help with my handbrake

[sshenton1975]

I'm new to all this - handbrake - is it just my car or are they all crap!!?
Seriously don't think it would pass an MOT as it is at the moment. Picked up the car this week - failed last MOT on handbrake being below minimum and it still feels pretty rubbsh. Parked it in gear just to be safe!!

Any feedback?

Cheers

Simon

[Ed FM]

Sorry not much help but generally pretty crap.

[Ireland]

New handbrake shoes and lots of fiddly adjusting WILL improve it.

But it'll probably never be as good as the one in your "sensible" car.

Also keep in mind that you normally pull the handbrake up from a point below you.

In the Cerb you start to pull the lever from above you so it'll always be more difficult to apply it.

[newberry]

Had my car 6 months now and my handbrake works fine and has since I got it, its just everything else that's giving me problems

[Old Geezer]

Trouble with these is that they never bed in as they are only used when not moving so need to be set spot on.

I gave mine some use recently by pulling on a bit while slowing to see if it it helped..

I got under the car on Monday and tightend up the cable adjuster and now it is so much better!

Locks the wheels!

Shame it failed the MOT on the Emmisions!!

Steve

[kojak]

Mines crap too.

[Far Eastender]

They can be improved. On my last service at Leven in Basildon, I was even asked 'three clicks or four'. Needless to say, now works OK, but I always put it in gear when parked.

[Allandwf]

Mines crap to, but if it holds on a slight incline it should pass, mine did, but totally useless for hill starts, traffic lights on hills etc. I just had to adapt my driving to suit. Park it leave it in gear and point the wheels into the curb.

[JensenA]

jack the car up, remove the rear wheels, and make sure the handbrake is off.
Adjust the main cable adjuster to remove any slack - it's located on the driver side just above the rear diff.
Then adjust the individual shoe adjusters. In the hub at approximately the 6 o'clock position there is a small hole, look inside there with a torch and you'll see the brass handbrake adjuster - a small toothed wheel. Using a flat blade screwdriver, click this round and keep turning the hub until the shoes just start to bind. Do this on both sides.

[Dirty Boy]

JensenA said:

jack the car up, remove the rear wheels, and make sure the handbrake is off.
Adjust the main cable adjuster to remove any slack - it's located on the driver side just above the rear diff.
Then adjust the individual shoe adjusters. In the hub at approximately the 6 o'clock position there is a small hole, look inside there with a torch and you'll see the brass handbrake adjuster - a small toothed wheel. Using a flat blade screwdriver, click this round and keep turning the hub until the shoes just start to bind. Do this on both sides.

Thanks, i'll give this a go, as it's the only reason the wife doesn't like driving it.

[alderley]

JensenA said:

jack the car up, remove the rear wheels, and make sure the handbrake is off.
Adjust the main cable adjuster to remove any slack - it's located on the driver side just above the rear diff.
Then adjust the individual shoe adjusters. In the hub at approximately the 6 o'clock position there is a small hole, look inside there with a torch and you'll see the brass handbrake adjuster - a small toothed wheel. Using a flat blade screwdriver, click this round and keep turning the hub until the shoes just start to bind. Do this on both sides.

I have found that ground up dust from the handbrake shoe friction material can stop the shoes squeezing directly on metal. Take the disc off and clean out inside, it helps mine a lot.

[JensenA]

alderley said:

JensenA said:

jack the car up, remove the rear wheels, and make sure the handbrake is off.
Adjust the main cable adjuster to remove any slack - it's located on the driver side just above the rear diff.
Then adjust the individual shoe adjusters. In the hub at approximately the 6 o'clock position there is a small hole, look inside there with a torch and you'll see the brass handbrake adjuster - a small toothed wheel. Using a flat blade screwdriver, click this round and keep turning the hub until the shoes just start to bind. Do this on both sides.

I have found that ground up dust from the handbrake shoe friction material can stop the shoes squeezing directly on metal. Take the disc off and clean out inside, it helps mine a lot.

Good point - and while your at it you'll be able to check if the shoes need replacing.

[baztvr]

I mentioned that the handbrake was crap to a mechanic at TVR power, he just said 'yep the're all the same. but as long as you can pull it on tight enogh at MOT time thats all you can wish for'.