Hand brake advice
Discussion
Gents
I have just failed at MOT because the nearside rear was showing little resistance when the handbrake was applied.
I have adjusted it up at the hub and also at the lever and it is much better and will now probably pass but the drivers side is still much better than the passengers.
Is there an adjustment for balancing the two sides? 1 cable, 2 wheels, there must be a T piece somewhere.
Any advice? Thanks.
I have just failed at MOT because the nearside rear was showing little resistance when the handbrake was applied.
I have adjusted it up at the hub and also at the lever and it is much better and will now probably pass but the drivers side is still much better than the passengers.
Is there an adjustment for balancing the two sides? 1 cable, 2 wheels, there must be a T piece somewhere.
Any advice? Thanks.
On the 3rs and M400s (Those are the only models I've worked on...), the handbrake handle connects with a threaded rod to the middle of an aluminum bar, located in the rear of the tunnel. The two cables (one for each side) connect to the ends of this bar. The balance between the two sides is set at the wheels, and you can set the overall pull of the handle by adjusting the threaded rod in the tunnel.
I'd start with jacking up and supporting the back end of the car, removing both rear wheels, calipers, and rotors. Inspect the shoes, maybe rough them up a little with a piece of sandpaper. Check the drum portion of the rotor, too. Clean out the dust, and lightly hit with your sandpaper. Check the little block that keeps the shoe in place - the shoe should slide freely under the notch in the block. If not, trim the notch a little with a file. Be sure to use a little threadlocker on the bolt that holds the block in place - the bolt has a tendency to back out. Make sure the little mechanism that expands the shoe is moving freely, and the lever that attaches to the cable is in the same place on each side. Adjust the shoe until it's touching the drum, then back it off a few clicks, until the drum turns freely without dragging. Adjust both sides the same way, backing off both sides the same number of clicks. Pull up the handbrake, and see if it takes the same amount of force to turn each wheel - adjust a click or two to even out the wheels. Adjust the handbrake lever travel by adjusting the nuts that hold the aluminum onto the threaded rod in the tunnel. Check that the shoes are not dragging on the drum when the handbrake is released - if they drag, the linings overheat and crack or glaze.
I'd start with jacking up and supporting the back end of the car, removing both rear wheels, calipers, and rotors. Inspect the shoes, maybe rough them up a little with a piece of sandpaper. Check the drum portion of the rotor, too. Clean out the dust, and lightly hit with your sandpaper. Check the little block that keeps the shoe in place - the shoe should slide freely under the notch in the block. If not, trim the notch a little with a file. Be sure to use a little threadlocker on the bolt that holds the block in place - the bolt has a tendency to back out. Make sure the little mechanism that expands the shoe is moving freely, and the lever that attaches to the cable is in the same place on each side. Adjust the shoe until it's touching the drum, then back it off a few clicks, until the drum turns freely without dragging. Adjust both sides the same way, backing off both sides the same number of clicks. Pull up the handbrake, and see if it takes the same amount of force to turn each wheel - adjust a click or two to even out the wheels. Adjust the handbrake lever travel by adjusting the nuts that hold the aluminum onto the threaded rod in the tunnel. Check that the shoes are not dragging on the drum when the handbrake is released - if they drag, the linings overheat and crack or glaze.
Jim O. said:
On the 3rs and M400s (Those are the only models I've worked on...), the handbrake handle connects with a threaded rod to the middle of an aluminum bar, located in the rear of the tunnel. The two cables (one for each side) connect to the ends of this bar. The balance between the two sides is set at the wheels, and you can set the overall pull of the handle by adjusting the threaded rod in the tunnel.
I'd start with jacking up and supporting the back end of the car, removing both rear wheels, calipers, and rotors. Inspect the shoes, maybe rough them up a little with a piece of sandpaper. Check the drum portion of the rotor, too. Clean out the dust, and lightly hit with your sandpaper. Check the little block that keeps the shoe in place - the shoe should slide freely under the notch in the block. If not, trim the notch a little with a file. Be sure to use a little threadlocker on the bolt that holds the block in place - the bolt has a tendency to back out. Make sure the little mechanism that expands the shoe is moving freely, and the lever that attaches to the cable is in the same place on each side. Adjust the shoe until it's touching the drum, then back it off a few clicks, until the drum turns freely without dragging. Adjust both sides the same way, backing off both sides the same number of clicks. Pull up the handbrake, and see if it takes the same amount of force to turn each wheel - adjust a click or two to even out the wheels. Adjust the handbrake lever travel by adjusting the nuts that hold the aluminum onto the threaded rod in the tunnel. Check that the shoes are not dragging on the drum when the handbrake is released - if they drag, the linings overheat and crack or glaze.
Think they are all the same Jim as my 2.5 is the same as how you describeI'd start with jacking up and supporting the back end of the car, removing both rear wheels, calipers, and rotors. Inspect the shoes, maybe rough them up a little with a piece of sandpaper. Check the drum portion of the rotor, too. Clean out the dust, and lightly hit with your sandpaper. Check the little block that keeps the shoe in place - the shoe should slide freely under the notch in the block. If not, trim the notch a little with a file. Be sure to use a little threadlocker on the bolt that holds the block in place - the bolt has a tendency to back out. Make sure the little mechanism that expands the shoe is moving freely, and the lever that attaches to the cable is in the same place on each side. Adjust the shoe until it's touching the drum, then back it off a few clicks, until the drum turns freely without dragging. Adjust both sides the same way, backing off both sides the same number of clicks. Pull up the handbrake, and see if it takes the same amount of force to turn each wheel - adjust a click or two to even out the wheels. Adjust the handbrake lever travel by adjusting the nuts that hold the aluminum onto the threaded rod in the tunnel. Check that the shoes are not dragging on the drum when the handbrake is released - if they drag, the linings overheat and crack or glaze.
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