How to Solve Brake Locking in a Van?
2 Answers
There are two methods to solve the problem: 1. Brake locking usually occurs on rainy days or after washing the car, when the vehicle has been parked for a certain period, generally about a day. The inside of the rear brake drum and the surface of the brake pads are prone to rust, leading to rust locking. The first solution is to forcibly start the car and rev the engine hard. As long as the rear wheels move, the problem will be resolved; 2. The second method is to remove the tire and tap the brake drum with a hammer or similar tool a few times to loosen the brake drum and brake pads. This method does not require checking anything, as it is a normal phenomenon. As long as appropriate measures are taken, such problems can be avoided; 3. To prevent brake locking, first, after washing the car or when the brake drum gets wet in the rain, do not park immediately. Drive for a while and press the brakes a few more times to allow the moisture inside to evaporate. Alternatively, when parking, do not engage the handbrake. For manual transmission, put the car in first gear, and for automatic transmission, put it in P gear. The car will absolutely not roll. This way, the brake drum and brake pads will not come into contact, preventing rust locking.
Driving a van with locked brakes is indeed frustrating, and I totally understand that feeling of the steering wheel pulling to one side. The most common cause is a seized wheel cylinder, especially in older vehicles after rain. You can try stomping hard on the accelerator a few times first—sometimes that can shake it loose. If the tire feels hot to the touch, definitely don't force it to drive, as the high temperature can warp the wheel hub! I encountered this situation once while delivering goods for my shop. As a temporary fix, you can use a small hammer (be careful not to hit too hard) to tap the inner side of the locked wheel hub a few times to reset the wheel cylinder piston. However, this is just a temporary solution. In the end, you'll need to lift the wheel and either clean and maintain the rusted wheel cylinder or replace it entirely for peace of mind. By the way, vans carrying heavy loads should be checked more frequently for brake return springs—they wear out easily when overloaded.
