Just got in the van, and as I was about to pull away I put my foot down and nothing happened. Then a loud bang and off we go. Sounded/felt like I’d gone over something so I got out to check: All clear.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t have the handbrake on, I mean, I’ve never done that before, but I can’t think what else it could be? I’m on level ground so can’t test properly for functionality, although it does click as normal and I can’t push it (small van)

Any ideas? It doesn’t get used very often if that helps, last time it was used was 8 days ago.

the pads had corroded onto the disks, you’ve freed them up now 🙂

My Morris Minor used to leave 60ft long skids on one side as one of the drums always stuck after the handbrake had been on for a while.

Ahh, phew. So ‘normal’ then? Ie, nothing to worry about? It’s a 2004 Suzuki Carry.

Cheers

probably drums at the back so even more likely that the shoes had stuck to the drum.

As long as it all works ok now you should be fine.

Great, thanks 🙂

Did make the wee student girl jump that was walking past 😈

wwaswas – Member
the pads had corroded onto the disks, you’ve freed them up now

Yeah, this. Mine does it if I wash the car and then don’t drive it for a few days.

I would check the drums , could be seized part on the assembly, if it is sticking, could ruin your pads, drums

Shoes sticking to drums, fairly common.

Took my test on a motorbike that had a sticking rear drum brake (had a slack chain as well for added effect). Schools response was ‘they all do that, just give it more gas/clutch’. Like flip do they, it was barely rideable!

As above, just double check the mechanism hasn’t seized. It’ll be an obvious very strong burning smell after a few miles driving, get out and walk round the van.

After you’ve driven a distance, place your hand next to each wheel brake calliper. If you feel excess heat at one of them something is sticking, if all pretty cool then you’ve nothing to worry about.

No heat/burning smell.

All good. Thanks chaps 🙂

For a moment I thought ‘handbrake’ was a euphemism for ‘banjo’…

When/if I’m ever in the unfortunate situation where I think I may have snapped my banjo string I’ll be sure to come straight on STW for advice.

could also indicate a rusty brake cable.

If you leave the car for a few days and you get the bang when driving off then it is often the drum liners sticking to the drum.

If the car had not long been used it could be either something sticking or a lip causing it to get stuck or it could indicate a handbrake cable is rusting inside (normally due to a split in the outer) so it is not releasing properly.

does the lever feel a bit ‘elastic’?

Common fault on Suzuki carry/ bedford rascals. I’ve freed load of them off over the years. Leave it in gear with handbrake off if it keeps happening.

I had a brake shoe lining stuck to the inside of the drum once and when it when bang as I tried to pull away I thought weird. . I stripped drum off to find the lining had come off the shoe all together and was floating inside drum.

don’t do what an ex colleague did, they said something didn’t feel right on the front, what transpired was the front brake had partially siezed on, the aluminum wheel warped from the heat.

My caravan does this, I think most old ones do. Knackered and very frazzled after a long gruelling trip back from Germany I was trying to position it on the slope near my house, I thought I had both the brake on and the mover coupled, but I had neither and it was staying in place by the stuck drum. It let go with a bang and started rolling towards the car. After what seemed like ages of standing there watching impending doom I leapt in to grab the lever but it hit the house instead, which slowed it. Only moved about 4ft in reality.