Vauxhall combo frozen handbreak?

[burts]

53 plate combo, yesterday first day of snow, felt like I was pulling away on a flat tyre, handbrake a little, screeching sound from time to time. Got better as day went on, same again in snow this morning. Gradually got better.
Went to drive at 7:30, it reverses but won't move forward, back lifts etc as if handbrake on?
Has this frozen? Can I sort it?

 

[Burnerman]

Assuming your van has drum brakes rather than discs, I think there's a pretty good chance that the lining material on the brake shoes has come off the metal shoe itself, causing the jamming.
When you press the brake pedal, is there more travel than usual?
John

 

[burts]

The brakes appeared normal over the past 2 days and seems normal now. Symptoms were just sluggish pulling off as if a flat tyre and noises.
I couldn't tell you if they are drum brakes. Just seems as if handbrake is stuck on, very occasionally it moves forward a little bit. So apart from a mo ole mechanic? Nothing I can do?

 

[burts]

I'm sure I remember having my brake discs and pads changed at some point

 

[Burnerman]

I can't recall any combo having rear discs so assuming they are drums the thing to do is to jack the van up at the back and try to turn the wheels by hand.....handbrake off. My guess is that one of the wheels will be stiff to turn. Removing the drums should show what's going on.
To test if the handbrake is working well, both rear wheels should be off the ground. With the handbrake off, both wheels should spin freely......pull the brake on 3 clicks and both wheels should have the same resistance to turn.
Be it a fault with either brake shoes or cables, the brake drums have to come off, unfortunately.
John

 

[burts]

I can't recall any combo having rear discs so assuming they are drums the thing to do is to jack the van up at the back and try to turn the wheels by hand.....handbrake off. My guess is that one of the wheels will be stiff to turn. Removing the drums should show what's going on.
To test if the handbrake is working well, both rear wheels should be off the ground. With the handbrake off, both wheels should spin freely......pull the brake on 3 clicks and both wheels should have the same resistance to turn.
Be it a fault with either brake shoes or cables, the brake drums have to come off, unfortunately.
John

So it's not something that is just stuck that could unstick itself

 

[Burnerman]

If its what I suspect then no - however the handbrake lever will have a different 'feel' to it, of course.
Another possibility is that the handbrake cable has stuck in the on position - sometimes the outer cover splits, water gets in and the inner cable rusts and seizes. Once more, the handbrake feel will be different - as if you aren't pulling against anything.
John

 

[burts]

That's exactly how it feels, that the handbrake is not pulling against up until the last quarter

 

[Burnerman]

One or the other then I guess....either way its drums off (which may well be awkward and needing significant force) to have a look see.
Hope you get back to action real soon!
John

 

[burts]

I left the handbrake off all night. It's moving now but handbrake still feels limp, going to do a diesel run

 

[Burnerman]

Either way, I'd expect the drum to be pretty hot on your return!
John