[JerryR]

Thanks for the reply.

Well, I don't think it is the fluid level in the reservoir as I can compress the front calipers with no problem whatsoever. I believe it is related solely to the rear parking brake assembly resisting my efforts to compress the cylinder. However, I don't know how to compress it.

One person I talked to suggested (as you did), screwing the caliper back down. However in examining it closely, I found that it is held rigidly in place and it didn't seem like it would rotate - not even with a special tool to fit over the slave cylinder piston and with notches to engage the notches in the face of the piston. So, I'm guessing that's not how it works.

My other suspicion is maybe there is an adjustment within the parking brake that you have to release to eliminate all tension but I don't know what/where it is. This would seem reasonable since it is a ratcheting type of parking brake. But the question remains, how do you release it fully?

Anyway, I realize I probably need to buy a maintenance manual but I don't believe Chilton has put one out for this year model yet and I don't have the money for the Ford one (though I'm sure it is a good one).

Just hoping to run across someone on this forum who has performed this maintenance before.

Thanks for the reply!