Ebrake cable just broke? 9° outside. Now what?

[Jason B]

First thing that ever really broke on this truck. The E brake has no tension on it at all. I pulled it up, it seemed to grab, then nothing. No tension, like it's not connected to anything now. The rear brake are still on a bit and I had to drive home 10 miles like that.

What can I do or check? And how would I release the rear brake from being on?

Thanks!

 

[808islerunner]

I would assume the brakes would be off completely if the cable broke. I'm not sure how the cable is exactly set up, but maybe you could pull off the center console and see if the cable at the handle is the broken piece?

 

[St Runner]

Sounds like your bellcrank froze up in the on position. Spray them up and see if they will knock loose.

 

[thor999]

lol I can't remember my ebrake ever working

 

[Jason B]

Sounds like your bellcrank froze up in the on position. Spray them up and see if they will knock loose.

Where's that at?

 

[St Runner]

Behind the rear housing just outside the backing plate. You said your brakes were still grabbing so your cable is fine but something is not allowing it to release the tension. Usual culprit is the bell cranks. When you last drove it before it seized did you pull your emergency brake while it sat in 9 degree weather? Probably got wet and froze shut. I just took a picture of mine but its 85 here and I'm in surf shorts.

 

[Jason B]

Thanks. Yea I did that. It was 9° out, and I pulled the brake up for a second then let it go, but after I did that the handle had no tension. Like it's connected to nothing. I pulled it into the garage last night when I got home (garage is 45°) and haven't checked it yet today. You're saying to spray the bell crank? In hoping he cable isn't snapped.

 

[diverscale]

Thanks. Yea I did that. It was 9° out, and I pulled the brake up for a second then let it go, but after I did that the handle had no tension. Like it's connected to nothing. I pulled it into the garage last night when I got home (garage is 45°) and haven't checked it yet today. You're saying to spray the bell crank? In hoping he cable isn't snapped.

when the cable snaps, most of the time you will feel it and hear it, unlike what your description.

And for your future diagnosis, if needed, there are 2 different cables that can snap, the long one, from your handle to the bellcrank, and then the short one, inside the brake drum that connects the bellcrank to the shoe.

 

[Jason B]

Ok, I'm going to take a look in a bit and I'll post what I see. It's possible the cable broke, because I had the heat/defrost blasting on high and the blower was super loud. Unless when that cable breaks it sounds like a stick of dynamite.

 

[St Runner]

I dont think the cable broke. The reason there is no tension is that the bell cranks or possibly the shoes themselves are jammed and won't release and you feel the slack in the cable. I would not be surprised at all if you go out there and it works fine. But you will have to clean up the bell cranks sooner or later

 

[Jason B]

Ok. Got in the truck and you were right. I can also put it in neutral and it will more freely. So that's good at least.

But, the ebrake now has tension, so much you can't even pull it up now.


I haven't gotten under it yet but just clean and spray the bell cranks and it should get ebrake handle to now pull up?

 

[St Runner]

Its better if you take them off clean them up and grease them. I think there is a writeup somewhere. but spraying them and getting some spray lube in there won't hurt as a temp measure

 

[Jason B]

Ok, thanks again for the quick replies. I jacked it up, ran the propane heater to get garage up to 55° then sprayed the bell cranks and everything is back to normal. This truck is always garage kept, but I've learned my lesson to not touch that the e-brake when it's 9° outside sitting.

 

[mwm695]

The only reason mine works now is because they finally caught it for state inspection lol

It's been years since that thing worked haha

 

[Frank12]

Im in Canada, this winter is the first time my Ebrake been freezing, probs due to the different temps going up and down bu yours froze up at 9° while here this week in canada its -33°F so yeah i never put the ebrake during cold time now gotta wait for summer to fix the cable it sometimes unjams but when i forget i pulled it up it stays up, but a quick reverse + hardbraking usually will get them loose enough to not bother you or overheat the brakes.

 

[trovergraywilson]

This truck is always garage kept, but I've learned my lesson to not touch that the e-brake when it's 9° outside sitting.

Well now I'm interested (concerned). Made all sorts of faces reading this thread. :suspicious:

Drove a manual trans for years, one of the few things I wish the LTD trim still had available on 3rd-gens. In short, out of habit, I pull the e-brake every time I park. Made fun of for it but it's second-nature, esp after going to school in the mtns and street-parking for years. I've never had this problem - my girl was on a lift a couple of weeks ago and I checked the cables, both of which were fine. It was like 20 out. Was out West this weekend and left her parked on a hill, outside, for 2 days. -10 out. My old Rodeo and Pathfinder had similar cable/drum EB set-ups and it's never even been on my radar. Thoughts? Thanks in advance.