What causes parking brakes to lock up?
Water and dirt can cause cables to erode. This can cause your parking brake to fail, cables to snap, and brake pads to stick to the wheels. When you pull your lever too hard, it can cause your brakes to become stuck against the wall of your wheel drums. To release a stuck brake you can do several things.
Does the parking brake engage the rear brakes?
A parking brake controls the rear brakes and is a completely separate device from your vehicle’s regular hydraulic brakes. If your vehicle has rear disc brakes and you pull the parking brake, then the cables engage a corkscrew device that pushes a piston into the brake pads, which stop the vehicle.
Are there any problems with the Toyota Tacoma?
The Toyota Tacoma has been hugely popular for Toyota, but the truck isn’t without problems. One of them is corrosion and rust issues. If your truck has a stuck parking brake, chances are it’s due to rust on the brake cables. Fixing it takes a bit of effort, but it can be done in a garage with a few tools.
What to do if your parking brake is stuck?
If your truck has a stuck parking brake, chances are it’s due to rust on the brake cables. Fixing it takes a bit of effort, but it can be done in a garage with a few tools. Lift up the rear of the vehicle using the jack and support the axle on the jack stands. Be sure the vehicle is secure before you crawl underneath it.
Where is the parking brake cable on a truck?
Locate the parking brake cable on the drums. There is one long cable that goes from the front of the truck that then splits off at the axle into two different sections. It’s a flexible, metal line that goes into the back of the brake drums. Pull on the emergency brake line to see if it breaks free. If it does, then the job is done.
What to do when your emergency brake line breaks?
Spray the penetrating oil into the hole where the emergency brake line goes into the drums. This is going to lubricate the line and should free up the corrosion. Pull on the line again, trying to break it free. If it doesn’t, repeat with the penetrating oil. The line will eventually break free and be good to go.