Ford Repair: Brakes, star wheel, screw driver

Question
I have a 1991 Ford Explorer and the emergency(parking) brake is stuck. How do I release or cut it to drive the car?
Thomas Martin

Answer
Mr. Martin,

You will need to remove the rear drum. If it is difficult to get off, remove the rubber plug from the vacuum plate, insert a screwdriver through the hole, raise the adjusting lever off the star wheel and rotate the star adjuster with a brake adjusting tool or screw driver. Your parking brake lever or self adjusting cable is either rusted or broke to the actuating lever. And your actuating lever is probably rusted also. You can disconnect your emergency brake cable off your actuating lever but when you go to get it inspected, it will not pass with the parking brake disconnected. Hope that this helps and good luck.

Ken