Parking Brake & Rotor

[sls33]

1997 Ford Explorer. I recently replaced the rear parking brake shoes, rear brake pads, and rear rotors. The parking brake has never really worked. When I replaced everything I had a hard time getting the rotors back on, but eventually got them on, although it was VERY tight putting the rotors over the new parking brake assembly.

Now, when the truck is in drive, the brakes smell as if they're burning almost as if the parking brake is rubbing to close to the inside of the rotors. Even weirder is that after replacing the above, the parking brake still doesn't work (when the parking brake is depressed and the truck is put in drive, the truck still moves??).

Does anyone have any ideas what could be the problem? Also, I'm sure the rotor will be a pain to remove, so outside of beating the thing to death, any good ideas about how to remove it?

Thanks!

 

[chrisis]

the rear rotors has 2 uses.the disc for the brakes and the inside of the rotor the parking brake which works like a drum.

before you put the rotor back you should make sure that the rotor goes inside without touching the pads for the parking brake.you can adjust the parking brake pads by a screw which is between the 2 shoes.

the smell is coming from the parking brake pads touching the inside the rotor.you need to take it appart and adjust the parking brake pads soon before you destroy the rotors

 

[Homerexplorer]

did you shorten the adjuster screw to it's shortest length before putting it back toegther? If not, that would explain why the brakes are rubbing. You must have had a time putting the rotor on? Check the attached link for how to adjust them.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1493012#post1493012

Like you've found out, the e-brake isn't great

 

[ma96782]

IMHO..........Break dragging........

Perhaps:

Bad adjustment.......drum self adj "screw" (pointed out above).........or cable for parking brake (incorrectly adj).

Worn return springs (drum brakes usually have them.....heat can kill them......don't exactly KNOW if your veh. has them (parking brake system), I don't own one of the same year)

Master cyl.....could be over centered.....piston rod goes in and out sometimes it will "stick-over centered" thus, applying more pressure to frt or rear......and breaks drag. I'd suspect this, lastly.

Just my .02.

Aloha, Mark

 

[mwking]

Also don't forget to check the actuating levers. They are in two pieces, the shoes hook into them at the top and a hook on one sticks out through the backing plate where the cable attaches to it. On my explorer I had the parking brakes adjusted and they still didn't work. The two pieces of the levers were rusted to each other, after I got them apart and lubed them the parking brakes were fine.