E-brake is stuck! any tips?

any ideas guys? other than hammering down on the gas. I'd really like to avoid that since I just replaced my reverse drum in my tranny and where my car is located I have to back it up. I gave it what I'd consider a decent amount of throttle and the right rear of the car starts lifting up in the air, if that gives you any idea of how stuck it really is. I must have pulled the ebrake to hard when I parked it (i know, i have an auto, but i just got into the habbit of setting the e-brake everytime I park with any vehicle I drive). It's been sitting for about two weeks. Are there any easy ways to break things free? I might just hook my jeep up to it and pull it backwards while its in N if it comes down to it...

Neutral, Towhook, Another car...

Edit: oh nevermind you already siad that.
Hey another Jeep/BMW owner! Rock on man!

You should be able to get some WD40 back there without even taking the wheel off. If you did take the wheel off, maybe nail the rotor with a hammer to loosen the surface rust on the inside, if that is your problem. Maybe its cable related? Maybe try adjustng the cable using the two screws under the parking brake lever boot?

If it was me I'd start with the WD40 and brake cleaner and then try backing up again.

Happened on one of my e30s once.

Try grabbing the cable as it loops down and enters the brake. Move it around and manipulate it as much as you can (back-forth, up-down). If the cable is binding and not releasing the brake, this might give you enough slack to loosen it up. If the parking brake itself is seized, I don't know if this would help.

this

Originally Posted by Kubica

If it was me I'd start with the WD40 and brake cleaner and then try backing up again.

Then Hammer

Then Jeep

ok well one question.. have you taken your car on a track and were hammering full speed all day then once you stop put the e brake straight on... if so the rotors are red hot and the e brake would fry to them as soon as u pulled it... if not try the WD40 thing bout avoid getting it any where near the pads...otherwise where the cable meets the brakes try playing around with that and see if there is any slack that you could adjust the cable.. this could help

so from what I understand the e-brake is a drum type setup inside of the rotor correct?

I haven't tried to mess with it yet, but I just found this online...

Potential Number Of Units Affected:
2,438

Summary:
On certain passenger vehicles, two screws that secure the parking brake cable mounting bracket to the backing plate on one or both sides of the vehicle were not tightened properly. As a result, the screws could loosen and eventually fall into the parking brake drum. If this were to happen, the cable mounting bracket would no longer be fixed to the backing plate and the parking brake could no longer be applied on that side of the vehicle. It is also possible that a screw could lodge within the parking brake drum, impairing the free movement of the drum. This would produce noise and could cause the parking brake on that side to lock up while driving.

Remedy:
Dealers will replace the parking brake cable attaching screws and securing them with the proper torque. The manufacturer reported that owner notification would begin during August 2001. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact BMW at

What do you guys think I should do?

Have you tried loosening the brake from the adjustment screw?

On left side, push screw a little up and to the back to tighten, and front and down to loosen

On the rt. side, down and to the front is tighten and back is to loosen.

You unscrew on lugnut, turn wheel until the hole is aligned with the star screw through the rotor. You take a flat head screwdriver and push with blade practically up and down. Use a good flashlight in hole (tiny flashlight) and you'll see what might look like vague up and down lines next to the part of a spring. The vert lines are the star screw--you don't turn, you push.

First you loosen nuts in parking brake handle...and before that, you read diys!

Rear end up of course...you'd figure that part out!

DIYs are around on this with picts. I know.

Think you can loosen then tighten then loosen a little again...then tighten nuts. Try that before getting into it being broken or fused. Can't speak to either...hope not!

Doug

I went out and messed with it a little bit ago, didnt put it up in the air because I didn't want to mess around with that in the dark. What I discovered...

Only the drivers side is having an issue. I threw the car in neutral and tried rotating the rim by hand. The car rolls about 1 inch either way then I hear a clunking noise from the rotor area and the car stops rolling. Has anyone heard of the issue I posted above?

Chance,

You might also take a 10 mm wrench, I think it is, and loosen the nut on the driver's side from in front of the e-brake handle...remove leather boot by lifting up in rear ...front just slides back...you know...where you hide your drugs? LOL

A turn or two might loosen it and give you an idea if doing the adjusting thing I mentioned above would work. If you have a real hard time moving one of the adjusting screws, you're probably turning the wrong way.

I AM assuming, btw, that the direction I gave you to turn is the same on your car as on mine.

Many seem to have a problem doing it through the wheel with one lugnut removed. If you do, think of what you're looking for--the adjusting screw is a ring...like of the planet saturn...if you know electrical work at all it's like the ring that screws onto the bottom part of the fitting that goes into a metal electrical box and hold the wires...same type of turning mechanism...you push on the 'ledges' built up around the ring to turn it around.

You turn empty lugnut hole to the top...and then 'the book says' rotate it about 65 degrees down toward the rear. Good flashlight and slow rotating of wheel should help you find it.

I'd try nut first, (one may be loose, but don't crank on it hard!) Others have broken cable and I think you have to remove much of underneath car to reroute cable through!!!!!! You'll be careful now I know!

If cables are too tight, the brake will be held on. A couple of turns on nut inside and then some 'exercising' of e-brake handle (moving it up and down), might get you released--unlikely, but possible.

Hope this helps you...and anyone else wanting to mess with e-brake!

Jack from in front of diff and chock front wheels! (hope that advice isn't too late!)

Finally, you really should read diys and Bentley on adjusting e-brake and it's finer points. Instructions here vary on how many turns to back off adjustment once tight...and nuts from handle need to be loose before adjusting.

You get it to where it hold evenly on both sides with handle up two notches (Bentley)...then as you loosen, you'll find it lightly holds at some point while rotating entire tire back and forth a little. Took me a while to get sides even when I had an issue...or made an issue by adjusting it in the first place!

Sorry...don't want you screwing up e-brake and since I started on instructing you...didn't want to leave stuff to chance! You understand, I'm sure!

HTH

Doug