Parking Brake

[FBear]

Since I don't know what type of winter weather you get in Iowa, my rule of thumb is as follows: If it is cold and wet never set the parking brake unless it is absolutely required (facing up or down a hill). If the cable gets wet and you set it, with the temperature at freezing or lower the cable might freeze and you won't be able to release the parking brake when you want to get going.

[jayman]

I figure they are called "parking" brakes for a good reason. My dad taught me to use them all the time, so I do. In temps from -40 up here to much less frigid temps in Utah, I've never had a problem, except on one vehicle.

My 2000 GMC Sierra had 4 wheel disk brakes with rear "drum in hat" parking brake, and that design was remarkably unreliable. For some reason at -30 C or colder, it would be sluggish to release. Never had that problem with any other vehicle.

If you regularly - all the time - use parking brakes, the cables should never seize up. If you never use them, then after say 3-4 years encounter a very steep hill you have to park on, more than likely the parking brake will seize once you apply it.

Case in point: my 1984 Ford F-150, purchased new, parking brake always used. Rust Checked yearly until 1997, and it still has the original factory parking brake cables. YMMV.