Handbrake problem

While I was putting my summer tires on my 95 Tercel I noticed I could
turn one of my back wheels even though the handbrake was pulled tight,
the other wheel was not moveable.
Took the covers off the brakes to be able to compare one side to the
other. On the side that does not work the lever to which the brake
cable is attached is always in a forward position (as if you had the
handbrake pulled). Completely disassembled the broken side, the lever
can be moved with my baby finger however I really have to pull on the
brake cable to get it to come all the way out.
Tried spraying some WD40 on it, made it a bit better but still need to
pull fairly hard.

Does that mean I need to replace that brake cable?
If so should I replace both at the same time?
I can get at all parts except where the 2 brake cables hook up to a Y
thing from which 1 cable goes to my handbrake. This Y thing is above a
heat shield under the centre of my car. I can't figure out how to
remove the heat shield, looks like it's riveted on there. I assume I'm
not the first person that needs to replace a brake cable and generally
I can easily get at parts, a beautiful Toyota feature, so what am I
missing to be able to get at this Y thing?

"FP" <ad@pottnerconsulting.ca> wrote in message
news:1144643858.567569.182490@z34g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> While I was putting my summer tires on my 95 Tercel I noticed I could
> turn one of my back wheels even though the handbrake was pulled tight,
> the other wheel was not moveable.
> Took the covers off the brakes to be able to compare one side to the
> other. On the side that does not work the lever to which the brake
> cable is attached is always in a forward position (as if you had the
> handbrake pulled). Completely disassembled the broken side, the lever
> can be moved with my baby finger however I really have to pull on the
> brake cable to get it to come all the way out.
> Tried spraying some WD40 on it, made it a bit better but still need to
> pull fairly hard.
>
> Does that mean I need to replace that brake cable?[/color]

I think you're answered your own question there. If the lever moves freely
but the cable does not, then the cable is probably binding.
[color=blue]
> If so should I replace both at the same time?[/color]

Since brake cables are usually not all that expensive, I would replace both.
[color=blue]
> I can get at all parts except where the 2 brake cables hook up to a Y
> thing from which 1 cable goes to my handbrake. This Y thing is above a
> heat shield under the centre of my car. I can't figure out how to
> remove the heat shield, looks like it's riveted on there. I assume I'm
> not the first person that needs to replace a brake cable and generally
> I can easily get at parts, a beautiful Toyota feature, so what am I
> missing to be able to get at this Y thing?
>[/color]

You can drill out the rivets on the heat shield and re-rivet or attach with
a screw and nut. Another possibility is to release the cable from the lever
to gain enough slack to pull it back to where you can reach the Y thing.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)