the same direction to loosen, one side has Reverse threads on star wheel.
Drawing here of this adjustment: http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...3f80211a11.gif
Once you can spin the wheel you should be able to get drum off and see what happened to freeze the e-brake system on that side
And just a Heads up since winter is coming
When a vehicle is older water can get into the e-brake cable sheaths at the rear of the vehicle
And it can FREEZE
So you set the e-brake when you get home and then come out the next morning after overnight freeze..................e-brake won't release, cable is frozen inside the sheath
Get out the torch, lol.
You can spray lube into the sheaths to displace water or enough to prevent solid freeze
Or just don't use e-brake in winter when freezing is likely
Last edited by RonD; Nov 3, 2018 at 02:49 PM.
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Sep 2018
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From: Seattle
Thank you! So if I manually adjust to loosen the shoes so that I can move the truck, can I drive it somewhere where it'll be easier to do the whole brake? I'm parked in the parking lot of my apartment complex right now, not ideal for doing a whole brake job.
Yes, you can do that, be careful braking, rear wheel(s) will tend to lock up
If you have a helper, then you can usually hear rear brake shoes moving when regular brakes are applied, like a "creaking" noise, side that's quiet may be the only one you need to loosen
If you have a helper, then you can usually hear rear brake shoes moving when regular brakes are applied, like a "creaking" noise, side that's quiet may be the only one you need to loosen
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