$75 escort, need help w/stuck e-brake
 

Allright, I bought an escort from a coworkers husbend. He used the car for a few years as an interstate runner, and kept it in good shape. There's hardly any rust on it, and the interior's in awesome shape... Reason for the $75? P/O owned a curb at 45, bent the rim slightly, and bent the lower control arm... control arm's $50, and I'll see what I can do about a rim, but there's another issue.

It just had frount brakes done, but I guess not the back... and yeah, p/o must have not used the e-brake at all. Car runs perfect, but now it's stuck at my house. I pulled the e-brake, then released the e-brake handle, car no move... DAMMIT.

At least it's not in the way, but... I still gotta get it unstuck...

My plan is to drag it into my garage, put it on jackstands, and pull the drums off... then soak the e-brake cables with PB every hour for a while, and try them... then I'll use heat, and yeah. I dont wanna cut them, because I feel a functional e-brake's critical in a stickshift.

Can anybody offer any other advise?
BTW this car bluebooks at $900 in fair condition... nice interior, decent exterior, 1.9, 5 speed, power windows... Clear title... i like this car... might keep it for a winter beater... who knows? I'll most likely sell it, but, dunno...

Tks alot
~Nate

any ideas?

I'm NOT going to be driving this car around, i just need to move the damn thing before the snow storm hits (tonight)
~Nate

Have you tried moving from forward to reverse with the ebrake off to see if it pops it loose. This usually works.

yeah, didnt work...
gotta run 2 school, in my toronado :D

Is it a mid-'90s Escort. Those were fairly decent cars. Based on the small Mazda, they were boring but reliable.
With the rear supported on jack-stands, crawl under the car and grasp each brake cable assembly near the brake drums. Try to wiggle, flex or twist them until each brake comes free. If they still won't release, you'll have to cut the cables off as close to the drums as possible.
Even if you can get them to release, don't waste your time trying to save them. Get new cables or they'll probably stick again. And check those wheel cylinders.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Nate -- if you get fed up with trying to fix it, let me know. I have a buddy in the area who needs a beater with a heater. He's moving from Withee to Chippewa and could use a commuter.

As for your problem, I can't add much. I'd definitely soak the cables in penetrating oil, and yes, jack her up and beat on the drums.

Good luck!

Oh, I thought this thread was about you needing help with an escort, not an Escort.:cool:

If this car has rear drums, and the emergency brake is jammed on, you can forget about pulling the drums, as the brake pads are now grabbing on to the inside of the drums.

I just came home for lunch, jacked it up, and pulled the rims... I beat the crap out of them with a lead hammer, and now they turn freely...

I'm driving it to shop class after lunch, and I'll have my shop teacher look at it.

~Nate

They are that cheap where he is? Only $75? What do they do for that little money?

That is why I looked at the thread---thought maybe he had a coupon or something and I was going to find out where he clipped it:D

$75 for an escort is a good deal, just make sure she is not fat.

Well, my birthday was wendsday (i'm 17 :D), which was the first day back from school since the previous friday (presidents day and teachers convention), and I didnt have to work but one day during that time (tuesday night, 5p-9p) My mom was visiting my sister and aunt, in the cities during that timeframe also...

It was a very good weekend of celebratory festivities...

I saved at least $75 then, I bought a FORD ESCORT!!!
Dont worry, I didnt drive, and nobody else did either...


So screw u guys, I bought a car, and all u old folks can think of when I ask for help, is a cheap ride...

Come on guys, somebody told me that if u have to pay for it, it's usually not worth it. Getting what u want can be cheap, getting rid of what u really DIDNT want can be a long, expensive, embarrising process...

And with that being said, any help on my car?

I'd like to have a functional e-brake, prefferably without buying new cables
tks alot
~Nate

You can only polish a turd so much, forget about the ebrake or get new cables and fix what's wrong when you can. These escorts are nice cars to drive and get great mpg, but they are not built with duribility/restorability in mind. Not saying it's impossible, just dont think your gonna be able to fix things up like on a benz or bigger older american car. These were designed to rot away.
Happy birthday btw, seem's like only yesterday you were ~id15.

Does the Escort rely on the parking brake to adjust the rear drums?