Thread: All Four Wheels Locked (Handbrake)

Tell the RACQ mechanic he doesn't know what he's talking about.

The handbrake on a Landrover does not work on the wheels - it's a drum brake on the tailshaft just behind the transmission (have a look under your vehicle and you'll see it). Commonly referred to as a transmission brake.

It's waaaaayyy more effective than most parking brakes that work on the wheels. I'd suggest that it might need adjustment / servicing if it's locking on. Driving a Landrover with the parking brake locked on is not good practice - puts a lot of load on your uni joints.

Similarly - don't try to pull a "handbrakey" in a vehicle with a transmission brake. You could find yourself in all sorts of bother.

Actually the RACQ chap did know what he was talking about because he did mention the drum brake on the tailshaft. Also driving forward did tighten the brakes as this was the first thing I did before I called them. (Funny thing was he was a Pom).

Saying "All Four Wheels Locked" is how it appeared to me but obviously it should have been titled "Handbrake Drum Locked Up". But if I knew that this forum wouldn't exist except for people talking about how their cat died on the weekend or some other totally unrelated matter.

Everything seems back to normal again. Coasting like before.

I'll still have a look at the drum....maybe this weekend.

Regards
Andrew

The handbrake has a 1 leading and 1 trailing shoe, so should (in theory) work the same in either direction.

I have never come across your problem. If the car was parked for a while, the shoes could have rusted to the drum - though this is unlikely.

It would be a very good idea to have a look inside.

more likely an ABS related issue.
See if you can get anybody local with a Nanocom to see if there is any faults stored in the SLABS ECU.
GOODLUCK
Andrew

Andy

I did give the ABS a go that morning on the way to work on the wet roads just to see if they functioning OK and they were (straight line emergency break on a quite back street). I was initially thinking the ABS as well but not sure. More leaning towards the drum handbrake somehow getting locked up.

One other thing I generally notice is the ABS resetting when you start the car and I can't recall that but not really looking for it either.

I have experienced it before on a car with drum brakes where only the one wheel was locked up. To fix it I just wound the adjustment back and then it was too loose so I just wound it back up. No dramas after that.

Anyhow will check the faults and see what's in there.

Regards
Andrew

I recently chatted with an older couple who had just bought a D2a,their D2 got written off in Perths hail storms.
They bought the replacement only to have the brakes fail the day they got it.Dealer replaced the ABS pump/modulator.Their brakes locked on by themselves in town here the next day,much what you described.
Andrew

Andy

I'll trial the emergency braking process again and see if it occurs again.

If it is the ABS that will interesting as I just did the Option B 3 Amigos treatment. (Maybe all coincedence which is most likley).

It may also be related somehow to the way the modulator was postioned and handled while it was unpluged which may have opened some float or valve inside (potentially partially open instead fully closed or fully open). Regardless if you take the brake lines out or not you may need to do some form of re-calibration. (Possibly just a matter of resetting the ECU which I didn't)

Anyhow on with more fault finding and diagnostics.

Regards
Andrew

If it happens again, you could jack up one front wheel with the car in neutral and the centre diff unlocked. See if the wheel spins freely. Do the same with a rear wheel.

If it is the hand brake causing the problem, the rear wheel won't turn but the front will (due to the centre diff)