I second your first comment, but disagree with the moisture theory. In 22 years of driving in the PNW, where moisture is a constant companion, I've had exactly one ebrake seize - this was on a drum brake on my Vanagon that FROZE when we had a cold snap following heavy rains. A couple of seconds of rocking back and forth freed it up.

I theorize that a regulary used e-brake is highly unlikely to seize or drag under any normal conditions - dry, wet and warm, dry and freezing, etc. If unused, grease, grit, rust, etc. may interfere with the action when it is finally used.

 

Thats what I'm talking about!

 

I was referring to the specific new model e-brake problem.
See this great thread for a description and cure;

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...brake+fix+drum



It is also true that if there is no moisture and no salt, no matter what you do, right or wrong, the e-brake will not rust up.

If there is salt and moisture it might.

For those who don't know, there have been numerous problems reported on the new body e-brake sticking while engaged.

This is not the rust up problem you get after running any truck/car through a mud puddle while hot and shutting it off right after. That can rust up the parts quickly but can usually be broken loose with rocking.

This is a problem with the surface treatment on the parts.
Chris

 

Thanks, Chris. I was ignorant of this particular quirk in our trucks - I never noticed the original thread. Is this limited to the 04+ models? I didn't own my '01 long enough to fiddle with the rear brakes.

 

Hi Fritz_H, I was thinking as I typed that I haven't heard of anyone with an 05-06 having that problem.
Hope they fixed it.
Since that helpful thread I know a dozen owners of 04's that did his repair and have had no problems since.
Chris

 

I use my parking-brake (emergency-brake) every time. With the exception of when it goes to the dealer for work.

Maybe it's because I grew up driving stick shifts, but there's no way I would ever park it without the parking-brake on. I live in FL and it's flat here, but I always have it on when parked.

Again with the exception of taking it to the dealer. They don't seem to check if the parking brake is on before trying to move it.

 

i park mine with the e-brake on all the time, partly because our apartment complex has a habit of towing its residents for fun on occasion. i'd like to see a tow truck try and drag my beast out of a spot right next to the curb while the parking brake is on and my wheels are turned. NOT GONNA HAPPEN

 

woo hoo!! i always put the ebrake on my torino before putting it into park. its just a habit i got into to help preserve my 35 year old transmission

and zig, a tow truck can tow anything out of anywhere, its a matter of how much damage they do to your truck. if they had the right to tow you, they probably arent liable for any damage anyway!

 

thats the thing... they issue parking permits for the apartment residents... and tow some of them sometimes just because there are too many people in the lot. so, the apartment complex would be liable if they call the tow truck! if mine's that much work to get out i'm hoping theyll back off or at least give me enough time to get to it and move. plus, they use the flat bed tow trucks with one cable...

 

yeah as long as you make sure youre not at fault, then who cares, let them have a little fun!!

 

I just throw the lever into "P" at about 5mph

 

Ever since the park pin broke on my first car. I have always used the e-brake, of course my first car was 15 years old at the time when the pin broke, it taught me a lesson. Luckly it happened just when I put it in park and I heard the clicking sound as it started to roll as I lived with a hilly driveway at the time. Now every time I park I set the e-brake after I put it in park but before I remove my right foot from the brake pedel.

 

 

Thats Nice.