When it gets really cold out, i have a really wierd problem with my truck when first starting out. ill start her up, and try to go, but it feels like my brakes are locked up or somehting. i have to gas it pretty hard for whatever it is to come unstuck. and it make s a big clunk noise. today i had to put it in 4-wheel, and pretty much gun it to move, and mind you, i wasnt stuck in snow or anyhitng, it was on solid dry pavement. does anyone else have this problem? or does anyone know what the heck is causing it?

I have experienced this too, from time to time. It appears that the rear drums are prone to collecting water and having it freeze the drum to the shoe. Every time it happened, I did what you did, and haven't had any ill effects of doing that. Its related to the grabby brake symptom that occasionally occurs, when the brakes are wet.

make sure that you don't use your emergency brake if it is going to be getting really cold. I think that, that can do the same thing.

Same thing happened to me..that night I used my e-brake, in the morning, when I left the house, my passenger wheel would not move at all. It took a blowtorch, hot salty water, and rocking back and forth to get it free. I never use my e-brake anymore, and no more locking wheels.

leave your truck in gear and don't use the parking break below 32 degrees

other morning that happened im like wth is going on, had truck parked on road beside the house, and we got maybe dusting of snow and im like no way tires are stuck to the road. but i put it in reverse it went so im like ok, next drive and just gave it gas. no problems after that i musta broke off the ice or w/e.

up here in maine its rule of thumb you don't use your e-brake if there is any moisture in the air and it'll be under 32 degrees. I use my ebrake, however, if its already below freezing and it is dry on the ground and in the air. I've dragged a frozen wheel enough times up here using an ebrake in the winter to learn my lesson

Moisture buildup overnight and its freezeing...happend to me this winter while i was in WV...it let go and i thot i broke something!!!!

It's too bad ford never did anything about this problem. I drive a manual truck with a remote starter and when it's cold I can't use it because i leave my truck in gear. If i forget and put the ebrake on my wheel locks up and my driverside drum heats up enough to cook eggs on. Guess it's time for a new Ebrake cable and a thankyou card to FORD

leave your truck in gear and don't use the parking break below 32 degrees

Amen to that I tell ya.
Mind you, my ebrake needs adjusting AGAIN. Seems to be a yearly thing with my Ranger. Seems the ebrake doesn't grab as tightly over time. Now I can't set it on any slight incline as they do not grab at all.
It's a pain to get done every year, but my mechanic doesn't charge me for the adjustment which is good. But he always heckles me and buying a Ford. I figure a little :blahblah: :blahblah: for free labour is worth it.

About 5 deg here this AM and no probs with e-brake. I have never had an issue using brake in winter. I have had e-brake freeze up from not using though.

I always use my e brake because I can't stand the thought of the entire weight of my truck being held in place by the transmission. I guess it's all in my head. I'm gonna stop using it when it gets too cold. It's been getting down below 0 recently and I have had no problems yet. I'd rather just keep it that way.

Yet another strange problem I've experienced, thinking I was the only one.

Apparently not.

My truck was seemingly bolted to the ground the other day and I had to make several attempts to get it free. The emergency brake was not on; I never use the thing. I guessed that the tires were frozen to the ground, but that didn't make sense because none of the other vehicles parked in the same area had that problem, and they all have tires, too.

It is enough to make me wonder if Ford can do anything right. They're going to have to learn how, soon, or there won't be any Ford Motor Company vehicles in my or anybody else's future.

E-brake freezes, and you all blame ford? I doubt ford is the only manufacturer that has this problem. Maybe you guys should buy mountain bikes?

Could not have been the e-brake in my case--it was not set.

Same problem hear too. Hasn't done it in a long time though.

man i have the same thing happen. i kinda started digging it because in the morning when i warm up my truck i dont have to put a rock under the tire to keep it from rolling down the driveway. :rocking:

Don't get me started on this issue, i see it from time to time and it's not just ford motor company vehicles that do it either.... It will happen in any cable if there is any kind of moisture build up in the cable. My ranger's tires seem frozen to the ground on really really cold days, but my friend's neon and buddy's sunfire do it from time to time also.... It happens, not just because it's a Ford. It's the breaks that do it, calipers freeze up if any moisture or water is getting in... a few stops on the road gets them free again.

E-brake freezes, and you all blame ford? I doubt ford is the only manufacturer that has this problem. Maybe you guys should buy mountain bikes?
one of my old buddys had a 89 suburban, i found out it had the same problem after i drove it and set the parking brake. i had to jack it up (he didnt have a clue what to do) and remove the drum. and it was 60 out. and it did it a few more times after that.

I have an Auto, so I don't use my e-brake really at all, but I was doing some work around the yard like 4 months ago, parked on an incline, so I decided to use the e-brake...ya bad idea, it was around 40* outside, I let off the brake and it was locking up my rear wheels until I just all out gased it. Then I ran to the store, smelled the brakes rubing really bad the whole way htere. But I really hate drum brakes, I'm use to FT & Rear discs on a sports car, looks like I gotta swap those bad boys out.

i never had a problem, and im living in New england.. i always use my parking break bad habbit, but i never had sticking. im just glad it has one.. unlike my 87 nissan hardbody :)

up here in maine its rule of thumb you don't use your e-brake if there is any moisture in the air and it'll be under 32 degrees. I use my ebrake, however, if its already below freezing and it is dry on the ground and in the air. I've dragged a frozen wheel enough times up here using an ebrake in the winter to learn my lesson
heh same thing here in mass. .. lol and we don't use the door locks either..

been there..:rolleyes:

oh and it's not just a ford thing btw.. every car does it here as we sit about 300 yards from the atlantic ocean.. at o deg F everything freezes solid due to so much moisture and salt in the air.

Agreed, everybody's parking brake cables are subject to freezing up.

But what about those of us who DON'T USE the parking brake and still have the thing unable to move in the morning? I have yet to have this happen to me on any of my other brands of vehicles...only Ford. And before anyone jumps on me for ragging on Ford, I think I've earned the right--I've owned Fords almost continuously (small break in the dark, dark '80s) since 1966.

Well I have the same problem that happens if it is freezing outside OR 90 degrees F! So it is not neccarily freezing. This is my 5th Ford Ranger in about 18 years, and will be my last if Ford don't swap them over to 4 wheel disks, and produce a crew cab in the Ranger line up.:bs:

Well I have the same problem that happens if it is freezing outside OR 90 degrees F! So it is not neccarily freezing. This is my 5th Ford Ranger in about 18 years, and will be my last if Ford don't swap them over to 4 wheel disks, and produce a crew cab in the Ranger line up.:bs:


unlike those guys who's drums froze to the shoes, somehow mine rusted to the shoes, so I sanded down the inside of the drums, hasn't happened since.:thumbsup:

I always always always use my e-brake when parking on my hill i just dont' trust the tranny holding it like someone said before. I never once have had a problem with it freezing up and we have snow on the ground temperatures well below freezing and it always acts like it does in the summer. Perfect.

I used to have to park in a really steep driveway and my truck liked to slowly roll back down if I only left it in gear... my ebrake was pretty poor and then a few times i forgot to take it off and drove around like that in 4-low... bye, bye e-brake, so i couldn't park on the driveway anymore. Anyways, I had 4 of my brakes freeze up once when I was up in the mountains. I'd been driving in melting snow, and then the temp dropped, and it all froze over. I finally got two wheels free, but one back and one front were frozen.... looked really funny in the parking lot of the ski resort. I just had it towed back in the end since it was dark and i didn't have any tools or hot water, and it was all good the next morning.

living in Alaska for 33 adult years and learned that e-brake thing a long time ago. It is not brand specific ALL cars and trucks are able to have that happen. Another thing that happens is your tires are warmer after driving and when parked overnight the tires freeze to the ground and you have to "pop" them loose. Your lube in your front and rear differentials is also wayyyy thick and it is hard to get going until they roll for a while and warm up through driving. The transmission has the same problem of thickened fluid too. Ands to top that off, at least with mine, is that when the engine is cold and not up to operating temperature it will die when I let the clutch out. So those are issues of cold weather sport truck driving:)