How To Unlock Rear Wheels

[Bingster]

I went to move my '47 Desoto yesterday and put it onto a trailer, and the back wheels were frozen. Since I had removed the clutch pedal I could not get it into neutral.

I'm not sure if it was the gears or the rear brakes were applied because I had removed the master cylinder.

I've been told to remove the driveshaft and the wheels should roll. Unless it's the brakes, in which case I have to remedy that situation.

Can I release the clutch somehow and get the gearshift lever into neutral?

And ideas?

We did winch the car up onto the trailer and moved it to my house, but I'd like it to be able to roll.

[55 Fargo]

Get a bar, and move throw out bearing fork on clutch, and place in neutral.

If the car still rolls, and engine turns, you are in gear. If the brakes are frozen,nothing will turn.

Go on the backing plates, and back off all minor brake adjusters, pick up the front end, see if front and rear wheels spin.......

[Eneto-55]

You should be able to tell if it is the brakes by raising the rear, and trying to turn the wheels. If it is just that the car is in gear, then the opposite wheel will turn in the opposite direction, and the driveshaft will not turn at all. I would also think that unless the engine is frozen, or was recently overhauled, it should have just turned the engine over while you were winching it up on the trailer. (It sounds like it just drug the rear wheels.)

Neto

[greg g]

Some times the brakes can be freed up with a couple of strategically placed blows withthe bhf against the drum. Some tappig o the back side of the backing plate where the shoes rest can also assist in releasing them.

You ca also remove the rear of the drive shaft from the pinion and wire it up, it only 4 bolts. Some times the brakes will come loose if you drag the car a bit.

And if that don;t work a big winch.....

[Dodgeb4ya]

It's fluid drive-doesn't matter if it's in gear. The drive shaft will turn in gear or not as long as the E-brake is off. It's more than likely the rear wheel cylinders are stuck outward or the shoes are rusted to the drums. Back off the adjusters including the lower anchor nuts and wack the drums a couple times with a dead blow hammer and this should free the drums up. Or just drag it up on the trailer if you have a strong enough winch just to get it home and deal with it later!

[Merle Coggins]

I'm not sure why you need to release the clutch to put the transmission into neutral. If the engine isn't running there is no load on the gears and you should be able to take the transmission out of gear easily, unless there's a problem with the linkage.

Merle

[Bingster]

The rear wheels did not move when we winched it up onto the trailer. Just dragged it!

The engine ran fine and all wheels moved when the car was towed two or three years ago.

I'll jack up the rear wheels and see if the brakes are locked.

I could not move the emergency brake either way. Could it be stuck? I assume when the handle is moved toward the floorboard it is in release mode.

[Niel Hoback]

Before you loosen those brake anchor bolts, at least mark which way the arrows are pointing so you won't have to do a major adjustment to get them back where they were.