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Morning,
Not moved my car for a couple of weeks so when setting of this morning the inside-left wheel was locked on. No problem of course, forward, reverse, forward, reverse and it popped off. Drove 3 miles down the road and came to a stop at some lights, put the handbrake and waited for green. Upon taking the handbrake off, the same wheel was locked on again and no forward/reverse would free it. Oddly, it seemed to move backwards ok but not forwards.
Abandoned the car and got a lift.
Will try and move it again after work, but any bright ideas on how to free the wheel? Seems odd for it to lock up again after being driven for 3 miles.
Thanks.
Rear wheel? Drum brakes have a pivot at one end* of the pads, I'd guess that the pivot aligns to forward, and either your brake cable or another part of the brake is not releasing and the brake binds as you push against it.
Service!
*when you look at it from the side
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Here, if turning clockwise, the right hand pad may bind if dragging.
If its a drum brake you need a drum brake release tool*.
Chock wheels first if its on a slope though or you'll find yourself shuffling down the road trying not to get run over by your own car.
Ask me how I know.
*a 'ammer
Drum brakes?
Do you drive a 1974 Land Rover?
Cougar, that's not very nice :/
A great many new small cars still have drum brakes.
Plenty cars have a parking drum?
Yes, sorry, drum brakes on the rear. Mitsubishi Colt.
Self servo action is what's causing your problem, moving the car forwards 'pulls' the brakes on harder (why drum brake shoes are mounted in different places on the steel backing material) and why it will go backwards okay.
However, if it is properly locked/jammed on, your 'rocking' of the car to release this morning may have caused the friction material to come off the steel backing shoe and jammed it all up. This may mean strip down to remove the broken bits and replace...
Not wanting to sound like the bearer of bad news but if it was locked on this morning I'll be a little surprised if it has magically freed off by this afternoon.
If you're going to leave your car somewhere for an extended period of time (2 weeks+), when you park it up, put it in gear and leave the handbrake off. Should prevent it from seizing on.
I suspect that the lining has come loose from your brake shoe.
This then jams against the other brake shoe, locking up the brake.
You will need to remove the drum to remove the broken lining and fit new shoes.
This is a LOT easier if the drum is turning, if it is jammed it is a right ball-ache.
So,if it won't go forward you are looking at contacting your breakdown organisation.
Mike (Roadside Patrol for a certain well known yellow motoring organisation)