Hello chaps! Recently took my '92 4.0 in for its MOT and it required some handbrake adjustment. Just drove it back and there is a smell of burning breaks and lots of heat round the rear wheels.

Got back. Jacked up the car, put it in P and removed the handbrake. Both the rear wheels feel like there is some resistance when they spin.

How easily should the rear wheels usually spin? Would an over adjusted handbrake cause this issue? Does it seem likely the brakes themselves have seized? Cheers for your help!

Colin

 

Colin,

I'm guessing you put it in Neutral when you tried to spin the rear wheels? Naturally they won't turn when in Park.

In Neutral, the rear wheels will not spin anywhere near as easily as the front because of the resistance of the diff. So a slight resistance is usual.

If you can turn the wheels ok by hand, then I suspect that the brakes are not seized. Also, I'm not really sure that you would tend to get heat soak at the wheel very much if you had seized inboard brakes.

I would start by seeing see if the car rolls on a very slight incline with the handbrake released. Then see if there's any difference with the handbrake disconnected.

Good luck

Paul

 

Yes I did put it in neutral. Just tried the handbrake on a slight hill and it rolled back just fine. After a 30 minute drive only a faint brake smell and only really able to smell it up close so hopefully I'm all good? Probably left the handbrake on slightly when I drove back from the garage or something.

 

Colin,

so easily done! We've all been there!

Paul