Handbrake Adjustment OMG the ‘HOW TO’ is wrong!
 

Just spent most of this afternoon trying to adjust my handbrake following the ‘HOW TO’ here: - http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/index.php?thepage=howto

With reference to the actual adjustment it quotes, ‘Moving the adjuster under as opposed to over should push the shoes closer to the drum.’
This is wrong, as the adjuster has a right hand thread the wheel needs to be pushed up and over to expand the shoes!
After spending a good few hours with my screwdriver thorough one of the wheel nut holes I thought NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD- this for a game of soldiers and whipped the calliper and disk off to actually see what was going on!

As you can see from the photo this is a right-hand thread.
[IMG]http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...e597ca5a63.jpg[/IMG]

Thing is when the cars were built adjusters both point toward the front of the car meaning that on one side you adjust them one way on the other you do the opposite.

Unless like me you've got both adjusters pointing to the right as you have in the picture.;)

It could be both adjusters on the car that the How to was written on had the adjusters pointing left.


Russ

Yes I see your point Russ, and having another look at the ‘HOW TO’ in the photo at the top it shows the adjuster at the front at about 11 o’clock whereas mine is at 1 o’clock on both sides of the car!

That would explain a lot of confusion on a thread last year where some of us said it was one way, some of us said it was the other. Didnt know the little blighters could be fitted either way :(

Tricky little devils aren't they. ;)

Still cause me to curse and swear, maybe how-to should be re-named "how to waste 6 hours and still be unhappy with your handbrake adjustment":D

Third attempt now and still not completely happy with the adjustment:mad:

Russ

Still got far too much travel on mine Russ but reluctant to strip mine down as I know you have and still not happy as you say.

Handbrake? Who needs a handbrake when you can use a peasant to hold your car steady on hills..... :D :getmecoat:

Good spot on the drum adjuster fitting thingymabob. I'll point it out to the chiefs for editing the PDF accordingly.

Get an Automatic and use Park. http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...ons/icon10.gif

Oh, mine point Left, but not mine in How To,
Perhaps one or other is wrong??

I will point that out to the MOT man later this year, If he challenges this could you give me your home and mobile telephone number for him to contact you ;)

Dave our MOT stations Pass with a almost non functioning Handbrake on Automatics,
always have. http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...ons/icon10.gif

Excessive handbrake lever movement (possible cause)
 

I was going to start another thread on this and I still might!
Just had friend's ZT V8 Black Tourer in to repair his Sunroof sliding blind & Handbrake grip pointing skywards problem!

Now this beauty has only done 14k miles so no wear was suspected.
Both adjusters clicked nicely 2 clicks upwards to lock both drum/discs.
No problem there, except handbrake grip still pointing skywards!

Undid the torx screws holding in CD liner under central armrest, to see what was going on with the cables..........Noticed drivers side moving far too much!!

So it was off the driver's side caliper & disc to reveal the inner cable not connected through the lower fulcrum. It looked like it had been like this from the factory. Worse still it had just passed it's 1st MOT like that!!!

Rethreaded the cable correctly and handbrake is now fully on within 2 clicks & holds very well.

Just done my handbrake today (I will call yesterdays balls-up a practice go) :getmecoat:

For the record both my adjusters were the same way around with the capstan on the left & the exposed thread on the right. Mine was built early 2001.

I was on 7 clicks before & still had to avoid steep slopes, now I'm solid on 3 clicks & I would have to force it to make click 4.

One tip I'd make is once you have found the correct location of the capstan in the hole make a score mark on the edge of the disc along the edge of the brake pad. This helps with alignment of the hole after checking for the feel of the shoes on the drum. Another thing I noticed was how little adjustment was needed for the disc/drum to move or be almost fully tight. It felt like only one notch worth of a turn on the capstan.

One job done well and properly :grouphug:

glad you sorted it, mine still seems ok after a few weeks .

Shame they didn't make them auto adjust like on the old Dolomite range (with the similar ratchet wheel arrangement);)

I posted some time back that it depends how they are fitted. They will fit either way round, so expect them to be random from the factory (even if they aren't supposed to be).

Bit like the randomly incorrectly assembled bonnet release divider block then:p: