changed rear discs / pads, but no handbrake
Discussion
I've just swapped the rear pads & discs on my 92 mk1, and it seems like the footbrake is working fine ie. it stops the rear wheels turning when you press the pedal.
The problem is that the handbrake is now not working. I tried the adjuster by the handbrake lever, which tightens up the lever itself quite easily, but this has no effect on the rear wheels.
Before the parts change the handbrake was working fine, so as far as I know the mechanism and calipers are working as they should.
Clearly I've missed something that I should have done at the calipers and I'm thinking that I didn't tighten the wind-back screw (the allen-key headed one in the hole) enough?
Before I jack the car up again can anyone point me in the right direction as to what i need to check / adjust please?
Second question - I went for about a 5 mile gentle test drive on normal A/B roads, and when i got back the rear wheels were both a little bit warm near the hubs, and the discs just hot enough that you could just barely hold your finger on them. Both sides seemed the same, but the front discs were much colder.
Am I right in thinking that this will just be a bit more friction as the new pads bed into the discs rather than both brakes binding up? I'm sure I had a binding brake in the past and after only a mile or so the rear wheel itself was so hot you couldn't touch it.
The problem is that the handbrake is now not working. I tried the adjuster by the handbrake lever, which tightens up the lever itself quite easily, but this has no effect on the rear wheels.
Before the parts change the handbrake was working fine, so as far as I know the mechanism and calipers are working as they should.
Clearly I've missed something that I should have done at the calipers and I'm thinking that I didn't tighten the wind-back screw (the allen-key headed one in the hole) enough?
Before I jack the car up again can anyone point me in the right direction as to what i need to check / adjust please?
Second question - I went for about a 5 mile gentle test drive on normal A/B roads, and when i got back the rear wheels were both a little bit warm near the hubs, and the discs just hot enough that you could just barely hold your finger on them. Both sides seemed the same, but the front discs were much colder.
Am I right in thinking that this will just be a bit more friction as the new pads bed into the discs rather than both brakes binding up? I'm sure I had a binding brake in the past and after only a mile or so the rear wheel itself was so hot you couldn't touch it.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 4th June 14:40
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 4th June 14:41
I'll ask a few idiot questions - apologies if they are too Noddy.
When you did the rear brakes did you make sure the handbrake was off at the time?
Did you slacken off the adjuster at the handbrake lever?
Did you wind the pads in using the hex-screw in the calliper?
With the new pads in did you adjust the hex screw again to push the pads hard against the disc then slacken off half a turn?
Did you finally adjust the adjuster on the handbrake lever to get the bite-point to the right number of clicks?
If all of the above is a yes then there might be a problem somewhere. Possibly seized calliper or handbrake mechanism.
When you did the rear brakes did you make sure the handbrake was off at the time?
Did you slacken off the adjuster at the handbrake lever?
Did you wind the pads in using the hex-screw in the calliper?
With the new pads in did you adjust the hex screw again to push the pads hard against the disc then slacken off half a turn?
Did you finally adjust the adjuster on the handbrake lever to get the bite-point to the right number of clicks?
If all of the above is a yes then there might be a problem somewhere. Possibly seized calliper or handbrake mechanism.
Yes to all apart from the second one and one side of the 4th one 
I knew I forgot something.
I've just had another go and the adjuster on the driver's side was way to loose, so I've checked both sides - with the handbrake adjuster loosened off I tightened both hex bolts until they stopped the disc moving, then loosened them by 1/3 of a turn, then adjusted the handbrake up until it gave around 6 to 7 clicks. The handbrake is now working nicely.
Took it for a test drive, again perhaps 4 miles, and by the time I got back the rear wheels are now fairly warm, so I think maybe I've got either the caliper adjusters or the handbrake slightly too tight. I've loosened the handbrake end by 1 full turn to give about 8 clicks, once it's all cooled down I'll take it for another spin and see how hot the wheels get now.
If that's no good then I'll get the wheels off and loosen the hex adjusters by about another 1/4 turn or so.
All the reference websites I could find earlier said to undo by 1/3 of a turn rather than 1/2, so maybe that's the issue now, they're just a tad too tight.
I hate brakes, I remember having this battle with it last time I fitted new discs a few years ago, I seemed to find it easier to fit the new engine than get the handbrake working right.
I knew I forgot something.I've just had another go and the adjuster on the driver's side was way to loose, so I've checked both sides - with the handbrake adjuster loosened off I tightened both hex bolts until they stopped the disc moving, then loosened them by 1/3 of a turn, then adjusted the handbrake up until it gave around 6 to 7 clicks. The handbrake is now working nicely.
Took it for a test drive, again perhaps 4 miles, and by the time I got back the rear wheels are now fairly warm, so I think maybe I've got either the caliper adjusters or the handbrake slightly too tight. I've loosened the handbrake end by 1 full turn to give about 8 clicks, once it's all cooled down I'll take it for another spin and see how hot the wheels get now.
If that's no good then I'll get the wheels off and loosen the hex adjusters by about another 1/4 turn or so.
All the reference websites I could find earlier said to undo by 1/3 of a turn rather than 1/2, so maybe that's the issue now, they're just a tad too tight.
I hate brakes, I remember having this battle with it last time I fitted new discs a few years ago, I seemed to find it easier to fit the new engine than get the handbrake working right.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 4th June 17:35
They do always say 1/3 turn but I always do 1/2 turn. It doesn't matter much anyway as it auto-adjusts after a few applications anyway. People call them the calliper adjusters but really they are part of the handbrake mechanism and it adjusts itself over time to cope with pad wear. Adjusting with the hex screw just pre-adjusts the mechanism to get it about right initially. It won't have anything to do with the discs getting hot. Remember, the pads are fairly soft initially and need to bed in so they probably will get hotter than normal until they are fully bedded in.
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