I was sweatin' it

I was washing the truck and watering the flower garden today when I needed to move the truck so as not to let the water from the sprinkler get on the paint. I pushed in the clutch and just let the E-brake keep the speed, as I was backing the truck down the ever so slight grade in the drive way when a sudden SNAP and the truck was locked up. I released the E-brake, and it set back in the normal spot, started the truck, put it in first and released the clutch and the E-brake was locked in. The back tire was spinning, I tried rocking the truck, and that even got a little ugly, I even put it in 4x4, seeing if I could get the brakes to release, nada. I called a couple of friends but they were too far away and far too drunk to help me, get the tow truck. The guy shows, and says "let me take a look at it" starts it up and sure enough the brakes release, I felt like an idiot. He was real cool about it, said to me take it around the block to make sure. I was so relieved I forgot to tip him, I'll have to look him up and square things with him. I guess the moral to the story is... E-brakes are meant for hills while sitting still, not for moving trucks.

 

Yeah ? all is well for now, but I was rocking the hell out of it and nothing, then clink and it went back to normal.

 

I am surprised you didn't hear it all the way out there, my neighbor was looking at me like... uh are you O.K. over there, I was

 

I personally hate the foot pedal ebrake. The *push it on* and *push it off* isn't user friendly (per say) and you just can't use it like the older truck ebrake pull handles.

 

Watering the flowers eh?.....

The brakes will sometimes "wedge" and stay locked, and usually rocking will release them, but the likelihood of them wedging is greater if there is too much clearance from shoe to drum. Try adjusting the rear brakes up a little tighter, just a few clicks, and not the parking brake, but the rear service brakes. After a little driving check the rear brakes again to make sure not to tight. Check and adjust parking brake as needed only if nessessery.

 

I am secure in my masculinity, yes FLOWERS, pretty pretty flowers.
But seriously thats for the adjustment info, it's probably due.

 

This morning I went out to my truck to go to work and the truck won't move. I have a 4x4 2.7 manual and it feels like the parking brake is stuck on. I washed the truck yesterday and it got down to 25 degrees last night. Could it just be frozen? I've never had this happen before on any other vehicles I've owned.

 

Have you tried the above rocking procedure?

 

Yea, I rocked the hell out of it and it wouldn't budge. I took the wife's car to work, so I won't be able to look at the truck until tonight. Hopefully it's just frozen from water at the car wash.

 

hmm... ya give us an update when you get home...

 

yeah the parking brakes will get frozen on. I've had mine stick a little, not so bad I couldn't get it to come off though.

 

I pretty much don't use the parking/emergency brake unless there is a pretty good hill involved.

 

i like "chicken sticks" the best...and there's even a place for it right there behind the shifter on the autos.

might be a TSB out for this...i think i read somewhere...no time to search for you now though...will try tomorrow

 

Fixed it with a hammer. Got home tonight and the truck still wouldn't move. I jacked the back of the truck in the air and discovered the right rear wheel was locked up. I beat the drum with a hammer and it freed up. I drove it around and everything seems ok, but I'm not using the parking brake again until I have the dealer look at it. Hopefully you are right about the TSB. Thanks for the input.

 

Good to know... thanks

 

I have yet to do my rear brakes on my 99, and I have the pull handle, but my question is aren't the rear brakes self adjusting? My 1971 VW wasn't, my 1974 Datsun 260 was adjustable by putting the car in reverse and hitting the brakes and then you could hear the star adjust click untill it opened up enough(on a new brake shoe install). I don't have my book in front of me right now. Anybody know?