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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 5
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 5 |
I have a '95 contour. The passenger side rear brake drum started locking up with even a gentle depression of the brake pedal. The brakes were working fine earlier today...I've had noises coming from the front drivers side wheel (unrelated to this brake issue) so I had that particular caliper off today trying to find the source of the noise (which turned out to be the drive shaft). After finding the source of the noise, I put the caliper and wheel back on, and I took it for a short drive. Thats when this business with the rear passenger side wheel started happening. I wonder if in my messing around with the front caliper I may have collapsed the flexible portion of the brake line on the front caliper. If so, would this cause the rear passenger wheel to lock up when depressing the brake pedal?? (The front drivers side brake caliper appears to be working normally).
P.S. its probably worth mentioning we had snow recently and the streets are still packed with snow. So, when I say the rear wheel is locking up, its doing so on a somewhat slick surface.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 115
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 115 |
Quote:
I wonder if in my messing around with the front caliper I may have collapsed the flexible portion of the brake line on the front caliper. If so, would this cause the rear passenger wheel to lock up when depressing the brake pedal?? (The front drivers side brake caliper appears to be working normally).
To the best of my knowledge, no. Its pretty hard to "collapse" the hose without causing a leak. Even if you could temporarily collapsed the hose, the pressure of the first brake aplication would expand it back out. I presume you don't have anti lock brakes. As I recall, ABS was only with 4 wheel disc.
Quote:
P.S. its probably worth mentioning we had snow recently and the streets are still packed with snow. So, when I say the rear wheel is locking up, its doing so on a somewhat slick surface.
Drum brakes can get a little freaky when they are cold, especialy in winter weather. I know this isn't the best weather for it, but pull the drum and make sure you don't have anything screwy in there. The rear drums are self adjusting, but if anything is hanging up the self adjusting mechanism, especialy because of the cold, it could be the cause of your problem. Does it lock up all the time or only when you first start driving and the brake components haven't heated up yet? If only when cold in the first bit of driving but not after a while, it could be the adjusting mechanism is frozen up. Another possibilty is the drums are slightly out of round. The recent cold temps may have caused them to contract just enough to bind until they have warmed up a little and expanded.
According to my Haynes manual, you can activate the self adjusters by going backwards and forwards several times, hitting the brakes and working the parking brakes back and forth a few times.
I have rear discs on my tour, so I havent had personal experience with the drums on our cars,(lots of others though) but I hope this might help.
Former, now returned CEG'er!
95SE MTX, (AKA "The Road Rat"). Stock except for:TH fix, B.A.T. big brake kit, tranny cocktail and lots of re-insulated wiring! May yet be a 3.0!
"Speed doesn't kill, stupidity does!"
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,408
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,408 |
Did you put the E-brake on good and tight?
If the cable is not releasing completely it will cause this.
95's are well known for hanging cables. Make sure the lever behind the backing plate returns under spring pressure and the cable is not taut.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" -George Santayana
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