Rear (Hand)Brake problems!

[SwedishLinus]

Hi Guys!
This is my first post here, 406 owner from Sweden. I have done a lot of snooping around on this page for a while, but now i need your help.
I was driving my 406 when all of the sudden it almost sound that i had a flat tire. When i stopped i saw that the tires was okey, but the backwheels didn´t move. I got back in the car and realized that i could barely move the handbrake lever upwards, like it where applied fully. I then tried to drive a few meters and saw that both tires were locked and slided (this was on snow/sludge). After backing up a bit, i heard a clonk like sound and the wheels was now turning free again. Over the last weeks the breaks have made some small scraping noises until today. When i was driving out of the parking, i tested the brakes and when i did so, the same problem happened again. But this time i could not get the brakes to loosen up.
Do you guys have any idea what this could be?

Thanks in advance!

/Linus

[steve_earwig]

Hi Linus, welcome

That sounds very much like the friction material has parted company from the brake shoes and is floating around loose. I'm not sure if it can happen to both sides simultaneously but maybe the brake got so jammed they took all the slack out of the cables and locked the other wheel. Taking the drums off is not going to be funny if they're still locked but I think you're going to have to insist or the car will never move again

[Doggy]

Welcome aboard.

I agree it sounds like a detached brake lining, (if you have rear disk brakes)? - I had this a few weeks ago myself.
I found I could temporarily free mine off by knocking the brake drum with a mallet while trying to turn it using a bar between two of the wheel bolts, (which I put back in just to turn the drum). Once it's moving a little, locate the adjuster and loosen it off completely.
For the right rear brake the adjuster is roughly at the 2-o-clock position, for the left rear I think it is opposite (about 8-o-clock) but I'm not sure.

[steve_earwig]

This may help - viewtopic.php?f=10&t=13956&p=128773&hil ... er#p128773

[binnzy]

I wish my handbrake would stop the car moveing

[SwedishLinus]

Thanks for all the answers! Im just curious, how could this happen a second time. The first time i resolved it by reversing. Im really confused about this!

[Doggy]

If the friction material has detached from a brake shoe, it can move around inside the drum.
The loose material may get between the remaining shoe and the inside of the drum, fill the gap and get jammed in there locking the wheel.
If you're lucky, reversing will let it slide out again.

[jasper5]

I wish my handbrake would stop the car moveing

Run it over to me and I'll make it work.

[steve_earwig]

I wish my handbrake would stop the car moveing

Run it over to me and I'll make it work.

[PeterN]

The problem with the handbrake not working I had failed to fix on mine, just about got through the MOT having just adjusted it before I took it in, I was of the opinion that they were just useless, I changed everything on mine, all the cables, shoes, and drums and adjusted it as per the book with little improvement, but ....

The one I have just bought the handbrake works quite well on so the only conclusion I can come to is that it depends on the brake linings, I have now bought some Mintex ones which I will fit if I ever get the car going again - its stopped recognizing the key again.

Peter

[jasper5]

I wish my handbrake would stop the car moveing

Run it over to me and I'll make it work.

Good thinking

[PeterN]

Not big enough

[scoopeydiesel]

The handbrake is very good on my latest 2001 Executive but crap on the previous 1999. I had rebuilt all the rear brakes on the 1999 and I know it was Mintex shoes that I used. I recon it's all down to proper adjustments. There was a very good post on here a few months ago about proper settings but I didn't get the time to do them.

[PeterN]

I adjusted mine according to the Haynes manual - didn't make a scrap of difference.

Peter

[SwedishLinus]

Really appreciate the help guys! I´ve got a qoute from my local mechanic now. They want about 213 GBP for labour and parts for changing the parts inside the drum. Now i just need to either get the brakes to loosen so i can drive to the mechanic or get a tow-truck .