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211Racing's avatar
211Racing
Explorer
Mar 13, 2022

Tioga Won't Budge after long neglect. Help, please.

Wife did something sweet but silly to help out a friend. Bought her 2002 Tioga 24d. Base is a Ford e350 Super Duty van. Apparently it has not been started or moved in over a year. (I'll post about my starting questions in another post.) Here I'd like to know why it won't budge. It will run for a few brief seconds on starting fluid, when I get it into neutral. Today I did put a tow strap between the RV and my 4Runner to try to move the RV a little before the tow truck comes tomorrow. Pulled gently until the T4R wheels spun. RV was unmoved. What am I looking at? The parking brake did not seem to be engaged, but was very stiff until I worked the pedal and then the release several dozen times. Do the brakes rust/freeze-shut on these things? Do I need to get it running somehow (fuel directly into fuel rail) to bring it to life? Would really like to have a game plan before the tow shows up. Thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge.

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  • DancinCampers's avatar
    DancinCampers
    Explorer II
    Mar 13, 2022
    My 2006 Jeep Liberty, 4 wheel disc brakes, had shoes in the rear drum assembly for parking brake. Sometimes reversing direction will free drum brakes.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Mar 13, 2022
    Beverley&Ken wrote:
    There's a good possibility that your brakes are 'seized' or badly rusted. Service brakes or parking brake. You may have released the parking brake pedal, but the actual brake may still be on. Also the service brake rotors, pads could be badly rusted.
    The extra power and traction from the tow truck may be enough to free them up to be towed. When you get it home, time for a good inspection of all.

    Ken


    I will double that Now if the "Service" Brakes are disc type they are likely ok but the parking brake is likely a drum type on the drive shaft just aft of the transmission... That's where I'd start.
  • dodge_guy's avatar
    dodge_guy
    Explorer II
    Mar 13, 2022
    If the brakes are rusted after sitting for a year, I’d hate to know what else is that badly rusted under there!
  • Oregun's avatar
    Oregun
    Nomad
    Mar 13, 2022
    Parking brakes will sometimes freeze up if they sit for long period of time. Maybe the gas in the tank has gone stale.
  • Beverley_Ken's avatar
    Beverley_Ken
    Explorer
    Mar 13, 2022
    There's a good possibility that your brakes are 'seized' or badly rusted. Service brakes or parking brake. You may have released the parking brake pedal, but the actual brake may still be on. Also the service brake rotors, pads could be badly rusted.
    The extra power and traction from the tow truck may be enough to free them up to be towed. When you get it home, time for a good inspection of all.

    Ken
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Mar 13, 2022
    Lift a wheel. Will it spin? Repeat all four corners. Block your wheels carefully!

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