Emergency Brake Adjustment

[MrZumma]

Newbie here... I have had my fully stock '97 80 for about three months. When I bought it, the emergency brake did not function and today I finally had a chance to see what is causing the problem. After pulling the rotors, I noticed that there was still a lot of meat left on the EB shoes and no scoring on the drum portion of the rotors. I also noticed that the lever on each backing plate that the EB cable attaches to was in the fully deployed position - meaning the EB brake should be applied. I rapped on this lever with a rubber mallet, but it was locked-up tight. I am waiting for my FSM from Dan, so I don't want to tear into it until that is in hand. Anyone have any idea what might be causing the EB to bind up in the brake mechanism on both sides? Thanks for any help.

 

[NorCalDoug]

I'm very interested in ideas as well. My ebrake was set fairly tight a few months back, but is now WAY too loose. Don't quite know what happened or what caused the change. I doubt the cable stretched...

 

[landtank]

Do a search on "Bellcrank". That's the item that has seized. I ended up replacing both bellcranks, their mounts and the small cable that went from the bellcrank to the arm attached to the shoe. This isn't a LC only problem as my wifes 4Runner seized up as well.

 

[MrZumma]

Thanks Rick... Didn't know what that little do-dad was called and found plenty of info. when I searched on it.

Doug,
I grew up right down the tracks from you.. Foothill Farms.. Glad to see some folks from my old stomping grounds around here! I still get back there once or twice per year since my folks still live there..

 

[pound3151]

I had two seized bellcranks, one finally broke loose after a dunking in a rust eater liquid and the other one just broke along with all of the insides of the e brake due to rust. I hooked it back up to both sides and now my ebrake works just fine on one wheel .