Park Brake help needed...
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 0
From: Northern VA
Well, it's done. I have included the picture below to help others who might make foolish posts asking for help 
It appears there were two problems.
1. Grease used by the factory turns liquid and runs off the actuator bolt (6), causing it to become fused to the "star wheel" (7). On the right rear, the grease had literally run out of the bottom of the housing (5). I needed a torch to heat (7) so that I could free the bolt on the LR. There was no evidence that the park brake had been abused, and the car still has the original brake pads and rotors at 48K.
2. The actuator bolt (6) was flush against the "star wheel" (7) on both acuators. I believe it left the factory that way. I surmise that if the acuator bolt had been adjusted properly, the lack of grease would not have mattered.
Thanks to all for your help!
It appears there were two problems.
1. Grease used by the factory turns liquid and runs off the actuator bolt (6), causing it to become fused to the "star wheel" (7). On the right rear, the grease had literally run out of the bottom of the housing (5). I needed a torch to heat (7) so that I could free the bolt on the LR. There was no evidence that the park brake had been abused, and the car still has the original brake pads and rotors at 48K.
2. The actuator bolt (6) was flush against the "star wheel" (7) on both acuators. I believe it left the factory that way. I surmise that if the acuator bolt had been adjusted properly, the lack of grease would not have mattered.
Thanks to all for your help!
Pro
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 534
Likes: 6
From: Cave Creek AZ
This post was a big help to me and fixing my parking brake. My star wheels were also flush with the actuator and seized together. A little heat and a couple light hits with a hammer and the came loose. All adjusted now and working great.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 460
Likes: 12
From: Gulf Shores AL
Originally Posted by DSchaefe
This post was a big help to me and fixing my parking brake. My star wheels were also flush with the actuator and seized together. A little heat and a couple light hits with a hammer and the came loose. All adjusted now and working great.
This is a good tip. I'd been messing around with all the proposed solutions, but eventually discovered the actuator and star wheel was siezed. some heat and percussive persuasion freed it up, and now the e-brake works
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: panhandle Florida
Originally Posted by FRCTony
Well, it's done. I have included the picture below to help others who might make foolish posts asking for help
It appears there were two problems.
1. Grease used by the factory turns liquid and runs off the actuator bolt (6), causing it to become fused to the "star wheel" (7). On the right rear, the grease had literally run out of the bottom of the housing (5). I needed a torch to heat (7) so that I could free the bolt on the LR. There was no evidence that the park brake had been abused, and the car still has the original brake pads and rotors at 48K.
2. The actuator bolt (6) was flush against the "star wheel" (7) on both acuators. I believe it left the factory that way. I surmise that if the acuator bolt had been adjusted properly, the lack of grease would not have mattered.
Thanks to all for your help!
It appears there were two problems.
1. Grease used by the factory turns liquid and runs off the actuator bolt (6), causing it to become fused to the "star wheel" (7). On the right rear, the grease had literally run out of the bottom of the housing (5). I needed a torch to heat (7) so that I could free the bolt on the LR. There was no evidence that the park brake had been abused, and the car still has the original brake pads and rotors at 48K.
2. The actuator bolt (6) was flush against the "star wheel" (7) on both acuators. I believe it left the factory that way. I surmise that if the acuator bolt had been adjusted properly, the lack of grease would not have mattered.
Thanks to all for your help!
