locked up rear brake

tony6264 · Post by **tony6264** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:58 pm

The 87 elite 150 that I just bought has a rear brake that is locked up solid.
Any idea's?
I think it has something to do with that funky parking brake.
Also...I have not pulled the carb yet and tried to get it started and all I get is a lot of grinding and a little puff now and then....carb cleaning time?

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 10:32 pm

Clean carb
Check out rear end.

CharlotteSpreeRider · Sat Apr 11, 2009 10:36 pm

That's a very typical problem on the 80's scoots that have sat with the parking break on for a long time. The inner part of the cable rusts up in the brake applied position.

You could try freeing up the cable, but your best (and safest) bet is to just get a new cable, they're only about $15 brand new.

tony6264 · Post by **tony6264** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:47 pm

a new cable is in the future, but the real problem is that the linkage seems to be stuck.

CharlotteSpreeRider · Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:10 am

The cable pretty much *IS* the linkage. At the rear end, you can hold the cable with a 6mm wrench and turn the nut off completely, and at the lever, it's just a barrel connection that slips off. With both ends disconnected, the cable should move freely in the casing, and the rear wheel should spin free as well. If you remove the cable completely and the rear wheel still feels locked, you're going to have to take the rear wheel off and check things out, which requires removing the muffler. It's a very crude drum brake setup, front and rear, there's not anything to get hung up other than the cable.

-aseigler

mousewheels · Post by **mousewheels** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:58 am

If its not your cable - here's the other stuff that can go wrong

Brake cam can corrode and jam in the case. Rust can build up on the hub/pad and sort of glue the two together.

Here's a pic of a bike with both problems at once. Brake pad tore off when hub was pulled. The brake cam pivot freed up with heat, penetrating oil, vice grips.

evilone · Post by **evilone** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 7:02 am

tony6264 · Post by **tony6264** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 8:55 am

Cable moves freely...its the lever at the wheel that seems to be frozen.
I have sprayed it with penetrating oil and tried beating it lightly with a 2x4 as a cushion. It wont move.

mousewheels · Post by **mousewheels** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 1:24 pm

I'm confident you will get it unstuck in the next few days...

Started with a wood block too - even changed from fir to oak on the block. But after no success, vice grips to extend the length of the arm, and tapped on that. Same as a bolt - oil, soak, heat, cool, oil, tap.... If you can pull the wheel, that will help to get oil and heat in from both sides.

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 1:29 pm

You're gonna want an impact gun now.

Post by **noiseguy** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 2:47 pm

mousewheels wrote: If its not your cable - here's the other stuff that can go wrong

:Puke:

That photo makes me feel better about the Elite I'm working on now.

You're going to need to pull the rear wheel and look inside. Try not to get WD40 on the pads; it ruins them.