Re: handbrake won't release!

[es61@prism.gatech.edu (Eric Schumacher)]

Jason,

I lived in the north for many years.  Major tip:  Do NOT use the parking
brake during the winter.  Your cable can lock up and leave you stranded,
waste a set of pads, rotors or tires, or worse.  

If it does freeze up, driving may help.  But, do not drive more than a
few feet.  If it doesn't free, you have to melt the ice inside the cable.
 This can be done in a warm garage or when the weather improves.  IF you
have access to a blowing heater (i.e. kerosene) that may work.  Big no-no
is having a source of ignition such as a radiation heater under your car
where it can ignite the gasoline.  

This little problem can be especially toublesome in front wheel drive
cars.   You can drive and not know that it is occuring.  A few years ago,
I saw a VW Golf at 50 mph with both rear tires locked and smoking.

Eric Schumacher>  > Help
- > 
> The left parking brake won't release on my '86 5000S, and the cable seems 
> to be the problem.  
> 
> The right one works
> fine.  I can release the left one with by prying the lever at the brake 
> itself.  The spring seems about the same as the right one, and the cable 
> seems to bind.  I disconected it from the brake and tried to clean the 
> cable where it exits the sheath (on both ends of the sheath) using 
> wd-40.  No luck.
> 
> Weather seems to be a factor - it was slushy the day before, then the temps
> dropped to about the low 20s (-5? for our metric friends).  Is ice the 
> likely culprit? Does the car need a new cable, or will the problem 
> disappear when it warms up, never to reappear?
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> Jason Douglas
> Lead Engineer, Networking and Communications Systems
> MITRE Corporation
> 
> 
>