So last week I stupidly drove about 5 or 6 miles with the parking brake on. By the time I realized it and disengaged the parking brake, the rear brakes were pretty stuck. I turned around and went home, and the whole way it felt like I was dragging this thing. Got into the garage and there was just this awful burnt smell. I put it in neutral and wouldn’t roll at all. I figured I ruined something for sure. Went out a couple of days later expecting to have a hell of a time getting the drums off, and they came off just fine. Everything looked A okay, the drums looked normal, the shoes didn’t look glazed or weird or anything, nothing was seized. It just all seemed normal. Put the drums back on, wheels spinned freely. So is there a chance everything is fine and no damage was done? It’s just weird because immediately after that happened you couldn’t spin the wheels and it definitely felt like something was wrong. I thought for sure I was at least gonna need to replace the shoes. Should I just stop worrying and drive it? Is there a chance after sitting overnight anything that may have heated up and expanded just went back to normal? It’s a 1940 pickup with 1970 GM 10 bolt drum brake rear, 1970 parking brake ***embly.
Everything was hot and swollen. It cooled off and freed up. Did you damage the brakes? Well you put some wear on 'em. Look at the drums and see if they are glazed. A little sand paper to break any glaze (shoes or drums) and put it back together. Make sure the brakes are properly adjusted then test drive it. If it runs and stops you are golden.
nah the drums looked fine. They were fairly new and probably only had less than 100 miles on them anyway I guess I got lucky. I haven’t driven it yet since then but I plan to drive it a lot today so we’ll see how it acts.
It’s not a problem ‘till it’s a problem . As @porkn****** said , scuff the drums and shoes , brake clean the dust off and be done . You got the drums off might as well service them .
If the brakes got hot enough they were dragging after the e brake was released, I think I would want to make sure the rubber cups in the wheel cylinders didn't get damaged. Pull loose the outer dust covers on both sides of both rear wheel cylinders and make sure there is no brake fluid there. It its wet inside the outer covers, rebuild (or replace) the wheel cylinders. If one side has a leak, rebuild (or replace) both wheel cylinders.
Older cars would take some heat on the drums. My SIL with a new OT furrin' car drove quite a distance with the e-brake on... a brand new whip and the rear brakes and drums were crispy critters. Like it was said, sand everything, look for heat checks on the drums, pull the WC cups back and you should be gtg.
How does one drive with the ebrake [ parking brake] on? My Buick will not move with the parking brake on. If it EVER does, an adjustment will happen. Ben
I would change the shoes, check the rubber parts in the wheel cylinders and probably change them, and bleed the rear brakes when finished…..brake failure down the line is not an option for me.. You however may do nothing and be fine.
Did that with a 80’s F150 I had. Was at night, ebrake was on just enough to drag the shoes and make smoke. Didn’t notice until a car got behind me, saw the smoke in their lights. Never did anything to it, brakes were still good 10 years later when I sold it…
The Jalopy Journal
