Emergency Brake sort of works (1 Viewer)

[koszowskima]

Hey all,

So my emergency brake "works". I have parked on slants and other mild grades. However, the other day I parked in a pretty steep space and put the brake in, and it started sliding a bit. I put it in gear and all was good. This wasn't a problem until recently, very rarely I will start the first second of my drive with the brake on and then snap it off. I assume it is just wearing out, I am wondering if this is a big fix or is something that can be done on a Saturday in my garage.

Thanks

 

[OSS]

Try doing some firm braking while traveling at speed to wake up the rear brakes (glazed shoes & polished drums).
Make sure no one is nearby and you've got plenty of stopping room.
Then try the parking brake again

 

[Kleatus]

It is doable on a Saturday in a garage. Sure, but the only way to ensure that would be to start the job with the knowledge, tools, parts and supplies to replace everything that could possibly be wrong - the cable, shoes, drums, wheel cylinders, hardware, bellcrank, axle seals, brake lines, etc. That is the expensive nuclear option, if it must be done successfully in a day.

I wouldn't start into it without first trying to find the problem though. You may find a siezed wheel cylinder, a leaky wheel cylinder or axle seal that has contaminated the shoes, a bellcrank that is beyond saving, etc that could derail your afternoon and leave you waiting for more parts.

Have a helper pull the brake and observe the bellcranks, are they moving? Good, then they can be cleaned up and lubricated. Do the service brakes in the rear work? Is there evidence of oil seepage on wheels or rear drums?

Do all the easy visual stuff first.

Next you can take off a wheel and drum (or both) and have a look at the condition of the shoes and drums. Is the friction material glazed or worn down to tye rivets? Are the shoes wearing evenly? Are springs broken or missing? Anything siezed? Any leaks? If all of the above is OK, they likely just need to be properly adjusted. Look around on here for a a how to or a link to the FSM (factory service manual) and refer to the section on brakes.

If you do need to replace things, please use good quality parts from a vendor on here, and not cheap drums from the parts store that will warp in a week, or brake shoes whose linings will seperate from their backing the first time you get them hot.