DRIVERS ASK, TOM ANSWERS: BRAKE

PROBLEMS SOLVED

Dear    Tom,

Q I have an ‘89 Corsica. The back wheels are locking up (especially on

ice). I was wondering if the emergency brake could cause both wheels to lock
up (or is the e-brake only on one wheel?). If it’s not the e-brake, what else
could it be?

Rob—Buffalo,    New York

Rob,

A Parking brakes operate on both rear wheels. Some of the more common

causes of the problem you describe are

• Incorrectly adjusted rear service brake
• Incorrectly adjusted rear parking brake
• Frozen or binding parking brake cables
• Leaking or seized rear wheel cylinders
• Incorrectly installed rear brake shoes or hardware
Through the trial-and-error method, experts have found that different
brands of rear brake shoes can cause the problem you describe. If the first
five potential causes I outlined above check out OK, I suggest replacing the
rear brake shoes, even if they appear to be in perfect condition. Use a good
brand brake shoe such as NAPA Safety Stop (SS prefix) or AC Delco. These
have been found to solve the problem. There may be other brands, but
experts tell me that the formulation of the friction material on these two
brands will, in most cases, cure the problem.