You guys are the best. The Big Bear is fixed. I jacked up the rear so I could get to the wing nuts. I loosened them and put penetrating oil on everything but the family cat. Checked the brake levers to see if they had the right amount of squeeze, and then I checked the foot brake. And there was the problem. Wasn't a cable at all, but the foot brake (which I rarely use) hadn't been lubed in last 20,000 times I took it through the mud and water and it was semi-frozen in the down position, causing the brakes to contact the drum. I blasted that with penetrating oil and white lithium grease, worked it up and down till my arm hurt and all is well.

If it wasn't for your feedback, I'd have pulled the wheel, tried to get the drum off, made a mess, thrown half of my tools against the far wall, and used every cuss word I could remember. And then...a day or two later, I'd have found that foot brake lever being stuck. But all that ugly stuff didn't happen.

Thanks.