Parking brake caliper frozen issue

Pilot · 10-08-2009, 09:28 AM

The mechanism for the parking brake on the right rear caliper appears frozen. Would it be a waste of time to try to free it up with one of those penetrating sprays? Or just bight the bullet and replace both rear calipers or...?

muffinman · 10-08-2009, 09:38 AM

you can buy the caliper kits fairly cheap but i'm not sure if the hardware for the e-brake comes in the kit.

dirocyn · 10-08-2009, 12:20 PM

I'd try to free it up with a penetrating spray and elbow grease, I'd always rather take the chance that I don't have to spend any money. PB Blaster seems to work better than WD-40, but it gives me a headache. Avoid getting that crap on brake pads.

Soak down the mechanism with a penetrating oil and let it sit for 20 minutes or so, then come back to it and see if you can get it to free up. If you can't get it to move in 10 minutes, you're probably better off replacing.

BTW, it's very common for the parking brake cables to freeze, are you sure it's the brake mechanism and not the cable?

Best way to work that mechanism, that I can think of, is take off the parking brake cable, grab that sucker with vice grips near where the cable attached, and go to town on it. If it's the cable and not the mechanism you'll see that soon enough.

toyotaspeed90 · 10-08-2009, 12:22 PM

it's not the caliper that's frozen.... it's actually the cable itself.... in certain climates the rubber boots get old and deteriorate, then the cable gets dirty.... I have been able to free the cables up before, but the quick & dirty resolution is just to disconnect the parking brake on that side.

traintech86 · 10-08-2009, 12:31 PM

in an interesting turn of events, i have this same sort of issue. make lil rubber is still there tho. i replaced both caliper's. when i disconnected the parking brake on that side, i had no brakes haha. there is a Y in the middle of the car and it brakes the Y and the other won't work. maybe its dif on your car. it might bethe cable that goes from the Y to my pass rear wheel...

dirocyn · 10-08-2009, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toyotaspeed90

it's not the caliper that's frozen.... it's actually the cable itself.... in certain climates the rubber boots get old and deteriorate, then the cable gets dirty.... I have been able to free the cables up before, but the quick & dirty resolution is just to disconnect the parking brake on that side.

That's sort of what I was thinking. And of course the parking brake won't work after you do that. Parking brake cables are available from Rock Auto--they sell Left and Right cables but the only difference is which way one of the brackets is on. Easy enough to reverse that bracket.

Or make your own cables using this write-up: MR2 Owners Club Message Board&#8482

toyotaspeed90 · 10-08-2009, 04:51 PM

it will work, but not as effectively....

you can actually adjust each part of the cable... although there is a "Y" in the cable, the mounting locations for the cable are bolted to the chasis so it only has so much room to flex.

I had it set up on my wifes car for only 1 cable for years. It was enough to hold it on silght grades, but not much.

traintech86 · 10-09-2009, 06:34 AM

well if you disconnect 1 side, then the device where they Y will not work right. i got in the habit of leaving the car in gear.

iceNine · 10-26-2009, 11:03 AM

Mine froze up in winter about eight years ago. It was the two rear cables that stuck which is a common problem in cold climates. I disconnected the cables from the brake and drove it for another seven years. Recently I decided to finally fix them (I had bought new Toyota cables at the time I originally had the problem). Replacing them is not that difficult. When I took off the old ones it was clear that the rubber seals that keep water and other junk out of the cable were totally shot. The ebrake now works perfect for the first time in 8 years.

10-08-2009, 09:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
Pilot Master MotorcycleMechanic Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 81 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Parking brake caliper frozen issue The mechanism for the parking brake on the right rear caliper appears frozen. Would it be a waste of time to try to free it up with one of those penetrating sprays? Or just bight the bullet and replace both rear calipers or...?

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10-08-2009, 09:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
muffinman U-P-G-R-A-Y-E-D-D Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunny South Florida Posts: 5,878 Thanks: 53 Thanked 282 Times in 271 Posts Blog Entries: 1 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	you can buy the caliper kits fairly cheap but i'm not sure if the hardware for the e-brake comes in the kit.

10-08-2009, 12:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
dirocyn Cage Fighter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Murfreesboro, TN Posts: 1,177 Thanks: 14 Thanked 110 Times in 108 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I'd try to free it up with a penetrating spray and elbow grease, I'd always rather take the chance that I don't have to spend any money. PB Blaster seems to work better than WD-40, but it gives me a headache. Avoid getting that crap on brake pads. Soak down the mechanism with a penetrating oil and let it sit for 20 minutes or so, then come back to it and see if you can get it to free up. If you can't get it to move in 10 minutes, you're probably better off replacing. BTW, it's very common for the parking brake cables to freeze, are you sure it's the brake mechanism and not the cable? Best way to work that mechanism, that I can think of, is take off the parking brake cable, grab that sucker with vice grips near where the cable attached, and go to town on it. If it's the cable and not the mechanism you'll see that soon enough.

10-08-2009, 12:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
toyotaspeed90 No Skills Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 2,401 Thanks: 0 Thanked 148 Times in 143 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	it's not the caliper that's frozen.... it's actually the cable itself.... in certain climates the rubber boots get old and deteriorate, then the cable gets dirty.... I have been able to free the cables up before, but the quick & dirty resolution is just to disconnect the parking brake on that side.

10-08-2009, 12:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,799 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	in an interesting turn of events, i have this same sort of issue. make lil rubber is still there tho. i replaced both caliper's. when i disconnected the parking brake on that side, i had no brakes haha. there is a Y in the middle of the car and it brakes the Y and the other won't work. maybe its dif on your car. it might bethe cable that goes from the Y to my pass rear wheel...

10-08-2009, 04:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
toyotaspeed90 No Skills Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 2,401 Thanks: 0 Thanked 148 Times in 143 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	it will work, but not as effectively.... you can actually adjust each part of the cable... although there is a "Y" in the cable, the mounting locations for the cable are bolted to the chasis so it only has so much room to flex. I had it set up on my wifes car for only 1 cable for years. It was enough to hold it on silght grades, but not much.

10-09-2009, 06:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,799 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	well if you disconnect 1 side, then the device where they Y will not work right. i got in the habit of leaving the car in gear.

10-26-2009, 11:03 AM	#9 (permalink)
iceNine Some Skills Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Maryland USA Posts: 61 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Mine froze up in winter about eight years ago. It was the two rear cables that stuck which is a common problem in cold climates. I disconnected the cables from the brake and drove it for another seven years. Recently I decided to finally fix them (I had bought new Toyota cables at the time I originally had the problem). Replacing them is not that difficult. When I took off the old ones it was clear that the rubber seals that keep water and other junk out of the cable were totally shot. The ebrake now works perfect for the first time in 8 years.