Handbrake
Author
Discussion

Pipeandacrepe

Original Poster:

145 posts

164 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
Can anybody suggest somewhere in Hertfordshire that can adjust my handbrake? This is my first fault so not had the pleasure of any specialists yet. I think it just needs adjusting, but don't want to get ripped off.

Cheers.

QBee

22,502 posts

174 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
Pipeandacrepe said:
Can anybody suggest somewhere in Hertfordshire that can adjust my handbrake? This is my first fault so not had the pleasure of any specialists yet. I think it just needs adjusting, but don't want to get ripped off.

Cheers.
What's wrong with it? Three clicks the car rolls, four is a bd to get on and off? Mine's like that and I am told it cannot be improved. Goes on easier with my foot on the brake.

Pipeandacrepe

Original Poster:

145 posts

164 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
That's exactly it. I have to park it on a steep drive. st, I hope it can be fixed. I nearly rolled into the house earlier.

Dr Mike Oxgreen

4,466 posts

195 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
If your drive is properly steep, the handbrake will never hold, I'm afraid. And even if it seems to hold, experienced owners do not trust it!

You'll need to park in gear, and start the engine with your foot on the foot brake.

QBee

22,502 posts

174 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
My TVR expert says he cannot adjust it. If you put your foot on the foot brake, the handbrake pulls on easier. Put it in gear when you park it, and start it with your foot on the brake and clutch. It's all I can suggest. I hate it too, and as my car is in for service right now, I will ask him again if it can be adjusted.

According to pages 174-5 of the Steve Heath bible, there is an adjuster inside the transmission tunnel, and self-adjusters somewhere around the rear suspension. I imagine that, being a TVR, whatever you do to the adjuster is undone by the self-adjusters!

TJC46

2,199 posts

236 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
QBee said:
My TVR expert says he cannot adjust it. If you put your foot on the foot brake, the handbrake pulls on easier. I will ask him again if it can be adjusted.

According to pages 174-5 of the Steve Heath bible, there is an adjuster inside the transmission tunnel, and self-adjusters somewhere around the rear suspension.
It can be adjusted but its a bit hit and miss. Adjust it too much with very little travel on the handbrake lever, and it will probably be worse.

Its a compromise between adjusting the knurled white plastic nut, and leverage of the lever.

I fitted a new cable last winter as the white plastic adjuster had stripped its threads.

It was still trial and error, even with a new cable, new rear calipers and pads.

I just tell the garage at MOT time to press on the brake pedal and hold whilst you lift the handbrake lever, and this way it works good enough, to pass the MOT at least.

Black arrow is the white plastic adjuster,attached to the left hand side of the handbrake cable and adjusted at this point on the chassis.

Purple arrow indicates the point of the handbrake cable on the right side where it is fixed [non adjustable] onto the chassis.


QBee

22,502 posts

174 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
Pipeandacrepe said:
That's exactly it. I have to park it on a steep drive. st, I hope it can be fixed. I nearly rolled into the house earlier.
Get a house with a flat drive? After all, which is more important? I am moving house because the new one has a garage. rolleyesrolleyesrolleyesrolleyes

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

32,034 posts

265 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
yikes they have a handbrake?

QBee

22,502 posts

174 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
More seriously, a couple of low concrete blocks to park the front wheels against, handbrake on with foot brake (and driver) depressed, leave car in gear. I always had to park my mark 1 1967 Mini in gear

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

32,034 posts

265 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
Pipeandacrepe said:
That's exactly it. I have to park it on a steep drive. st, I hope it can be fixed. I nearly rolled into the house earlier.
As said

Just leave it in gear, that should hold the beggar (in conjunction with the little help offered by the handbrake)

QBee

22,502 posts

174 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
My handbrake on 4 clicks works fine. Just hard to get it on (it's me age, doctor) and a two handed bd to get it off again

Sardonicus

19,457 posts

251 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
quotequote all
Calipers functioning properly with Genuine Motorcraft/Lucas pads and the handbrake functions as it should biggrin it all goes to pot when people substitute after-market brake pads or worse performance/harder material rolleyes people adjusting the cable to give less clicks only makes matters worse as the handbrake operating arms only do the job if they return to their stops on every handbrake release smile manufacturers spend a lot of time getting the friction balance right scratchchin OE generally works best most of the time IMO whistle



Edited by Sardonicus on Tuesday 12th March 11:48

over_the_hill

3,335 posts

276 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
quotequote all
As above.
Three clicks sometimes catches and holds but I wouldn't trust it so leave in gear as well.
Four clicks needs both feet braced against the dash and both hands on the lever. (still leave in gear though)
I expected it to improve with time as the pads wore down a little but it hasn't.
When parked in the garage (flat) I don't bother at all and just leave it in gear.

Hedgehopper

1,542 posts

274 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
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Do what Clarkson did last Sunday...just use a log and a couple of bits of rope!

VictorMeldrew

8,293 posts

307 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
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Hedgehopper said:
Do what Clarkson did last Sunday...just use a log and a couple of bits of rope!
... and get smacked in the back of the head witha log. wink Probably would do Jezzer some good but not recommended for the rest of us!

@OP: Even a properly handbrake properly applied when the brakes are hot will be useless after 10 mins of cooling down. Take it from one who knows, with a steep drive.

Pipeandacrepe

Original Poster:

145 posts

164 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
quotequote all
Thanks for you responses. I'll have to remember to leave it in gear then, no big deal. I get handbrake / clutch anxiety that close to the house. I just need to get used to the car really. Only had it 5 days after all.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

32,034 posts

265 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
quotequote all
Pipeandacrepe said:
Thanks for you responses. I'll have to remember to leave it in gear then, no big deal. I get handbrake / clutch anxiety that close to the house. I just need to get used to the car really. Only had it 5 days after all.
..and when the dashboard lights fail to illuminate..

....check your left knee biggrin

QBee

22,502 posts

174 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
quotequote all
In Hertfordshire, Herefordshire and Hampshire Handbrakes are Hardly Hever Hactivated

over_the_hill

3,335 posts

276 months

Wednesday 13th March 2013
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QBee said:
In Hertfordshire, Herefordshire and Hampshire Handbrakes are Hardly Hever Hactivated
Ha Ha Hee Hee

(see what I did there smile )

GTRene

22,599 posts

254 months

Wednesday 13th March 2013
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TJC46 said:
another question, I've seen it before the drive-shaft seems not to go straight into the diff, seen also other TVR's had something like that...is that real or illusion?
I mean you can see that were the drive-shaft goes into the diff that location is a bit to the left of the hart from the diff...

I think thats not ideal? when under heavy load then more force is going on all related items and chassis etc.

Do all TVR's have that or just some types...

you can also see it here, the diff is in the middle of the car but the drive-shaft is out the middle, that way the drive shaft does not go straight into the diff



that not ideal...