B-3000 (brakes locking)
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2006
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B-3000 (brakes locking)
i pulled over to help a girl who i thought was stuck in some snow so i pulled over to help her. it turns out one of her rear brakes was locking up and she couldnt pull forward but she could backup. she had just pulled out of a parking spot where she had the e-brake on. so im guessing its frozen or jamed. (its about -17C here). how would i go about fixing this? its a newer B-3000 2x4
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 963
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From: wichita kansas
About the only way I can think of is getting some kind of heat on it. The safest way is with a hair dryer. Might not be much help though if you can't get electricity to it or get inside. I had that happen to me years ago on a D50. Haven't used the Ebrake since then. If you don't use the Ebrake it can also lock up from lack of use when you do decide to.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: wichita kansas
Off hand I don't know how cold -17C is, but I do know that a hairdryer will work to thaw out a frozen gas line and I have used a hairdryer to help remove heavy ice off the windows of a van. I would rather use it that a torch. These hairdryers will get pretty warm.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 943
Likes: 2
From: Randolph, NJ
-17degC = 1.4degF. I guess it's not that cold.
I could see on a gas line, since there is a smaller amount of metal involved, but I'm just skeptical on it working while aiming at a brake drum. Just seems like too big of a sink for the heat from the dryer. Maybe if he aims it in the service hole on the back plate of the brake assembly to fill up the cavity with hot air it could melt any possible ice. I agree, I'd also be hesitant about using a torch. Too much heat in one spot.
When I've had what I thought was a stuck ebrake, I usually didn't notice it until I pulled forward and heard the loud thunk as it unstuck itself.
-Jim
I could see on a gas line, since there is a smaller amount of metal involved, but I'm just skeptical on it working while aiming at a brake drum. Just seems like too big of a sink for the heat from the dryer. Maybe if he aims it in the service hole on the back plate of the brake assembly to fill up the cavity with hot air it could melt any possible ice. I agree, I'd also be hesitant about using a torch. Too much heat in one spot.
When I've had what I thought was a stuck ebrake, I usually didn't notice it until I pulled forward and heard the loud thunk as it unstuck itself.
-Jim
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,851
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From: SW Va
A hair dryer on the high setting, might take a while to warm things up, a heat gun would likely put out enough wattage to do it faster, but watch out for rubber things, as it can put out enough heat to melt metal, if held in one place long enough.
May be the "E" brake cable is frozen up, if it got wet, or slushey.
If you can't get electric power for a heat source, then use your exhaust pipe to warm up the area!!!! ANY port in a storm!!!! lol
I had the "E" brake freeze up on me once on a 53 Ford hardtop. I knew not to set the brakes when wet & cold, but just forgot.
Rocking it back & forth finally broke it loose, I never set them again when it was cold & wet!!!!! lol
May be the "E" brake cable is frozen up, if it got wet, or slushey.
If you can't get electric power for a heat source, then use your exhaust pipe to warm up the area!!!! ANY port in a storm!!!! lol
I had the "E" brake freeze up on me once on a 53 Ford hardtop. I knew not to set the brakes when wet & cold, but just forgot.
Rocking it back & forth finally broke it loose, I never set them again when it was cold & wet!!!!! lol
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 871
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Make sure the brake is released.. then pull the truck forward and back forward and back... if it doesn't pop loose then... smack the cable at the backing plate with a hammer.. this will almost always break it loose.
Good luck
Good luck
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,940
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From: Eastern WA
Ya know, you can crawl under there sometimes and grab the ebrake cables, yank on them a bit, and if you get lucky free it.
*Most people who use their ebrake in below zero weather, have an ebrake freeze and have to deal with it learn to never do it again.
*Most people who use their ebrake in below zero weather, have an ebrake freeze and have to deal with it learn to never do it again.