Common e-brake problem help.

[fastivaca]

One common issue we have with our cars is that the e-brake stops working. The most common cause of this is the e-brake lever seizing up. Solutions have been described well many times but I thought a photo might help.

This is the passenger side e-brake lever from an Aspire. The Festiva one is similar and the driver's side version is a mirror image. The only part of the lever that can be seen without taking anything apart is where the clevis pin attaches. Everything below the black line in the photo is inside the brake assembly. Sometimes the clevis pin will seize into the lever and cause problems but most of the time it's the hinge point inside the brake assembly that does so.



I've found the best way to remedy the problem is to remove the lever, which requires disassembling the brakes, and soaking the siezed joint in a product such as PB Blaster or ReleaseAll. While it's soaking work the joint back and forth, which may require some persuasion. Once it's loose, clean the area as best as you can with a stiff brush. When that's done I use brake grease and work it into the joint and then reinstall.

I hope this proves helpful.

[Bert]

Excellent post and lovely photograph. Worthy of a search engine 'sticky'.
Mine are annually stiff/seized/frozen at the location of that big pin and the item has to be secured in a vise and beaten loose back and forth with a big hammer and penetrating fluid. Trouble with having 3 moving Festys and having done Aspire swaps is I see this problem every time a brake drum comes off. I suspect that garages and brake shops don't routinely address/notice this problem. Unstuck pivot sure improves the E-brake function though.

[WmWatt]

Nice photo. I had to put mine in a vise, apply penetrant (WD-40, Liquid Wrench, etc.), and hit it with a hammer every day for a week. If finally started to move. Best preventative is to use the parking brake - use it or lose it. If it doesn't work and the brakes fail - good luck.

[DrMaxwellEdison]

WmWatt ^^^ I lost a clutch and 1-2-3 gears that way in a car my parents had before I got my festiva...

[nitrofarm]

Nice pic.Good job.Sticky it Mod.

[Pgh5spd]

Yep, vise, PB Blaster, and lubing afterward is my approach too. Vise is usually only necessary if I've never had that particular wheel apart before.

Someone with the ability to replace the steel pivot with a brass one plus insert a teflon or nylon spacer between the two halves that usually seize could have a nice little cottage industry doing those on an exchange basis, that ought to alleviate the need for all the above.

[Utahskibum99]

sup ya'll. Just bought a '93 festiva and while most things on the car work flawlessly I do have a problem with the e-brake. doesn't engage whatsoever. The lever isn't frozen and it still makes the clicking noise when I engage it. Could this fix help me at all? Or is it an issue with the cable? Things are pretty rusty under the car so maybe the cable is rusted in place. Anywho any input is appreciated. Also sorry if this isn't posted in the right place, new to this whole forum business.

[TominMO]

Hi skibum, welcome to the forum.

The lever won't be frozen since it's inside the car and never sees any corrosion. You're gonna hafta get under there and see what's what. With the parking brake on, wiggle both cables just in front of where they attach to the arm that goes into the brake backing plate. Then take the parking brake off (blocking the wheels so the car doesn't roll!) and check those two cables again. If there's no difference on one side or the other, then that side is seized inside the backing plate area (see pic in post #1). It's possible that the clevis pin that attaches the cable to the arm is seized too, so check that out as well.

As a temporary "fix", you can hit the little arm that goes into the backing plate with a hammer or somehing, so that it releases. Then at least your brakes won't be dragging. But you will have to park in gear and not use the parking brake until you fix it properly.

I did a writeup on this for a permanent fix. Let me try to find it.
Edit: here it is

[Fordverde]

I used this: http://www.loctite.co.uk/loctite-408...=8802629058561 once a year and no problems. May be its time to buy new ones from fourgreen.... 20+ year piece may .....

[TominMO]

I used this: http://www.loctite.co.uk/loctite-408...=8802629058561 once a year and no problems. May be its time to buy new ones from fourgreen.... 20+ year piece may .....

Loctite, grease, anything you can get in there to keep the metal parts from contacting each other. But my fix is permanent, no need to treat it annually.

[WmWatt]

Use it or loose it. Keeping it active prohibits rust, like railway tracks.

[ajbcc2]

i have an 1989 the rear brake mechanism is not frozen, shoes are like new...brand new brake drums and it still with the ebrake applied the car will still move under power...while rolling it will only slow you down eventually not stop you...its adjusted up to where the handle cannot pull up any more...when trying to move in reverse with it on the car raises up some so i know the shoes are hitting the drums but got me wondering..now what...

[Movin]

Notch 8 !!

[WmWatt]

Does the cable feel slack? With the hand brake on full can you pull the cable tight by hand under the car, or with a lever? I'm thinkng stretched cable?

[Movin]

Everything is new except the adjusters? Can you adjust the rear shoes by hand ? The shoes have to be adjusted right before the cable can be deemed stretched to much or adjusted.

Notch 8 was for WymWatt...