[Ruin]

I’m having a fairly odd problem here.

A few weeks ago I had my ’69 Vert towed to the house, and put her in the drive-way while I cleaned out the garage. I now, finally, have it cleaned and have plenty of space for her. When she was towed, she wasn’t run (duh), was simply popped in neutral (I have a 4 speed manual), pulled on to the tow truck, then rolled off and parked. I put the parking/emergency brake on (as I did when she was in the storage unit) and she’s just sat covered in the driveway until now. Now, I’m leaving town for a week in the AM and I want to roll her in the garage, but can’t. I put her in neutral, and push (with help) with no avail. The body just rocks back and forth and the wheels don’t move (if they do, it’s very little, but there’s no rolling). I’ve completely torn apart the parking/emergency brake lever in the console and have unhooked the cable, it’s – dare I say – limp. Again, a push equals no success.

I appreciate any advice you guys have as to how to solve this odd problem. I can’t seem the find the place on the parking/emergency brake cable where it holds tight and clamped down (like I would find on my old Ford Bronco II – that was fixed with a squeeze of the pliers). I have found where the two rear cables meet underneath the car, but that’s completely loose.

I’m at a loss. The sooner the better, but if need be she can – although I really don’t want her to, with that nice new coat of paint – sit covered in the driveway some more.

Thanks all!
Ruin

 

[big2bird]

Put a floor jack under the diff, and roll it in.

 

[1Fine06vette]

Im not really sure what kind of back brakes you have, but if you have drums in the back then most likely they are frozen up. This normally happens when you leave the parking brake on drum brakes for a extended period of time. I would take the back wheels off and if you feel comfortable with it, hit the drum with a hammer a few times to break them free. This is the only way i know how to get the brakes to un-freeze, but there may be othere ways,hopefully someone else will chime in here soon, but if i was a bettin man thatd be my bet

 

[JPhil]

I'll throw out a couple ideas-
Jack up the rear wheels and see if they will turn back & forth. Perhaps the e-brake shoes or linkage got jammed. Or a shift linkage moved and it's locked in two gears.
Carefully--carefully, with a rag ready, release the brake master cylinder cap to see if for some strange reason, the brakes have pressured up. But be wary, if they have, fluid will spew. I know that sounds really far fetched, but I've had it happen on a motorcycle.
Try manually working the e-brake lever at the rotor itself.
And be careful pushing the car if you're alone---I gave myself a hernia last year doing that....

 

[Ruin]

Hmmn, might give me an excuse to buy a floor jack... problem is, she's on gravel right now.


Does the e-brake only connect to the rear brakes? I'm rather low on time to yank the wheels, hit the brakes, and put them back on - gotta go to work.


Thanks guys for the quick replies, fantastic. I'm going to keep working on it in the mean time.

 

[1Fine06vette]

E brake is only connected to the rear wheels

 

[SIXFOOTER]

E Brake is rear only. Like said above, see if it is in 2 gears, look at the arms on the linkage on the tranny, both should be verticle if it is in neutral. See if you can walk the shifter thru the gears, you may have to rock the car fwd and back to get it unstuck. If thats not it, it has to be ebrake, look at the cable under the car that goes to both wheels, make sure its free. Still stuck? remove a wheel and adjust the ebrake to colapse it inside the drum. Give it a real good sqquirt of PB Blaster to see if it will release.

 

[snipcod]

I had this problem with my Camaro. All I did was rock it back and forth until the ebreak was lose enough to move. It was a real bitch though

 

[Ruin]

Okay, the rear disc brakes are frozen.

Suggestions?

 

[JPhil]

Ooh--Just thought of another one I've seen before---Check for a forgotten tiedown strap wrapped around an axle or otherwise jamming the wheels!!!

 

[Ruin]

Definitely not that. Thanks though.

 

[crimsonwake]

Gonna have to pull off the rotors. E brakes can seize up if they're applied for long periods. I only use mine if I have start my Vette on a hill or incline.

 

[SIXFOOTER]

Okay, the rear disc brakes are frozen.

Suggestions?

you know this for fact? if so just crack the bleeders on the rear and give it a push.
The ebrake is not disk related, it is a shoe in drum brake inside the "HAT" portion of the rotor

 

[big2bird]

you know this for fact? if so just crack the bleeders on the rear and give it a push.
The ebrake is not disk related, it is a shoe in drum brake inside the "HAT" portion of the rotor

:agree:

 

[TwinTurbo]

I would be surprised if it's the calieprs that locked up, most likely the parking brake shoes.
Crawl under the rear of the car and locate the tab where the parking brake cable hooks onto (a small metal ball on the end of the cable hooks behind it). It's on the inside top of the hub. Take a chisel and tap the hook/lever back to the rear of the car. The mechanism behind this thing is usually the culprit, the simple pivot (a rivet) seizes up due to rusting and the 2 metal pieces run tightl against each other. When you tap it back the shoes will be free to snap back (spring loaded)

Here's a pic of a parking brake mechanism, may help to figure out how to undo it.

 

[mrvette]

IMO, TT about nailed it....you need a Stainless Steel brake kit but NOT THE SHOES...for some damn stupid reason stainless SHOES tend to screw up and are NOT recommended, but the hardware KIT is....go figger, but that's my advice....

nothing new, these brakes are a problem area because they are only 5" diameter or so....and can't hold **** on a hill, just barely on a good day pass some state inspections....

 

[Ruin]

you know this for fact? if so just crack the bleeders on the rear and give it a push.
The ebrake is not disk related, it is a shoe in drum brake inside the "HAT" portion of the rotor

This did the trick. I went to unhook the brake lines, but ended up stripping the bolts. Rounded them out, so I, unfortunately, had to just cut the line. I figure it's an easy replacement and I plan on replacing the braking system anyway.


I appreciate everyone's fast and great advice! Sorry I didn't reply earlier, had to run off to work.

Thanks again,
I love these forums.

 

[crimsonwake]

Glad to hear it!

 

[big2bird]

This did the trick. I went to unhook the brake lines, but ended up stripping the bolts. Rounded them out, so I, unfortunately, had to just cut the line. I figure it's an easy replacement and I plan on replacing the braking system anyway.


I appreciate everyone's fast and great advice! Sorry I didn't reply earlier, had to run off to work.

Thanks again,
I love these forums.

No biggie. The hose was bad anyhow. That's why the brakes would not release.

 

[Ruin]

Good. Now... time to start a new thread on brakes.