e-brake
 

My emergency brake on my car just went out so it doesn't hold and i need to replace them but i was wondering first if there hard to replace and second how much they usually cost. Thanks.

TKY2K

ahhhh I gotta ask....can you or do you still drive your car? you see....your emergency break is NOT a seperate break....it actually uses the REAR BRAKES of your car....if you have DRUM breaks on the back it uses just one of the two shoes in each drum...but they are CABLE operated.....

SO, if all of a sudden your Ebrake no longer ingages....probably a cable just popped. not sure how much one is...or even how hard a new one is to replace.

Check your brake pads in the back (if disk)......they might be worn out and that's why your e-brake does not function properly....
does the car still stop a little or is it when you pull the e-brake there is no response whatsoever ???

There drum brakes and i didn't realize that it just used one pad, but most of the problem is it locks up if it sits to long with the e-brake on so i've just been putting it in gear instead of using the e-brake. So i guess it doesn't seem like they need to be replaced so that will save me some money. Thanks

YEP...they just use ONE of the brake shoes....and the cable is hooked up so that just like the wheels cylinders ...the shoe is pulled at ONE end and it pivots on the other....ever notice how if you forget to let off your ebrake you can still back up..but it grabs when you try to go forward? that is because the drum will rotate TOWARDS the shoe but NOT away from it.... :{D

i see it makes sense so what would be causing it to stick when i leave it on for a long period of time and what causes it not to hold as well as it had been???

could be very worn shoes.....if when the breaks are applied that the angle between the shoe and the drum is quite high now...that the shoe is worn...and just like you can rotate the drum TOWARDS the shoe and it will allow it to turn...if it rotates AWAY from it it makes it grab harder...so if you been parking with your nose DOWN hills which is how you SHOULD park on a hill...the weight of the car helps lock the shoe to the drum. it will do this on ANY incline....and as mentioned earlier...if the angle is getting high due to ware....well....they just don't realease like they use to!

so would u suggest replacing them or just rotating them??

ahhhhh you don't rotate brake shoes....you replace them in pairs.
and you whould look at the condition of the drums while you are there....

tell ya what....go to a parts house...have the guy show you the brake shoes for YOUR car....that way you will KNOW what new ones look like...as in how thick they are new....then compare to yours.....at least that will give you a good idea how worn they really are.

also .... it could be that your drums are worn.....there is a spec for those too...as in a MAX diameter....I don't know what it is...but I am sure if you have a decent machine shop that does that sort of work ...they can look it up and tell you....that is if you have any way of measureing it. Just something else to check.

alright i'll do that and thanks for all of your help

anytime...its why we are here....to educate the masses...and to have some fun along the way. :{D