Ebrake Frozen
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Ebrake Frozen
In a moment of gambling I pressed the emergency brake on my new to me 89 F250 tonight. It was the wrong gamble. I was able to get the passenger side to release with pliers. The driver side won't budge at all. After trying to release it I drove around the block. It dragged slightly and the wheel was warm to the touch so I used the pliers on it some more and tried it again. Warm again. I pulled into the garage to try to take the drum off but you may have guessed it doesn't want to come off with the shoes engaged. I tried loosening the shoes with the adjustment but loosening got harder and harder like it was being tightened. Long story short the brake is even more engaged now than when I started. I got the drum moved about a half inch by carefully prying but it started to sound expensive so I stopped. Any advice would be welcome. This is my first vehicle with drum brakes so I'm lost at this point.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 5,217
Likes: 803
your cable is obviously damaged especially if you are using pliers on it(the protective sheath shouldnt be disturbed) but you probably have an issue inside the drum or the cable is kinked somewhere or your pedal is set and your fighting that.
Check the cable, whats it look like? Good? Whats the pedal doing, confirm its 100% released. It may have been rusty or sticky. Good? Okay, go to your adjuster, unhook the parking brake cable for both sides, drive backward a bit.
Check the cable, whats it look like? Good? Whats the pedal doing, confirm its 100% released. It may have been rusty or sticky. Good? Okay, go to your adjuster, unhook the parking brake cable for both sides, drive backward a bit.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 5,217
Likes: 803
In a moment of gambling I pressed the emergency brake on my new to me 89 F250 tonight. It was the wrong gamble. I was able to get the passenger side to release with pliers. The driver side won't budge at all. After trying to release it I drove around the block. It dragged slightly and the wheel was warm to the touch so I used the pliers on it some more and tried it again. Warm again. I pulled into the garage to try to take the drum off but you may have guessed it doesn't want to come off with the shoes engaged. I tried loosening the shoes with the adjustment but loosening got harder and harder like it was being tightened. Long story short the brake is even more engaged now than when I started. I got the drum moved about a half inch by carefully prying but it started to sound expensive so I stopped. Any advice would be welcome. This is my first vehicle with drum brakes so I'm lost at this point.
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Thank you. The pedal released all the way and the cable released all the way back to where both rear cables start. One side will retract the other won't. Both rear cables are very rusty and I will replace them. I just had both rear drums turned last week and the shoes and hardware looks next to new. I'm pretty sure this is just an ebrake issue. But beyond that I'm stuck. Would driving in reverse release then it's I cut the cable to release it?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 5,217
Likes: 803
If its locked rn, you cant pull it off, put wheel on, back up and apply brakes Another thing you can do is put the wheel on, keep it jacked up, and see if you can work it rotationally with the wheel with that leverage, maybe try that first. sometimes they dont apply that hard. but the reason i said unhook brake line is there is 10psi ish residual pressure always on the hydraulics and you could have a hydraulic im not convinced its cable. im convinced its hardware + self eneergizing, possibly shoes are reversed. my truck drove over a week with primary and secondary shoe reversed. the auto adjuster also kinda slowly allowed it to over adjust and bam one day it just stuck. thank god in driveway.
also, theres an opening for a brake spoon to adjust your brakes have you tried that.
Im just not convinced its cable because you are not describing a cable thing. we need pics when you get far
Are your cables metal only or they have plastic sheath? if metal only, get your seafoam deep creep and start soaking that stuff. atf and paint thinner, etc.
also, theres an opening for a brake spoon to adjust your brakes have you tried that.
Im just not convinced its cable because you are not describing a cable thing. we need pics when you get far
Are your cables metal only or they have plastic sheath? if metal only, get your seafoam deep creep and start soaking that stuff. atf and paint thinner, etc.
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 554
Likes: 186
Every single time I've had e-brake issues on Fords with rear drums it's been the rear cables. Water gets inside them and the housings start rusting and swelling up. When you step on the pedal you're pulling the cables with huge force, enough to overcome the friction created by the rust swelling. When you release the only thing pulling the cables back is the spring against the lever in each drum, which ain't exactly comparable to what pulled the cables in the brakes-engaged position. So sometimes the forces of those springs ain't enough to overcome cable friction, add to that the self-energized behavior of drum brakes and hello locked up wheel.
I usually cut the cables close to where they enter the backing plates and give said backing plates a few whacks with a hammer and block of wood to jolt the mechanisms free. Then put all new cables in, making sure they're well lubricated (but not too well, you don't want them dripping oil on the inside surface of your drums).
I usually cut the cables close to where they enter the backing plates and give said backing plates a few whacks with a hammer and block of wood to jolt the mechanisms free. Then put all new cables in, making sure they're well lubricated (but not too well, you don't want them dripping oil on the inside surface of your drums).
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 5,217
Likes: 803
Every single time I've had e-brake issues on Fords with rear drums it's been the rear cables. Water gets inside them and the housings start rusting and swelling up. When you step on the pedal you're pulling the cables with huge force, enough to overcome the friction created by the rust swelling. When you release the only thing pulling the cables back is the spring against the lever in each drum, which ain't exactly comparable to what pulled the cables in the brakes-engaged position. So sometimes the forces of those springs ain't enough to overcome cable friction, add to that the self-energized behavior of drum brakes and hello locked up wheel.
I usually cut the cables close to where they enter the backing plates and give said backing plates a few whacks with a hammer and block of wood to jolt the mechanisms free. Then put all new cables in, making sure they're well lubricated (but not too well, you don't want them dripping oil on the inside surface of your drums).
I usually cut the cables close to where they enter the backing plates and give said backing plates a few whacks with a hammer and block of wood to jolt the mechanisms free. Then put all new cables in, making sure they're well lubricated (but not too well, you don't want them dripping oil on the inside surface of your drums).
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Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
I cut the cable about an inch from the backing plate then pulled the drum off with 2 pry bars. Lots of fun. Got it though. Put the hold down springs back on and was able to loosen everything. Thanks everyone.
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