E brake suddenly stopped working

I have a '96 XJ, normally when I used the e brake the handle would only come up about 1/2 way, and tighten, securing the jeep from movement.

So randomly I go to set my ebrake and the handle retracts all the way up, and I almost break my cup holder. You can set the ebrake in gear and the jeep will crawl forward.

The only thing between the ebrake working, and now not working was a trans pan drop and the front u joints replaced. I got it back from the shop and now it doesn't work (been a few days). I looked under and the ebrake cables don't seem to be amiss.

Check your drums for the self adjuster if they are too loose then your e-brake wont work at all.

Check the e-brake cables also. My e-brake doesn't work becuase they slip out of the coupler.

Ger under the truck. You should see 2 cables about 4 inches long sticking out of the tunnel. They have little balls on the end of them. Those little balls fit into a coupler. When it is working fine, the e-brake gets pulled, those balls pull the coupler, and the coupler pulls the brake lines.

If one, or both of the little balls came out of the coupler, that will keep the e-brake from both working, and allow the e-brake handle to move upwards with no resistance.