Handbrake Adjustment

[panamacarrera]

Just had my '71 OTS MoT'd... It passed, but with a note "Nearside handbrake effort very low! Needs looking at".

Which part of the mechanism do I need to adjust to fix this? And can I get at this from the rear axle access points underneath the rear shelf?



Thanks

Nigel

[MarekH]

The problem is that the handbrake mechanism pulls each side unevenly and maxes out before both sides are adequately pulled in.

There are two fixes:-

1/ You need to to pull A closer to B before the handbrake cable adjustment runs out. This can be done by drilling a second hole for the clevis pin and using that instead of the one in the end of the handbrake cable.

2\ Do the Dave Kerr mod. This makes the whole mechanism "float", so no uneven pull is possible. It's a very neat fix but requires you pull the handbrake mechanism out to do the mod.

handbrake.png (113.12 KiB) Viewed 3466 times

Not all handbrake cables have the same dimensions

kind regards
Marek

[mgcjag]

Nigel...you need to asses the problem......i had this recently. ..one of the pads on one side had disintegrated...my thought is that it was caused by a heavy handed mot guy trying to stop the car on the brake test rollers with the handbrake.....Steve

[Pete G]

I thought brake test rollers were to be avoided and a Taplow meter used so that the LSD is protected. Have I dreamed that or is there some truth behind it, can't remember where I heard it.

I did the brake assy. mod, very easy once the IRS is out!

[mgcjag]

Not all E types have LSD.....and some brake rollers are now supposed to be ok with LSD....I no longer have an annual mot on exempt cars......prefer to have them checked over.....most mot guys dont have a clue on classics anyway.....in my opinion.....Steve

[dxke38]

I assumed the brake test rollers were avoided because you cannot spin up the back wheels individually with a LSD. An mot is still useful as a record of mileage and maintenance especially when selling.

[mgcjag]

A friend recently had his handbrake lever broken off by an overzealous mot tester.......Steve

[dxke38]

I think a handbrake was always considered to be a safety backup in case of brake failure although the percentage required at mot was lower if the car had a dual system. Worrying to think it could be broken at mot test.

[panamacarrera]

Thanks for all the replies folks.

I've just put the IRS back in the car and I suspect I rushed reassembly of the handbrake mechanism.

MarekH, the adjuster is at maximum stretch, any further and it'll fall out of the block it screws into. I think I need to adjust the thread on the yoke that links to the right side handbrake.

Steve, the pads were in good nick when they went back into the car, I don't think they'd easily disintegrate so I think the adjustment is the solution.

I'm hoping to get at the mechanism through the brake bleeding hatches rather than having to drop the IRS again.

Thanks again guys.

Nigel

[malcolm]

Steve, the pads were in good nick when they went back into the car, I don't think they'd easily disintegrate so I
Nigel

You may well be right. However, I had some very nearly new pads come adrift. They "delaminated" themselves, and not through over vigorous use. The mechanic said he'd seen it quite a few times recently. Some bad pads around?

[42south]

Hi
Is it the original handbrake cable?
Around 5 years ago I bought a new cable from SNG for my S3.
It turned out to be too long. So I reused the old one.
Cheers

[panamacarrera]

Thanks Mark
It's the original cable.
Luckily my car is an auto so I'm going to forget about this until I have another reason to drop the IRS.
Thanks for all your knowledge guys.
Cheers
Nigel