Frozen E Brake

Same here, mine is 2016 and it did not happen last winter. But several times this year. I always wash the truck after driving on snow and snow melt to remove the crud and salt. Did it last year and had no problems. This year it appears water is getting in somewhere. I will have to check it thoroughly when it warms up and maybe can apply some sealant if and when I find how water is getting in.

 

Probably been said already, but you're not supposed to set the e brake in winter conditions for this very reason.

 

The cable is not really visible anywhere. It appears to go in the sheath right where it leaves the body and it is that way until it goes into the brake housing. There are rubber washers/grommets in the orifice where it comes out from the cab. So unless the sheath is ruptued or water gets into the body and then into the sheath? There is also a pretty good rubber seal where it goes into the brake housing. There is a second protective sheath near the wheel, from the last cable holder on the rear spring to the brake housing. That one is not really sealed.

 

Food for thought: have any of you that have used something like fluid film or krown had any issue with the e brake freezing? I haven’t had this issue and I fluid film, so I wonder if it acts as a barrier? I could be wrong, but throwing it out as a possibility.

 

Thankfully the handbrake in my truck has been flawless, no sticking even after sitting extended periods of time.

 

Oh, ok. Guess I'll try plan B if it's not unstuck when I get back from work. When my wife brought me to work I brought my floor jack and some tools. Guess I'll take off the wheel and get in there. Been in the 50's in Birmingham so hopefully it released.

 

I don't think so

 

Remove the drum and pack HEAVY with grease all inside?

 

I would say the cables. I've had the used truck 2 years, but this is the first year it's happened, on several occasions.
I've removed the abs fuse, so I can lock my brakes if I want.
Anyways, I've locked the brakes several times on an icy road, and no problems. But when I use the parking brake, then the lr wheel has locked.
I've since had a Krown undercoating, and tried the parking brake, with no problems, yet.

 

Huh, ok, wierd issue. At least it’s when you’re parked- my old ‘68 BMW would randomly lock up the right rear when I just tapped the brake- it wasn’t so fun when I was on ice and had to steer down the highway backwards to a safe stop!

 

Sorry I am posting this on two threads to keep the exploration going.

Well it warmed up here today so I got under the truck on the driveway, no lifting. Now that I understand better, I really started looking for how water gets in the brake sheath. I discover that the sheath is not continuous but has joints. Also I started pulling the sheat where it meets the drum brake and sure enough it receded about 1/2 inch or more and water dripped out, not a lot but still.
So now I will figure out how to cover or seal places where water may get in.
This does not address water getting into the drums directly when sprayed or hosed specially from the back. But that water should drip out of the drum and not clog the e-brake cable or assy.
It is apparent however that Toyota does not give a shit about making drum e-brakes water proof.
Like I said before, there are and there have been millions of cars with drum rear brakes that spend their lives in cold, freezing winter and do not gave this issue.

 

I’ve had this freezing issue every winter, mostly after I’ve just washed the truck. This morning I wouldn’t budge, right rear wheel stuck. Even got under the truck and tried wiggling the brake cable like some said.

Locked the rear diff in 4L and she broke right though.

 

I carry a hammer and steel bar, then hit the drum where it's exposed through the rim, all around. That works every time.
That being said, sounds like the pads are what's sticking. Either that or my banging around releases the stuck cable.

 

I've taken my drums off shortly after washing the truck and was surprised at how much water was inside the drums. This was a normal hand wash with a garden hose and I didn't even reach in to spray around the wheel wells as I sometimes do.

 

My 16 or has same issue in cold weather,never when its above freezing do I have this issue.my rear drums get stuck.hoping someone figures this one out and is nice enough to post a solution.fingers crossed

 

This happened to me for the first time in 2 years. I tried going into 4L, rocking it, nothing happened. I finally read about wiggling the e-brake cable where it meets the drum and that did the trick for me. What a PITA.

 

I'm afraid to use mine during the winter. If it is going to be under 32 degrees I don't set it.

 

My 2nd generation Tacoma has had no problems with the parking brake freezing during our recent snowy, freezing weather.

Disk brakes on the rear axle will not solve this problem. Rear disk brakes all have a drum brake for the parking brake. Parking brakes depend on the self actuating action of drum brakes to work. My Fiat 124 Sport Coup had 4 wheel disk brakes, it did not have a drum parking brake. The parking brake was all but useless as disk brakes have no self actuating.

 

Weird about the fiat, if it didn’t do anything you’d wonder why it was there at all

Sounds like waterproofing the parking brake we have is a better bet

 

Well it slowed the car down some as it rolled away if I trusted the parking brake and forgot to leave it in gear. Parking brakes were probably required even if they didn't work.

Hey it's Fiat.