Parking Brake Won't Release

    Had this issue for over a year and I've been to the dealer who looked at it and said I needed to replace the entire hardware in the rear wheel, which was way overkill because it includes the brakes and all. They wanted something like $800 for it! They even agreed it's way overpriced but nothing they could do on price...


    I've just not been using the parking brake at all. If I try and push the brake handle down from the driver's seat, it pops back up on me because it won't release. I've tried WD-40 on the brake's spring in the rear wheel and didn't help, figuring it was getting stuck. I'm pretty sure all I need is that spring as it's not enough spring in it to release the mechanism, but not entirely sure. I've played with it countless times and only way I can get it to release is to hit the release with something so it disengages.


    If I loosen the nut back there, it just loses tension and doesn't help. I have no experience with parking brakes but it's not all that complicated. Just would like to have a brake and not worry about parking on a hill and the gear becoming disengaged from someone when I'm not there.


    Unsure what I could except maybe posting if anyone has a junked sling that would sell me that spring.


    See pic for what I mean. It's not mine, just an image I found.

    What model year are you riding?

    Chances are spring is fine.

    I would lean more toward a binding in the brake cable sheathing.


    Or E-brake adjustment required.


    Loss of tension in the parking brake cable will cause

    illumination of the parking brake indicator. If parking

    brake cable is too long, then handle will not return to full down position and parking brake light will stay

    illuminated.



    1. Pull up on the parking brake lever.

    2. After 2 clicks, the parking brake light should display

    on the instrument cluster. After 8 clicks, the rear

    wheel of the vehicle should not rotate when turning by

    hand. After 10 full clicks of lever travel, the vehicle

    should not move while parked. If the vehicle moves,

    adjustment is necessary.

    Slingshot Flyer! Well, of course it's red... :REDSS:

    Edited 2 times, last by airoutlaw ().

    First thing I would do is disconnect the cable to see if it is a frozen cable vs a caliper issue. If it's in the caliper, I'm sure a good used one can be found really cheaply and you'd have yourself an extra $700 or more for your favorite beverage while doing the work yourself

    Nobody gets outta here ALIVE

    Quote from Funinthesun

    First thing I would do is disconnect the cable to see if it is a frozen cable vs a caliper issue. If it's in the caliper, I'm sure a good used one can be found really cheaply and you'd have yourself an extra $700 or more for your favorite beverage while doing the work yourself

    Yeap, agree with Funinthesun , djvj pop the cable out of the parking brake mechanism and try to isolate where the problem is, once the cable is out you will be able to see if the caliper is the issue or the cable. If the caliper is the issue, just let us know we have several here from Big Brake Conversions like MACAWS mentioned.

    So it's a 2017.


    By disconnecting the brake mechanism, you mean that nut in the picture? When I loosen that nut, the cable moves freely. I don't feel any tension in the lever/cable then. When I tighten it, causes the lever to push up a few clicks and the light to pop on.

    This is just something that happened to me. I have had 2 different rear caliper covers. I was going to reinstall, I think it was the Twist Cover. I forgot the emergency brake was on when I installed it. When I tighten the nut the cover was against the cable lever and the emergency brake would not release until I took the nut off and released the emergency brake. I then reinstalled the Twist Cover. I am not saying that this maybe your problem because you have tried everything already. This is just information for others that are installing covers over the rear brake caliper. :thumbsup:

    Thanks for the info, but yea I don't have a cover on mine. I've tried tightening that nut with the lever up and down, and always the same thing. Once I push the lever down to release the brake, it pops back up on me.

    Quote from FunCycle

    I have rarely used the emergency brake in my 74 years, I would be willing to bet the fingers and toes cover the amount of times


    Ever since I had an Auto Stick VW Beetle pop out of gear and roll backwards over a cliff in WV I have set the parking brake every time I park in everything I have driven. Also became habit driving rigs with air brakes.


    BTW that bug lazily rolled side over side probably 3 times. We rolled it over on to its wheels, the door handles where pushed in and the roof/fenders dented but it started and we drove it out of the woods.


    ..... wacky-squared


    .

    :REDSS: The ghost of SLingshot past ......

    I think I remember something similar in a Woddy Allen Movie -

    The more people I meet

    The more I love my Dog!


    the rear caliper is only $300 and the e brake entire thing is with it... I put one on last year...


    it’s not a hard job.... a few bolts.... the nut and remove the cable..


    then do a complete brake bleed with the e brake released. and e brake adjustment.

    Thanks for the info Bigdog. That price is waaay cheaper than the dealer gave me. Seems I could get a used one for quite a bit cheaper still and should be good enough. I think I'd rather go that route.


    One thing that worries me is I don't think I have access to the underside of the e-brake handle with my rear welter exhaust piping under there to do that adjustment. I think I recall it blocks access from reaching it. I'd have to lift it and check if it comes down to it.

    Quote from djvj

    Thanks for the info Bigdog. That price is waaay cheaper than the dealer gave me. Seems I could get a used one for quite a bit cheaper still and should be good enough. I think I'd rather go that route.


    One thing that worries me is I don't think I have access to the underside of the e-brake handle with my rear welter exhaust piping under there to do that adjustment. I think I recall it blocks access from reaching it. I'd have to lift it and check if it comes down to it.

    the rest of his price was shop time labor....installation...

    Are you sure the e brake isn’t adjusted too tight to release.... it’s double nutted..maybe it spun up...