Drivers side rear wheel locked
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Drivers side rear wheel locked
71, 350 auto.
Had a back left caliper rebuild and the parking brake tightened about a month ago. Car drove fine after 2-3 drives, then backed in out of the garage (never engage the parking brake) and felt like a flat tire. Tried pulling car back in, had to really give it gas just to get back into the garage. Just getting around to diagnosing bc I've been wrapped up in other things and I obviously can't take it back into the shop. Jacked it up and found it is the rear drivers side wheel that is locked.
So far what I've read is it could be the e-brake or a collapsed hose? Are these the 2 primary suspects or are there any issues to look into?
From the limited info, it looks like the only way to adjust the e-brake is through the rotor?? This is a problem because I have almost NO room to work on the drivers side of my vette, since it is parked in the left side of the garage.
Thanks for any help/resources to get my baby back on the road.
Had a back left caliper rebuild and the parking brake tightened about a month ago. Car drove fine after 2-3 drives, then backed in out of the garage (never engage the parking brake) and felt like a flat tire. Tried pulling car back in, had to really give it gas just to get back into the garage. Just getting around to diagnosing bc I've been wrapped up in other things and I obviously can't take it back into the shop. Jacked it up and found it is the rear drivers side wheel that is locked.
So far what I've read is it could be the e-brake or a collapsed hose? Are these the 2 primary suspects or are there any issues to look into?
From the limited info, it looks like the only way to adjust the e-brake is through the rotor?? This is a problem because I have almost NO room to work on the drivers side of my vette, since it is parked in the left side of the garage.
Thanks for any help/resources to get my baby back on the road.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 414
Likes: 55
From: Humboldt county Ca
If you're sure it's the e-brake and not a stuck caliper you might try jacking the car up and loosening the center adjuster to back the two e-brake cables off. Maybe the people who adjusted the e-brake got it way too tight.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
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Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 378
Likes: 19
To eliminate the variable of the locked rotor caused by a collapsed hose, crack open both the caliper bleeders, then checked if the rotor looses up. If no fluid flows out of the bleeders and the rotor is still locked then it is not the emergency brake locking the rotor but a bad hose.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Well, after a new brake hose, a couple bleeding devices and a star wheel adjustment I was finally able to get the wheel turning.
Put everything back together, rolled back and forth in the drive way testing my bleed job. Felt the same issue again. Now the brake rotor wont even budge to get to the star adjuster. Don't understand why the e brake is adjusting itself???
Put everything back together, rolled back and forth in the drive way testing my bleed job. Felt the same issue again. Now the brake rotor wont even budge to get to the star adjuster. Don't understand why the e brake is adjusting itself???
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,278
Likes: 4,372
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Bf,
You can reach the adjuster through the hole provided for that purpose in the face of the rotor.
Do you happen to have a Chassis Service Manual? It shows a photo and gives some instructions. Brake Section, 5-31 in 71 CSM.
Regards,
Alan
You can reach the adjuster through the hole provided for that purpose in the face of the rotor.
Do you happen to have a Chassis Service Manual? It shows a photo and gives some instructions. Brake Section, 5-31 in 71 CSM.
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Jan 22, 2017 at 02:16 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
I have a Haynes manual. That is how I adjusted it the first time, however, this time the brake is locked so tight, I can't align hole in the rotor to the adjuster.
Last edited by Bfail; Jan 22, 2017 at 02:15 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,278
Likes: 4,372
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Bf,
If you can't rotate the wheel at all the caliper will need to be unbolted from it's bracket so the the rotor can be pulled off the hub.
It may take some work to get the rotor off depending just how hard the p-brake is grabbing.
Regards,
Alan
If you can't rotate the wheel at all the caliper will need to be unbolted from it's bracket so the the rotor can be pulled off the hub.
It may take some work to get the rotor off depending just how hard the p-brake is grabbing.
Regards,
Alan
Pro
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 626
Likes: 15
From: Austin, TX
Well, after a new brake hose, a couple bleeding devices and a star wheel adjustment I was finally able to get the wheel turning.
Put everything back together, rolled back and forth in the drive way testing my bleed job. Felt the same issue again. Now the brake rotor wont even budge to get to the star adjuster. Don't understand why the e brake is adjusting itself???
Put everything back together, rolled back and forth in the drive way testing my bleed job. Felt the same issue again. Now the brake rotor wont even budge to get to the star adjuster. Don't understand why the e brake is adjusting itself???