Rear brakes jammed.

[BALIKBAYAN]

It was LONG time since I was here. Mostly because the car has been working perfectly, until yesterday. I have not been using the car for a month time because I have been abroad for X-mas and New Year. I came back home yesterday afternoon and I was in a hurry to go and fetch the dog where I have had him for this month. When I tried to drive out from the garage it didn't want to move. The left rear wheel didn't move. I have the car on the drive way now, but it is not driveable. I tried to drive it forward and back again to see if the wheel will start to move, but without any success yesterday. I would like to get some good advises how to fix this problem of mine.

A neighbour helped me yesterday so the dog is at home with us again.

[alan333]

Assuming the handbrake has been on for months then the shoes might have jammed on.  They're inside a small drum in the inner part of the rear brake disc.  Obviously your brakes need stripped down and repaired but a starting point would be to try and free off the left rear wheel.  The shoes are like any other shoe-type, ie they have an adjusting rod which you turn the knurled section to tighten/slacken the pressure.  You can access the adjuster through the hole of a removed wheel nut, but you need the wheel to be in the exact correct position.  They're mirror images of each other and IIRC they're in roughly 5 o'clock or 7 o'clock position, depending on which wheel.

[BALIKBAYAN]

Moved the car inside again because of snowfall. I didn't want to be working outside in the snow. Removed the wheel and brake caliper. Took a plastic hammer and banged on the drum part. Used a pair of M8 screws and started to with "force" withdraw the drum because it was in wrong position to slacken the rod through that little hole in the drum. After a few turns on the M8 screws it started to come loose. I put everything back again and drove some km. It seems like it is working again, but I will change the shoes soon. I believe I still have new discs and brake pads somewhere in the garage.

The handbrake has been on since early afternoon Dec1 until yesterday Jan 3 3 pm. That is 1 month and 2 days (33 days). As I was away where it is warm and nice for x-mas.

[alan333]

Probably no need to change the shoes mate, they don't really wear since they're only in use when the wheels are stopped.  More likely to be needing lubricated and/or adjusted.  Hope this helps :)