98 Escort Dragging Brake

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Rodney - 11 Nov 2004 00:11 GMT

I am trying to repair a 1998 Escort with a dragging rear drum brake. I
pulled the drum off, and it seems the dragging is due to a small seized
pivot arm that connects to the handbrake cable. It is seized up tight on
the side with the dragging brake but I can move it by hand on the side that
is not dragging. Problem is, I can't seem to get this pivot arm to free
up. I've tried spraying brake parts cleaner on it, soaking it in gas,
liberal penetrating oil, working it back and forth with channel locks, but
it is still extremely difficult to move. I can't even move it by hand. Is
there some way I can free up this pivot arm?

Rodney

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Backyard Mechanic - 11 Nov 2004 00:33 GMT

> I am trying to repair a 1998 Escort with a dragging rear drum brake. I
> pulled the drum off, and it seems the dragging is due to a small seized
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Rodney

If it doesnt free after what you have done there, you should scrap that
backing plate or get a repair part if available... becuse even if you free it
now, it will lock up again in the future.

not too hard to find in a scraapers, I would think

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Jesse - 11 Nov 2004 16:20 GMT

I have the exact same problem with my 97 Escort. Parking brake doesn't hold
the vehical well. Some time it seizes. Once I let my car sit for only 3
weeks, the rear drum brake locked up. One garage told me that I have to
change the parking brake cable. I doubt that this would solve the problem.
If I want to repair the part, how much approximately it will cost?

Jesse

> > I am trying to repair a 1998 Escort with a dragging rear drum brake. I
> > pulled the drum off, and it seems the dragging is due to a small seized
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> not too hard to find in a scraapers, I would think

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Backyard Mechanic - 12 Nov 2004 01:54 GMT

> I have the exact same problem with my 97 Escort. Parking brake doesn't hold
> the vehical well.

What do you mean by that? Do you mean forward holding or backward holding?
It's always easier to back up with the PB set than to move forward.

> Some time it seizes. Once I let my car sit for only 3
> weeks, the rear drum brake locked up. One garage told me that I have to
> change the parking brake cable.

Well THAT's easy enough to check out. If it's like earlier models, back to
the beginning of time, the cable will retract with just the spring to pull
it.

> I doubt that this would solve the problem.
> If I want to repair the part, how much approximately it will cost?

I dont know... look it up on-line - almost all part stores have on-line
buying

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Matt - 22 Nov 2004 03:01 GMT

Replace the parking brake cable? For the price of a can of liquid
wrench you can get under that car and soak it down yourself.

Matt

> I have the exact same problem with my 97 Escort. Parking brake doesn't hold
> the vehical well. Some time it seizes. Once I let my car sit for only 3
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> >
> > not too hard to find in a scraapers, I would think

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Rodney - 20 Nov 2004 22:30 GMT

> I am trying to repair a 1998 Escort with a dragging rear drum brake.
> I pulled the drum off, and it seems the dragging is due to a small
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Rodney

I just wanted to follow-up on the dragging brake problem in case the
answer helps someone else.

I replaced the seized pivot arm described above with a new one from
Ford. The brake is not dragging now. Ford generically refers to this
part as a drum brake "lever." The pivot point on the new part moves
very freely.

Thanks to everyone who helped.

Rodney

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