Parking Break Screaming

**Smkn_TA** · 05-23-2010, 09:29 AM

Stupid parking brake stayed on after I used it. Barley dragging...but still sucks ass. Anyone else have this problem? How do you unstick it anyways? Looks like just putting it in gear from now on. I have no interest in replacing cable which no doubt has rusted inside hence it sticking.

**cammed goat** · 05-23-2010, 09:33 AM

Have you tried using WD40 or some slilicone spray on the cable underneath?

**pajeff02** · 05-23-2010, 09:54 AM

^^ Agreed. Pull the wheel for access and unhook your parking brake cable at the rear backing plate. Get out the WD-40, or whatever spray lubricant, and a pair of pliers. Have a friend pull your e-brake handle and when he releases it, you pull on your end with the pliers. Get it going back and forth as you lube it and it'll probably free up. Make sure you do both sides.

**Smkn_TA** · 05-26-2010, 04:45 PM

So, I figured it was my parking brake because it was screeching while the car was in motion at all. And it occured when the car sat over night in parking garage with parking brake on. Well I jacked car up today(it's been sitting since I came home saturday) and found out only the driver side rear squeeled. I pulled wheel off and couldn't see parking brake cable very good to d/c it. So I pulled caliper and removed the rotor. Pads looked good, it was fully disengaged. Then the back side of the rotor caught the corner of my eye. Immidietly I pulled the caliper up for closer inspection. Yeah...pad was gone all the way past the plate into the rivets. Yikes. Other pad still had 1/16 of an inch of pad left on that caliper. Grr...gonna replace both rotors and all the pads in the back tommorrow. Could have ended nastily.

**pajeff02** · 05-26-2010, 05:34 PM

Make sure to clean and re-lube your pins with synthetic caliper grease.

**Smkn_TA** · 05-26-2010, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

Make sure to clean and re-lube your pins with synthetic caliper grease.

Yeah I decided not to do that on my bro's car when I replaced pads and the caliper squeeked, had to take it apart and do it right. This time I'll do it right the first time. Btw, is it normal for the pad that the piston pushes against to wear faster? Floating my ass!!

**pajeff02** · 05-27-2010, 04:11 AM

Originally Posted by Smkn_TA

Yeah I decided not to do that on my bro's car when I replaced pads and the caliper squeeked, had to take it apart and do it right. This time I'll do it right the first time. Btw, is it normal for the pad that the piston pushes against to wear faster? Floating my ass!!

Brakes do odd things sometimes... if the pins were free it should wear about evenly on both pads.

**Smittro** · 05-27-2010, 05:47 AM

There is also a cable greasing tool that can be baught @ motor cycle shops. It clamps to the end of the outer cable covering and has a grease fitting. You can then pump grease into the cable..

**Smittro** · 05-27-2010, 05:51 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

Make sure to clean and re-lube your pins with synthetic caliper grease.

Originally Posted by Smkn_TA

Yeah I decided not to do that on my bro's car when I replaced pads and the caliper squeeked, had to take it apart and do it right. This time I'll do it right the first time. Btw, is it normal for the pad that the piston pushes against to wear faster? Floating my ass!!

Plain high temp grease works well too. Rear rotors are pretty cheap if going stock..

I replace all 4 rotors everytime I do pads..

**Smittro** · 05-27-2010, 05:56 AM

Originally Posted by Smittro

There is also a cable greasing tool that can be baught @ motor cycle shops. It clamps to the end of the outer cable covering and has a grease fitting. You can then pump grease into the cable..

Got tired of fighting with the rear parking brake lever and cable on w-body rear disk brakes..

**Smkn_TA** · 05-27-2010, 12:42 PM

What a pita! Rotors were like welded on. Took a torch, pb plaster, and a BFH to get them off. Replaced all the clips in each as well since they were shit. 142 bucks for pads and rotors. One pin was dry as the boot had cracked, so replaced that. Cleaned, and greased everything nicley. Works like a charm now. Hope the torque setting wasn't really that important. 74lbs for the bracket to frame bolts. And my bigger torque wrench wouldn't fit in there to get on it. So I just guessed. lulz.

I have a friend who worked for ford, doesn't any more. He said they had some speedy service they offered, forget wtf he called it. Drivethrough, pitstop, some catchy name like that. Anyways, for brake pad replacement all they did was take caliper off, pop new pads in, and call it good. No resurfacing or changing rotors. No taking guide pins out and making sure they are good. Nadda. 100 bucks for the service and they did it in five minutes.