2001 406 HDi Seized Handbrake

[Andy406HDi]

Hello,

This is my post here so please be friendly, really hope someone can help

I have a V plate 406 HDi that doesn't get much use any more, it's been sat in a garage since January which is when the MOT ran out.

Up until Christmas it was running fine, but having put it away for a bit I've returned to both rear wheels not turning.

The handbrake still pulls with tension, but is a fair bit more "tight" than it was previously, I managed to free the Drivers side wheel by rocking the car back and forth but the passenger side won't budge.

I've read the How-To's on changing the rear drums etc, but I'm hoping it's something more simple than this.

I can see what looks like an 8mm nut where the cable splits to each wheel under the car, but it looks rusty and looks like I'd break it if I tried to move it.

What's the easiest way to free the wheels? I'm more interested in moving the car than sorting the problem, although ideally I'd obviously love to do both

I've read somewhere about an adjuster inside the car, I'm going out for a look now but I'm hoping someone will know where my fault lies

Thanking you in advance !

[mjb]

Sounds like the issue might be with the shoe spreader or shoes

[Andy406HDi]

Hiya, Thanks for reading

I'm guessing by your sadface thats bad then? I was hoping I could just disconnect it somewhere and it would free it.. considering there's tension in the cable still.

Does it sound like I need the drums off? I'd really like to avoid that if possible, I really only want to move the car somewhere else.

Thanks
Andy

[HimBigChief]

Put it in reverse and bounce it (using the clutch) fairly hard. Usually does the trick.

[Andy406HDi]

Tried bouncing it, not having any luck, it's just dragging the wheel

[teamster1975]

Welcome Andy!
I think you may have to take the wheel off and give the center of the disc a belt to see if it'll free up. Either the handbrake shoes are stuck to the drum or the caliper is siezed.

[trem1]

in desperation you could try hitting the wheel with a hammer to 'Shock' it loose.please use a rubber mallet if you've got alloys on it

[steve_earwig]

I had an old Astra that loved doing this, the shoes used to stick to the drums. I used to take the wheel off and lever the drum off but eventually I got bored with that so I just used to bounce it as HBC suggest. I remember one Christmas it didn't get used for two weeks and one wheel refused to free off, I drove it up the road and back down with the wheel dragging but it only freed off when I'd driven it up the kerb at speed a couple of times

Not that I'm suggesting you do this of course.

If you look under the back where the cable splits, on one side you have the adjuster but on the other you have the join, if you can pull the square bracket towards the brake and make the cable go loose in the join then it's not the cables, if it is then it's out with the wire cutters I'm afraid. If it's still looking like the brake itself you could try backing the adjuster right off and giving it a clout as above.

Before I go any further, I think yours should be drums-in-disks, am I right?

[Welly]

Smack it

[jasper5]

Yeah, give it a whack with a hammer, but at your earliest opportunity you must take off the drum and check that the shoe linings have not seperated from the shoe....very common in this type of situation.What has happened is that the shoe has rusted to the drum.

[DaiRees]

Are the real (not "hand") brakes discs or drums? If it's got discs theres a possibility that the discs have rusted up under the pads. What happens is that the pads don't move freely in the caliper due to rust, dust and other general crap, then when you park it particularly in the wet, the pads remain in contact with the disc, the disc rusts, go to drive off in the morning and you get a lovely double bang!! Mine was doing this until I changed the discs / pads a couple of months ago. The longer I left it the more dramatic the release