5 replies to this topic

[Philcooper]

Probably obvious but I am a novice. Rover Cooper 1991 haven't moved it in a little while I parked it up with Handbrake off! Try to move it and it seems as if rear brakes are stuck on! Any idea how to free them off and prevent it happening again?

Thankyou

[scrumpix]

jack the car up remove each rear wheel then hit the exposed drum with a club type hammer a few times then check to see if the wheel is free

[connorwmc]

Its worth checking you haven't left it in gear haha sounds silly but I bet we've all done it

[RedRuby]

If I am leaving mine for any length of time I leave the handbrake off and either in gear or choke the wheels. If in garage or on drive that's OK but obviously not if you have to park on the street.

[AVV IT]

Driving the car forward and back a little way will sometimes free the handbrake off, failing that a few sharp blows with a rubber mallet on the end of the handbrake arm (where it goes through the backplate of the drum) usually works. You could back the shoes off with the adjuster in order to then get the drum off, but I'd be really hesitant to do that on the grounds that if the handbrake is stuck on, then the chances are that adjuster mechanism will also be seized, meaning that you're likely to just round/shear the adjuster off.

As for preventing a reoccurrence, if the cars not in regular use, then either make sure that you take the time to apply and remove the handbrake occasionally, or leave the handbrake off and chock the wheels & leave it in gear instead. (As above, not if parked in the street though). Also make sure that your rear brakes are regularly serviced and that the adjuster/hand brake mechanisms are kept lubricated with copper grease. (Don't over lubricate and risk any contamination of the brake shoes though)

[Philcooper]

Thankyou all for the advice! :)