Hand brake jammed on?

[shifty_uk]

Just got up to take the GF to work but the car won't reverse out the drive.

I reversed it last night and heard a clunking noise from the back wheel, pulled into the garage and the hand brake felt somewhat light. Now it just won't reverse out the drive, I've tried easing it out but no matter how hard I try the car won't move! Reverses back to a certain point and the car goes up as if there's something under the back left wheel.

 

[shifty_uk]

Drum I would imagine. It's a Renault Clio.

 

[shifty_uk]

have you tried going forwards? My girlfriend's drums seize when the car is sat sometimes. They will only release when she moves forwards rather than backwards. She has the problem that she goes onto her drive forwards though but it only needs to go a few inches

Can't, there's a wall infront of the car unfortunately.

 

[shifty_uk]

give the drums a thrash with a big hammer, should ping of then.

Looks like it'll have to be this!

there isn't even a few inches?

Yeah, I had roughly just under a metre but it didn't help.

 

[shifty_uk]

Whacking the drum with a mallet failed! I managed to get the car out the drive but the back wheel didn't budge. Drove back into the drive and it appeared to stick on whilst moving forward beyond a certain point.

Just what I needed on Easter Monday!

I'm only 0.1 miles from home, so I doubt the RAC would come out

 

[shifty_uk]

Mechanic is either coming tonight or tomorrow. Any ideas what this is going to cost, require and the length of time it's likely to take for any repairs? Tomorrow is our only day off the entire week, I didn't want to leave the car in a workshop all day.

 

[shifty_uk]

Some chap from EK Jonny, recommended by a neighbour. Last garage(in Hillhouse) I took the car to was a joke.

 

[shifty_uk]

Alison Autos(I think?) on Pollock Avenue?

 

[shifty_uk]

Aye, never again. Asked me to drop the car off at 9am, then pick it up later that night just to fix a blown bulb he didn't fit properly! Told him where to go and bought a new one myself.

Can't get it off myself, had the tyres changed recently and they've screwed the damn thing on too tight.

 

[shifty_uk]

Just an update for some advice:

Mechanic just came out there, he tried and tried but the drum(?) will not budge, apparently he needs to take it to the workshop and grind it off.

He can't do it until Thursday so it looks like I'll have to organise a truck to stick the car on....No idea how much that'll cost? Garage is 5 miles away. Or, I could play dumb and try the RAC, begging them to help me out. Only problem being, as I said, I'm literally just up the road from my house, 0.1 miles according to google maps.

Incredibly gutted, it looks like I'm stuck in the house until Thursday. I don't even want to think about the cost of all this!

 

[shifty_uk]

I don't understand, the car was absolutely fine last night. I heard the clunk noise as I was leaving work. Came home, parked the car up, all was fine. Jumped back in the car to head out later last night and it reversed out and parked up without any issues.

Jack it up onto mcdonalds trays and drag /tow it

Don't think that'll hold up too well on the dual carriageway.

Don't the garage have a recovery vehicle to take your car in?

Apparently they've never needed to use one.

How much is a new drum likely to cost? I saw Renault Kangoo ones online there for £150

 

[shifty_uk]

No need for grinding, hammering, blowtorching(!) or cutting though. A disk/gear puller will have it off in 2 minutes.

http://www.timguydesigns.co.uk/tim/pics/disk-puller.jpg

About £20 from Halfords.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_172526_langId_-1_categoryId_165469

Mechanic had a tool which looked relatively similar to that. Long bar type thing with a level he pulled back and forth.

 

[shifty_uk]

Well, the mechanic had a tool which looked pretty well suited to the job but it really does make you wonder how far they're willing to go, and how much effort they're NOT prepared to put in, in an attempt to get more business.

I'm really not clued up mechanically so I'm not sure.

 

[shifty_uk]

Well, the mechanic tried, failed and said that the only way to get it off would be a grinder?

So, is the £20 worth it, or am I not going to get it off either?

 

[shifty_uk]

Just got a second opinion from a relative, he said the same thing...There should be absolutely no need for any grinding or splitting of the drum, with the correct method and patience it should come off.

It does sound like the chap is full of it. I've got the number for an RAC mechanic, I'll give him a call tomorrow. If not, I'll phone around a few garages

I'd like to give it a go myself but it's the cost of the tools then my obvious inexperience.

 

[shifty_uk]

Oh I know

Just a friend of the relative I mentioned.

 

[shifty_uk]

Thanks for the offer Jonny, I'll keep it in mind for next time and thanks for all the advice guys!

The hand brake is now free! and I'm only £10 out of pocket!

 

[shifty_uk]

Now that sounds a lot better than having drums chopped off and all that jazz!

Aye, guy from the garage at Peacock Cross got it released without touching the wheel!

 

[shifty_uk]

Did he show you the button at the end of the handle?

There's a button?

 

[shifty_uk]

Spent a good while, basically just forcing it out...Which we all tried two or three times but obviously not hard enough. I didn't want to go overboard and end up snapping something! Eventually got the brake released, took the car out for a drive, brought it back, checked it over, said that the pads were obviously still intact. I asked if it would need brought into the garage, he said no need, everything feels fine it was most likely down to dampness or somesuch? It's being taken in to get checked out though, better safe than sorry.

No there isnt a button! he probably just rebooted LOL

Wheel, bulb, oil, coolant changes and general maintenance are the extent of my knowledge unfortunately! Glad I asked though, better to know about these things than trust a mechanic your neighbour recommends!