E-Brake

[dybbuk]

Hey guys, havent been around in a while. Can't afford to do anything to the car, but, here's my problem....Me and the gf use the parking brake 95% of the time. Now that it's gotten cold the goddamned thing seized on me tonight. Is this a warranty issue? It's only happened since it got cold. Should I be calling roadside and tearing a strip off of somebody or wtf? I'm PISSED. I pulled out of my driveway and got stuck on a little patch of ice for twenty minutes and the brake still wouldnt let go, just cooked. :mad:

[Yaris Hilton]

If I pull up too hard on mine, it often catches at the top and is really difficult to get released. I've learned not to yank it that hard. I'll bet it gets to be more frequent as the brake wears and the cable needs readjusting.

[bronsin]

I make it a habit NOT to use the parking brake except when really necessary. (which in flat NJ is never) For one thing in winter your asking for the cables to freeze up if water gets into them. Car wont move and the only cure is a heated garage the car will have to be towed to. For another everybody FORGETS to take the PB off thus wearing out the rear brake shoes prematurely. No parking brake for me!

[Yaris Hilton]

It's been 20+ years since I left a parking brake on. Becomes obvious pretty quickly, anyway. The freezing cables point is well taken.

Has anyone studied the Yaris shop manual regarding how the rear drums are adjusted? One way it's often done is by applying the brakes while the car is moving rearward. Another way is that they're adjusted when the parking brake is applied. If it's set up that way and you don't use the parking brake, the drum shoes will get out of adjustment. (I've known people who never backed up and got their brakes out of adjustment, too.)

[bronsin]

Hmm. I'll look into that! Perhaps I should have said "I" forget to replease the parking brake. On the other hand as a car mechanic I did notice how one brake shoe (the one the parking brake uses) always had half the material of the non parking brake shoe!
According to the service manual for my ECHO, you adjust the rear brakes after installing new shoes by depressing the service brake pedal several times. Thats the ECHO but Id bet the Yaris is similiar.

[Yaris Hilton]

I didn't know the parking brake only worked on one drum. I'm used to cars with it setting both rear brakes. Or on my old Volvo with rear discs, it had a separate drum on the driveshaft for the parking brake.

[bronsin]

No it works on both drums. But usually only the leading shoe is pulled into position by the pb lever. So one shoe often looks shot while the other has like half or more material left. Yeah my wifes VW Fox had the drum within the disc pb too I think. Crazy!

[Yaris Hilton]

Oh, I see what you mean.

[PhilD424]

If you never use the parking brake your rear drums are going to go out of alignment. It should be a habit to use the parking brake every time except in extreme cold weather. And yes, backing up does help to keep them adjusted so your parking brake lever doesn't go up to far. If you work on your own car, about every oil change its a good idea to get at the drums and adjust them up by turning the adjusting wheel on the drum. Its also good to clean the drum with brake cleaner to get gunk and dirt out of it. You shouldn't have to mess with the cable unless it rots out and breaks and needs to be replaced which doesn't happen often.

[b_hickman11]

If you never use the parking brake your rear drums are going to go out of alignment. It should be a habit to use the parking brake every time except in extreme cold weather. And yes, backing up does help to keep them adjusted so your parking brake lever doesn't go up to far. If you work on your own car, about every oil change its a good idea to get at the drums and adjust them up by turning the adjusting wheel on the drum. Its also good to clean the drum with brake cleaner to get gunk and dirt out of it. You shouldn't have to mess with the cable unless it rots out and breaks and needs to be replaced which doesn't happen often.

I'm assuming you are only talking about the MT?

[127.0.0.1]

the parking brake pivots are what usually seizes. remove wheel remove drum bash the stuck parts grease with brake-rated grease (doesn't catch fire) reinstall done and done

[1stToyota]

It's a good idea for an auto also. No need to let the car roll until the slack is taken up by the driveline.