Rear brakes seized on!!! Oh noes!!!

[Red_Calibra]

I think the handbrake has seized on on my 1991 8v.

It had been making metallic scraping noises for a while and it was due to get looked at this coming weekend, but went to work last night and when I tried to leave for home this morning, the wheels were locked solid, moved forward and drove around for a few metres to try and free it off but it just dragged the wheels behind me making marks on the road.

The trouble is, now its like this, I cant get it moved anywhere to be looked at and sorted.

This happened to anyone before? Any advice?. :frown:

[Dan Willis]

It won't take much to get the rear wheels off to have a look - that's about your only course of action. Get under there!

[Cozy]

I had the exact same problem, it will more than likely your handbrake shoes will have clamped down on you rear wheels / disks or whatever they grab onto, i had it cause i left it parked up for about two weeks when i broke my wrist, then first time i drove it it was ok then they locked on while i was on the motorway on the passenger side rear wheel, they were seized on so needed new back disks, pads etc and as i was on the motorway at the time i was going through road works so had to drag it till i got a space where i could pull in, there was a big hole in my rear tyre where i had dragged it smoking along the motorway

[Red_Calibra]

Sounds like I'm looking at a lot of work then.......damn!!

[Cozy]

i don't know mate, i was in a situation where i couldn't have a look to sort myself and had to have it towed in to a repair place and they said i needed new rear disks etc, but you may get away with it, i'd try and get the rear wheels off and have a look may be able to prise the shoes away somehow then it may save your rear drums or disks etc

you may get away with replacing the handbrake shoes and i don't think they are that expensive anyway

[Red_Calibra]

Just a wee bit worried that if I manage to get the drums off ( I've read they can be a complete pig to remove ), that with new shoes fitted, I might have bother getting everything back together again.

[Sg-1]

Have you tried reversing? Quite often it will free the brakes. At least you could take it to be checked.

[Red_Calibra]

Nope, I'll try that tonight when I get back to my work.

[Sg-1]

<!--QuoteBegin-Red_Calibra+--><div class='quotetop'>(Red_Calibra)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Nope, I'll try that tonight when I get back to my work.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Fingers crossed. :icon_nod:

[joeraz]

the exact same thing happened to me a few weeks back,,, but i got it looked at the following day after i heard the scrapping noise,, the shoes had dislodged,,


Cost me over £600 :frown:

[robs_cal]

Unfortunately I've had the same problems as youse lot.

Got a car from a dealer, drove back 150 miles it was okay. Took the car to Vauxhall to get checked over and stuck the car in the car park. When I went to move, the rears locked and could only reverse the car.

I think the rear discs or pads were knackered anyway so I got changed for peace of mind. Still waiting to find out the exact cause of the problem but it was probably down to the handbrake shoes.

At least mine happened at a garage but I know what an inconvenience it is!!

[TonyDTM]

<!--QuoteBegin-Red_Calibra+--><div class='quotetop'>(Red_Calibra)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Just a wee bit worried that if I manage to get the drums off ( I've read they can be a complete pig to remove ), that with new shoes fitted, I might have bother getting everything back together again.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

When you take the disc/drum off, take a good look at where everything is, the adjuster, the springs and the pins. Last August I did front discs, rear discs, all the pads and the handbrake shoes in 90 mins. That was the first time I had changed a set of shoes since 1986. It was like learning mechanics all over again.
The rule to successful DIY is to remember what came off where, and how. Have a hammer handy. and a couple of disc screws.

[Red_Calibra]

Well, had a look at it last night and found what the problem was.

When I put the little space saver on ( after I had got a puncture, which was what started all these hassles off!! ) , one of the other lads on the shift said "That looks well dodgy with the other three 17" wheels on".

"Why dont you borrow a spare off that old Cavalier?".

We have about a dozen or so scrap cars for RTA training at the station and one of them was a "J" reg Cavalier.

It had a 14" spare in good nick and the tyre was good too.

Didn't think about it at all, till we looked underneath last night and spotted that even though the wheel bolted on fine, the Calibra's rear back plates on the hubs were coming into contact with the inner rim of the wheel. It had caused the jamming and gouged out a 3-4mm deep line all the way around the circumference of the inner rim of the spare steel wheel!!!:eek:

Put the space saver back on and it drove fine.

I just assumed that a steel wheel off a Cavalier would fit a Calibra. Not the case, certainly not in this instance anyway.

Still need the back brakes doing though, its getting done tomorrow, but at least its driveable, so I can get it to where its getting the work done.

Ordered another 17" tyre too, the culprit, a nail, was right on the edge near the sidewall and going by the tread, which although was still legal, it would be false economy to attempt a repair rather than a replace.

[Rusty_CallyT]

nah 14" is just too small