[s-cars] parking brake frozen

[JC]

Doug -

Pauls BFH can work but my preferred emergency-loosen technique (used across
several Audi generations...) is using a massive jumbo-size flatblade
screwdriver.  The blade wedges nicely into the trapezoidal hole in the cam
that one end of the spring goes into. (aka the springazinta) I can reach
back with wheels on the car, car on the ground, without too much rolling on
in the dirt and rotate the cam out usually enough to release the brake and
get by.

Locked Audi brakes are a multi-failure-mode situation and you have to assess
which if not all have gone bad (perhaps one of worst items of engineering on
the car).

All of the following are common failures, don't let anybody tell you only
one of these things goes wrong, cause it's often several of 'em (and that's
why so many guys scratch their heads and say "gee I replaced the cables and
lubed the pins but it's locked up again 2 months later!"):
- Rusted/frozen cables (you know...)
- Rusted/frozen carrier pin (those 2 bolt/pins the caliper rides on -
visible under little gaskets - servicing can work, as does full replacement)
- Rusted/frozen cam (can be disassembled cleaned and serviced on bench...
instructions on 'net)
- Rusted/partially-jammed-but-not-entirely-seized piston (visible under
rubber gasket - time for rebuilds or new...)


> -----Original Message-----
> From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of
> pkrasusky at ups.com
>
> Peek head under, reach in, smack the silver 'cam' lobe on
> each lower inner caliper with a notso BFH.  Shoot the fulcrum
> / contact areas with some douchelube.  Try not to use on
> these 10* a.m.'s in the NE.
>