Possible Cure for Dodgy Handbrake.. - Page 2

Mel Dawson · 11th July 2011, 19:52

Hi Kissifer,
Thanks for link to South Lakeland,I to have just ordered one lets hope it cures problem.

Thanks Mel

chrissyboy · 11th July 2011, 21:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by James_Death

Was £10 delivery on the handbrake...and that was at the price it has been for a good while of £25.

Well i said i had adjusted the handbrake at the wheels for some drag at two notches on the handbrake but once the wheels were on it moves more easily.

On the way for the test i was on a steep hill and had to pull up the hand brake more... went in and luckily the MOT bloke is a fellow biker and good bloke told me hand brake was up from the previouse 9% to 50% but not good enough but told me to go back and adjust them, this time i did them tighter at the two clicks on the handbrake and when handbrake off they spun freely still.

Went back and was fine i didnt do the 3 clicks i simply yanked it on and some testers test themselves and some let you apply it, i think i was at 4 clicks 5 max i know they were solid by hand on 3 clicks with the wheels off.
4 clicks solid by hand with the wheels on.

So dont know if there are still some issues this time it has to be the rear cables if anything.
Talking to the mechanic he says all cables eventually stretch he still even gets them coming in with knots tied in them.

But mine is working fine now...

dont understand the click bit on the hand brake test ,as you press the button in and pull up till the car is kicked back out of the rolling road then the measurements are stored

James_Death · 11th July 2011, 23:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrissyboy

dont understand the click bit on the hand brake test ,as you press the button in and pull up till the car is kicked back out of the rolling road then the measurements are stored

Sorry was just referring to the hand brake set up as per the forum should have been clearer... sorry...

James_Death · 11th July 2011, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

I think you are falling into the trap of still leaving too much play. All you need is the shoes barely clearing the drum, or just barely touching, so it is already being applied at the first click. Two should hold it on most slopes and at three the tyres will leave rubber on the road if you tried to drag it.

The higher the point at which the handbraks starts to work, the less effective it is simply because the amount of leverage your arm can produce falls dramatically as the angle worsens.

If you can easily push the car on a smooth flat surface with the handbrake in the off position, it is not dragging. I'll bet you can still push yours at two clicks?

Get it set so it is fully applied at three clicks and the handbrake is brilliant, as good as they get.

Thanks for that ill have to measure how long the shaft is but dont really want to go over the 25mm especially the mess it was before spinning in the housing.

Ill try the push test at 2 clicks...

Yep can push it on 2 and even 3 clicks however i have rear clonks etc now that have appeared overnight...

HarryM1BYT · 12th July 2011, 17:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by James_Death

Thanks for that ill have to measure how long the shaft is but dont really want to go over the 25mm especially the mess it was before spinning in the housing.

Ill try the push test at 2 clicks...

Yep can push it on 2 and even 3 clicks however i have rear clonks etc now that have appeared overnight...

Still far too much play then, take it up at the shoe adjusters. They are known to clonk - apparently the shoes are not rigidly fixed and there is some rotational play allowing them to turn a little. So even with the handbrake on, you may be able to rock the car back and forth turning the rear wheels a few degrees. Sometimes it can produce a creaking noise as it moves.

If anyone has one of these bent item 4's on the Rimmers diagram, (the metal Y splitter) which they no longer need - rather than bin it, I will happily pay postage to get my hands on one. I'm just curious to see if I could modify it to make it a bit more robust, now James seems to have at last got to the bottom of the problem of the 'cable stretch issue'.

denis · 12th July 2011, 20:49

James D - That is a teriffic picture on your start of this post. I tried adjusting my handbrake the weekend. including the spacer business which I still don't think can work as you are just leaving the nut further up the threaded section under the lever. I believe the idea that the cables are slightly too long to start with is the best I've heard so far. I'll read through the entire post and all the responses and see where we go from here. I'm at four clicks best but I do think the brake is on adequately at three now that I have meticulously adjusted at the wheel ends and under the lever. Just have to see how the August MOT goes!!!!

On studying James D's picture of the primary cables (with the square sections) these are what stop the cable pulling through the housing further when you wind up on the lever nut. I reckon if you file some of the squared section closest to the lever to the same diameter as the threaded section, and use a spacer, it will pull further through the housing. This may give the extra needed to tighten the lever pull.

stocktake · 12th July 2011, 20:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

.

If anyone has one of these bent item 4's on the Rimmers diagram, (the metal Y splitter) which they no longer need - rather than bin it, I will happily pay postage to get my hands on one. I'm just curious to see if I could modify it to make it a bit more robust.

That won't be a problem harry

Unless somebody has one already I will sort that out when i have changed mine....

zony · 12th July 2011, 21:46

Just ordered mine. Hope they have some left. Does centre console need to come out?

HarryM1BYT · 12th July 2011, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by stocktake

That won't be a problem harry

Unless somebody has one already I will sort that out when i have changed mine....

Thanks Dave!

Is there an easy way to take a peek at this little beastie? I suppose I really ought to check mine for distortion.

stocktake · 13th July 2011, 06:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

Thanks Dave!

Is there an easy way to take a peek at this little beastie? I suppose I really ought to check mine for distortion.

Don't think so it appears to be under a plate that is under the rear section of the carpet, new territory for me

12th July 2011, 20:49	#16
denis Gets stuck in 2004 MG-ZT CDTi 135 Saloon in TROPHY YELLOW + Synergy Two-wow and an Aussy import RAV 4 2.4L Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Folkestone Posts: 784 Thanks: 4 Thanked 30 Times in 22 Posts	Picture James D - That is a teriffic picture on your start of this post. I tried adjusting my handbrake the weekend. including the spacer business which I still don't think can work as you are just leaving the nut further up the threaded section under the lever. I believe the idea that the cables are slightly too long to start with is the best I've heard so far. I'll read through the entire post and all the responses and see where we go from here. I'm at four clicks best but I do think the brake is on adequately at three now that I have meticulously adjusted at the wheel ends and under the lever. Just have to see how the August MOT goes!!!! On studying James D's picture of the primary cables (with the square sections) these are what stop the cable pulling through the housing further when you wind up on the lever nut. I reckon if you file some of the squared section closest to the lever to the same diameter as the threaded section, and use a spacer, it will pull further through the housing. This may give the extra needed to tighten the lever pull. Last edited by denis; 12th July 2011 at 21:18..

11th July 2011, 19:52	#11
Mel Dawson Passed Away 2004 facelift saloon cdti se connoisser Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brixham Posts: 765 Thanks: 88 Thanked 22 Times in 17 Posts	Hi Kissifer, Thanks for link to South Lakeland,I to have just ordered one lets hope it cures problem. Thanks Mel

12th July 2011, 21:46	#18
zony Regular poster MG ZT-T Join Date: May 2011 Location: Gellilydan Posts: 48 Thanks: 22 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	Just ordered mine. Hope they have some left. Does centre console need to come out?