Just bought a 92 with a serious brake problem!! HELP!!

[raptor125]

I just got in last night with a 92 Explorer and I seemed to drive okay. Everything was okay until I parked it. I tried to use the Parking Brake and it seemed a little tight. So I pushed it on and let it off serveral times and it seemed to help it. Well this morning I went out to try to move it, and the drivers side tire will not move when I am in any forward gears. I don't know what is wrong. It will turn when in reverse, but not in any other gear. So I can drive it, but with one tire just locked up and skidding away. What the heck happened? The brake mess up or what? I tried to take the Drum apart in the back and I can't get it apart!!! How do you fix this thing?

 

[Creager]

Are you trying to say the parking brake is stuck?

Pull the release really hard, not like rip it out or anything but give it a strong tugg. Keep trying it, maybe the cable is just stuck.

If that parking brake is on i dont think your gonna be able to get that drum off of there. Try hitting the drum a little bit with a Ball pein hammer, that might free it up

 

[410Fortune]

Sounds like your parking brake is stuck.
This is not a "serious" brake problem, but it is a problem none the less. Serious would be no brakes hahaha

Okay take a look at the cables, make sure they are working freely, when you push the E brake to the floor, the cables tighten.
See where they attach to the back of the drum? is the lever moving when the cable is tight/loose? I am guessing no.
You cannot get the drum off without first loosening the parking brake, you will have to use the adjuster (star wheel) to try and back the drum off and also get that parking lever to move....(hammer?)

 

[raptor125]

I guess I am saying the parking brake is stuck. It will release on the passenger side, but not the drivers side. But even if it wasn't all the way released, then why would the tire move in reverse and not in any forward gears?? Strange. I have put the brake on multiply times and released and it didn't help anything.

 

[Creager]

get a pretty good sized hammer and tap around on the drum, avoid hitting the wheel cylinder since i dont know what kinda damage shock from a hammer would cause to the brake componets back there.

 

[raptor125]

Well I tried the hammer thing on the hub, and no go. I don't konw what to do with it. I can't drive it anywhere. I sure the heck ain't going to drive it backwards. That is the only way the tire will go. I just don't understand it. If the tire can spin in reverse, why not in drive?

 

[410Fortune]

because the E brake is stuck.
You need to get it unstuck or you are not going anywhere. Hammering on the hub will do nothing. take the wheel off, and look at it, pushing the pedal is not going to get you anywhere.

Your other option is to have it towed to someplace where they will fix the E brake.

 

[Creager]

once you get the wheel off you can try and tug/HitItWithAHammer/Spray WD-40 on E-Brake-Cable, something will make it come unstuck...

 

[SilverSL500]

If the tire can spin in reverse, why not in drive?

Because thats how an ebrake with shoes works. They always go in reverse, and is one reason why they're useless for parking.

 

[snoborder42]

This has happened to my 92 also, but it wasnt as bad. What i did is put it in neutral and rock the explorer forward and backwards.

 

[410Fortune]

You can try driving up to a good speed in reverse then slamming the brakes, the rear drums and parking brake are self adjusting, this is how you adjust them, it might work.