 Poster: A snowHead
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Running on from my question about windchill in the screenwash thread.- My truck has been suffering in the cold of late.
I just had to replace the battery, which by all accounts looked like the original one, on a 53 plate turbo diesel truck so hasnt done bad.
I have also been suffering from a frozen handbrake, which is easy to get at and thaw out to be honest, but if you cant, I found this on Wiki which might be of help to anyone else with a similar problem.
Frozen brakes...
A frozen parking brake (also called a hand brake or emergency brake) is going to cause a delay, but it can be thawed easily. Unlike most vehicles' "regular" (hydraulic) brake system, the parking brake is a purely mechanical system. It is operated by springs and cable(s) inside a sheath. Water can become trapped in the sheath and freeze solid if it is cold enough. This ice prevents the cable from sliding inside the sheath as designed.
Another possibility is that a cable may be jammed by dried dirt and mud inside the cable--see the Tips section below.
1 Start the vehicle.
2 Release and set the brake repeatedly in an attempt to help dislodge any ice from the brake system.
3 Block as much of the open space between the ground and sides of the vehicle if the brake is still frozen. Shovel snow or arrange other material along the sides of the vehicle. Doing this will create a path for air flow from front to rear of the vehicle, minimizing "losses" from the under the sides of the vehicle. The objective is to get the heat created by the engine and circulated to the radiator at the front of the vehicle, to the rear of the vehicle where most of the parking brake components are located (adjust for locations that differ from those offered in this article). Creating a "channel" under the vehicle by piling snow, etc. in the space under the sides of the vehicle accomplishes just that.
4 Allow the vehicle to "warm up". Wait inside the home or someplace other than inside the vehicle while it is running. Once the engine has warmed, the heated air pulled through the radiator by the fan and heat created by the exhaust system will pass under the length of the vehicle. The more effort used to "seal" the open spaces under the sides of the vehicle, ensures that the warm air passes under its entire length and allows the thaw process to complete in the least amount of time.
5 Hand brake actuator in the "set" position.
Attempt to release the brake again. If still frozen, allow more time for the heat created by the vehicle to continue thawing and/or block open spaces at the front and rear of the vehicle, too (this is particularly helpful if it is gusty or windy). Depressing the accelerator slightly will increase heat, and speed up the engine's mechanical fan; which will force more warm air under the vehicle. (Note that many newer cars, especially those that are front wheel drive, will not have a mechanical fan. The electric fans in these vehicles are unaffected by engine speed and will only turn on once the coolant has reached a predetermined temperature.)
* If the temperature is going to be below 32 degrees F (or 0 degrees C) for extended periods of time, it may be advisable to avoid using the parking brake if this can be done safely.
o When parking the vehicle, leave a standard transmission in gear and an automatic transmission in park.
o Turn wheels towards the curb if parked pointing downhill or away from the curb if pointing uphill so that the car's front wheel rests against the curb.
o However, you must make certain that the car will not roll without the parking brake on.
* Another meaning of "Frozen Parking Brake"--jammed and inoperable: It is possible for cables to become jammed with deposits of dirt (mud and road film).
o If the cable gets enough dirt inside of it, it will jam after it dries and it is very difficult to clean inside of sheathing. Yet, it is possible by soaking it in water, working it back and forth (repeated), drying it and lubricating it with a non-greasy penetrant like silicone lube, etc.
o It would be easier to just get a clean replacement cable, possibly from a wrecking yard (salvage) or a new one.
Failing that get a blowtorch and.....
No not realy!! Just remember to leave your handbrake OFF, so that it doest happen to you the next day, like it did to me! -DOH!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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my handbrake was frozen solid for a week when it was cold before Christmas. No play at all. In the OFF position, but did make for some interesting parking moments. But even quite extensive journeys didn't thaw it out - so waiting for the vehicle's warmth to do the job wouldn't have worked, or not for several days.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Mine froze in France, Road side recovery sorted it out in no time
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