Rear Brakes are siezed?

[Zeeknof]

Anyone know a trick to getting the rear brakes free? I loosened the cable and pounded on the drums to try to free them up but they are still acting like the handbrake is fully engaged all the time...any help would be appreciated, thanks

Shaun

[Tim]

I had the exact same problem. In fact, the hand brake cable snapped.

Since the whole brake assembly was pretty much rusted solid, I went to the junkyard and picked up some rust-free brakes for $20 a pop. As an added bonus they had almost new shoes on them!

Replacing the rear brakes is very simple. It was one of the first things I did to my Festiva when I bought it, and I had no previous experience with cars.

One thing to remember about the spindle nut on one of the back wheels (can't remember which side) - its threads are backwards. I learned this the hard way

Try WD-40 to loosed the actuators.


Regards,

Tim

[Safety Guy]

Yep, it's the right side spindle nut that is reverse threaded.

I just checked my manual and it confirmed that.

Huh, two different types of attaching nuts are used:

Type 1 is a single use nut that needs to be staked (like the front wheel nuts) and discarded when it is taken off.

Type 2 is a nut with retainer cap and cotter pin.

I take it that not all attaching nuts are reverse threaded. Only the ones that don't use the cotter pin, if I'm reading it right. My '89L had the Type 1. I think my '93GL also has that one, but I could be wrong.

Karl

[Tim]

Mine ('89 L) are the type you discard.

But my mechanic reused the nuts - he just re-staked them with a hammer and chisel...


Regards,

Tim

[skeeters_keeper]

yea, its on the back right that its reverse threaded.

... you don't even want to see the rear nuts on mine. we've re-staked them a few times, and they had been restaked a few times before us also :roll: