OK, against my better judgement I let someone else borrow my beloved box for a little while ... he forgot one little thing, RELEASING THE PARKING BRAKE. When he came back ... well, let's just say I smelled it before I saw it. My best guess is about 10 miles, mostly on surface streets, with the hand brake at least partially applied.

I'm pretty sure the rear brake pads are shot, and maybe the drums too ... because I can pull the parking brake lever nearly vertical now. Is there any other damage I should look for?

Thanks in advance for not laughing!

 

Ok, I done laughing.. No realy it's Ok, the best thing to do is take the "friend" out back and shoot him. After you have disposed of the body, check out the car.

You might need to check the grease in the wheel bearings too. There must have been a lot of heat generated by the brakes dragging so it may have messed up the grease in the bearings. Besides, it is a good idea to check/repack the bearings when you work on the brakes anyway.

You might consider taking the car to the dealer and getting it done under warrenty. Depends on your moral code....

Good luck

 

Is your friend retarded!!??!!


If the screaching noise doesnt doesnt reminde him/her that the brake is on- How about the brake light warning in the dash!!

Im surprised it moved at all!

 

you might be okay. 10 miles isn't that far. you'll need to adjust the brakes though since you wore most of it away.

if you take off the wheels, then hit the edge of the drums with a hammer. not edge as in the hard corner, but near the edge of the drum face. a few smacks will do it. if you are scared of the hammer, use two bolts in the provided holes.

look at the drum!! you should see a glazed surface now, since your friend was a moron. as long as nothing is cracked and you don't see blue spots you're straight. blue spots indicate over heating and warpage and new drums needed.

then look at the shoes. still got a good bit left? then adjust them up. theres a star wheel that you turn with a screwdriver to move them farther out.

you should still have some shoes left. good luck.

 

The rear wheel bearings on an xB is a sealed bolt-on unit ball bearing unit. Its not like most wheel bearings where it comes apart.

Your shoes might not be shot, adjusting the rear brakes will make the parking brake hard to pull up again.

 

You should still check out the brakes!!! If it was applied long enough it could have fried the brake shoes to the point of no return!! If the brake shoes are ok it could have glazed the drums!!! either way you should check or have the rear brakes out!! Oh YA Laughing did not come to mind but in the imortal words of homer simpson DOH!!!! Hey let us all know what the outcome was either way and if the shoes are good but the drums are glazed you can just have the drums cut and it will be ok!!!

 

Thanks for the advice everyone ... Just to let you all know, the drums were salvageable after all ... if they weren't it would have been $$$ and I probably would have gone for a rear disc brake upgrade!