E-Brake is Stuck

Hey guys, so I just bought a new Tacoma and the E-brake is stuck on it! I cannot pull it out, I don't know if its jammed, seized up, or broken. You guys have any tips on what my steps should be towards this problem?? Maybe I can spray something under the truck to free it up?! Thanks!

 

Here is a break down of the e-brake system. Thought it might help.

 

Get under the rear and see if you can pull/push on the lever(s) at the rear brakes (where the cable comes out and attaches to the brakes). It will help you determine if the cable itself is stuck, or the brake mechanism.

You might just need a hammer and some WD40 to knock some rust free.

If the lever is seized, you'll need to open up the brake drums and see what's going on inside.

 

There are lots of places on the emergency brake system that can cause it to sieze, as mentioned above start at the back and work your way forward and buy lots of wd40 or the penetrator of your choice. I think Toyota engineers must have been a bit hungover when they designed that system, too many places where something can go wrong.

 

Mine were seized at the brakes themselves, in that the levers were both rusted on their pivot axles. There's a kit by Dorman for 30 something bucks with new levers, rubber boots, springs, etc. Mine was also rusted at the mid-way connecting point. The lever and spring there were both really rusted. A replacement lever was absurd so I've just wire brushed it clean and will be reinstalling once I get that point of putting my truck back together (currently rebuilding the frame). I had the Dorman kit installed before I took my truck apart, and it made a huge difference.

 

there is two parts to the E-Brake cable. You must know which one is seized. First, check the lever on the rear drum brakes. The pivots can be rusted solid or broken

There is a lever under the cab, driver's side, on the frame, where both part of the cable attach to. Check if it is not broken or if there is anything abnormal with it. If not, pull your e-brake and if this lever moves the front part of the cable is good. Also, check the adjustment, as there is a screw and a nut going through this pivot, at the tip of the rear cable

Then check the part that goes above the rear differential and pull the brake. If you don't see it tighten and loosen, that means your rear cable is seized

You're saying that you can't pull your ebrake at all, so it must be pivots on the drums or the pivot under the cab, or your cable is badly seized somewhere

Also, not using the e-brake causes it to seize, so remember to use it often to prevent it from seizing again in the future

 

This will help also.

 

I need to do this too!

 

Just dug into my break drums recently. Checked my e-brake. It was completely seized at pivot arm inside the boot on the back of the back cover plate. Inside part 47628. The arm is shown as 47624. Its easy to check, you can just get on the back side of the drum and try to move the arm that the e-brake cable hooks in coming across from the differential. No amount of wd-40 is going to get it free.

 

You have a steel pin going through a Alloy bracket .

If the parking brake goes unused they seize up most times I cut the brackets apart clean up the Bell cranks install new pins and Bell crank brackets.

Never Seize going back together use the parking all the time the truck is parked .

It keeps the rear shoes adjusted up.

I keep the pins and Bell crank brackets on hand.

 

Spit on it

 

The e-brake/parking brake must have been designed by the same idiot that designed the spark plug access for V-6 Highlanders making plug change by the dealer at ~$700. I sprayed some anti-corrosion on the cable where it enters the brake assembly and it now works. Somehow the maintenance crew at my Toyota dealer who does my oil/filter changes somehow neglected to tell me that lubrication is needed on this e-brake assembly. They certainly know how to find other things to sell you when you are going in for maintenance.