Emergency brake has rear brakes stuck.......Please help!

mattsclean90

New Member
May 3, 2007
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My coupe was in the garage for about 3 months when the motor was being built and the parking brake was on the whole time. Well now the rear brakes are stuck on all the time. I have tried soaking the cable with PB Blaster and that didn't do anything. Do I need to take the drums off and spray something down in there as well to fix this? I shouldn't need a new cable considering the brakes worked perfect before the car sat right? Of course they don't lock up when in reverse but within 5ft of going forward they lock on the rear all the way. I had to drive the car home with them like this and it really sucked. When I got home it smelled like the rear axle was on fire. What do I need to do guys? :shrug:
 
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Yeah I went about 100ft or so in reverse up my driveway trying to get it to unfreeze. It will lock back up within 10ft of moving forward. I tried working the e-brake handle up and down while moving both ways and it never helped it any. I'm about to go pull the rear drums off and soak the springs and the cables with PB Blaster real good. That's the only thing I know to try.......
 
If the brakes are locked, the odds are you will not be able to get the drums off. Most drums wear a lip that hangs the shoes when you try to remove the drum.

Remove the 2 bolts located at the back of the center console on each side. There is an oval plastic trim plug covering them. Lift up the snap in plate that holds the shifter boot in place. Then remove the two screws that hold the front of the center console in pace. Lift up on the center console and uncover the Ebrake handle mechanism. Now you have access to the Ebrake handle. Some inspection will reveal the ratchet pawl that keeps tension on the Ebrake cable. Pry it up on the pawl and the Ebrake cable will release tension.

If the rear drums are still locked: The brake backing plates have a small plug used to access the self adjuster mechanism. Remove it and you can see the star wheel adjuster. You need to stick a screwdriver in the hole to lift the ratchet arm off the star wheel and another screwdriver to turn the starwheel. The ratchet arm prevents the starwheel from being turned in a reverse direction and loosening the brakes.

Typical setup
DBrakes01.jpg


DBrakes02.jpg


See http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoRearDrums1.htm for more help.

It is amazing what a Google search will find!
 
I ended up jacking the car up and soaking the cable end at the drum with PB Blaster and working the cable some while tapping the drum with a hammer. They eventually freed up. I backed the adjuster nut off some and now they turn smoothly. I drove the car for a while yesterday and the brakes are now working perfectly. I'm still going to buy a new set of rear brake shoes and change them out and put a new cable on each side just to make sure it never happens again.