Seized brakes

July 11, 2020, 10:56:02 AM

Hello,

I am new to the forum and apologise if this is a basic question.

I have a mk2 Golf 1.6 driver 1991 that has been sitting on my driveway for a few years. The brakes are seized. What would you do to unseize them. A few years ago a mechanic got in the car when it was running and tried to move off but the car stalled.

Is there a better way of unseizing? fronts are disc and backs are drums.

What replacement parts would you look at replacing afterwards.

Thanks.

Re: Seized brakes

Reply #1 – October 27, 2020, 09:06:01 AM

Hi, if you've ever watched any of the classic car salvage restoration type programs, Car SOS and the like you'll see driving, or dragging a car with stuck brakes is sometimes enough to free up to get the wheels turning. Obviously take off the handbrake. So this is likely what your mechanic guy was trying to do. But if too badly seized then there might not be much joy.

Usually it's just surface rust forming on the brake surfaces that with a bit of force will clean off. However if the rubber seals are perished in the callipers on the front and wheel cylinders on the rear then the moving parts could be rusted stuck.

Jack up and get the wheels off and take it all apart. Clean up best you can and see what you're dealing with. But for safety sake you as well just replace the lot, it's all cheap enough and you'll know you can depend on the brakes after. 100% change the rubber flexi brake pipes. and of course check all of the metal pipes. If there's any issues they'll fail an MOT any way so you may as well check it all yourself.

If you don't have one yet, get a workshop manual. Haynes is good enough.