Mot Handbrake Failure No Reserve Travel On Hand Brake.

[Fragglesix9]

I own a grand voyager2001 3.3ltr. So it failed on the above and was only hitting 15% of the required 16% braking efficiency.

So if I pull on the hand brake, it does look the wheels. I can get 2 more clicks from this, which to me equates to reserve travel.

What I've noticed is that occasionally the lever jumps and comes up higher than normal. Still with reserve travel.

 

Question 1 is what do people think this could be.

Question 2 is relates to the cover that houses the lever. How does this come off? It seems or feels like it screwed down around the cup holders I am unable to free this to get eyes on the lever mech.

 

Shoes are good, Is there any other adjustment to make

[bignev]

There is a tiny slot on the inside (of the car) of the handbrake drum on the wheel, which you are supposed to be able to turn the shoe adjuster through!!!

It's an absolute sod to try to do. Lots of bits in the way, leaf springs etc.

No idea what the jumping lever could be sorry, but I'd suggest if you are capable to take the wheel and drum off to check the attachment of the cable and the returm springs - but I guess you've done that if you know the shoes are good.

Cheers

Nev

[tomada3]

to get cover off pull up storage dip at front of cover you undo 2 screws then pull sleeve off handbrake handle and slide up consul over handbrake i have 2003 v6 thats how mine comes off 2 min job to take cover off

[Fragglesix9]

Hi Kev, I found two hidden screws beneath the two cup holders et voila.

As for the hand brake slipping occasionally, that's still a mystery but I have eyes on it.

I think the problem is nearside as when the system slips, it's the nearside cable that's lose. I just need to figure out if it's springs or cable.

[crispinchurch]

n/s seems to play up more 

i took both rear drums off cleaned them out and loosen up all the joints on the levers inside 

adjusted the the drums so could just get the drums back on 

[QinteQ]

- engine running
- footbrake [servo] applied hard
- grab handbrake, button permanently in, 6 to 10 hard pulls one after the other
- let go of handbrake in the off position
- release foot from the footbrake
- switch engine off, make coffee, read newspaper, handbrake is auto-adjusted

[crispinchurch]

auto adjust dont work if its all jammed up

it worth couple hours too free all up first 

[QinteQ]

auto adjust dont work if its all jammed up

it worth couple hours too free all up first 

This [below] is the clockspring under the lever, here's one of many treads on  whole thread on the subject. Fraggle6 do what I suggested in #6 and let the group know how you got on, if it doesn't compensate for the Y in the two cables [differential] then you are going to have to get the car on stands and do the full service.

 http://i.imgur.com/VBKOhXq.jpg

 

 

Fragglesix9

[bignev]

Hi guys, just wondering what relevance the engine running and applying the foot brake hard has?

Due to the foot operating the hydraulic disc calipers and the hand brake operating the shoes in the drum?

Other than to stop the car moving while you do it?

I didn't think mine (2002 LX in this case) had an auto adjust on the shoes in the drum.

If they were the brakes I would expect it as they wear, but not on the hand brake, but could well be wrong!

[Fragglesix9]

Thanks for the links I'll be sure to read and digest.

So I think I found what the tester was failing the car on. If I yank on the hand brake it goes full travel, as opposed to just a nice normal putting brake on.

Anyway, I'd disconnected the nearside brake and hand a go on my hand brake which now felt normal. I've since replaced the brake cable. Interestingly there's a half inch bolt that needs to come off, this was rusted badly I thought it was going to be a sod to get off. The hardest thing was actually pulling the cable through and out. Haynes suggest a method of using a spanner to compress the locking tabs. My method, use leatherman to snap locking tabs, then pull through. Installation is easy, I used the handbrake to pull the bit with the locking tabs through the hole. To try and do it manually is next to impossible.

Results as follows, hand brake no longer goes full lock. it stops the car rocking when put into Park. When I'm on an incline I need 2 or 3 extra clicks to stop it rolling away. However there's still something not quite right, I may bite the bullet and put a new cable on the offside. The bit that's not quite right is that when I get my extra clicks in, I'm very close to running out of travel. As I get 10 days for a retest, I may put it in as is and go from there.

[Fragglesix9]

If anyone's interested, I put it through test today and achieved 19% which is a pass. Given previous comments about getting no more than 20% that's good enough for me. Cheers for the input. I assume the breaks need to be engaged so engine needs to be on, to prevent the discs slipping when you calibrate the handbrake. If that makes any sense.

[QinteQ]

If anyone's interested, I put it through test today and achieved 19% which is a pass. Given previous comments about getting no more than 20% that's good enough for me. Cheers for the input. I assume the breaks need to be engaged so engine needs to be on, to prevent the discs slipping when you calibrate the handbrake. If that makes any sense.

It does exactly what you said. 19% is 3% more than you needed, the MOT is 16% for a split cable and 25% for a single line cable. The clockspring has a dual function of balancing the dual cable system and pre-tensioning the pull so that the single line cable that connects to the Y piece dual loop does not stretch. I'm surprised the #6 suggestion did not work it works for 99% of all cars of all brands this this kind of braking arrangement. That suggests that the shoes probably need adjusting or replacing at some convenient point. The knurled wheel is always down for more up for less. Many many handbrake shoes look like 'mary rose' 200 year old rusted relics, the top hat is almost never taken off by service people and still manages an MOT pass. At the end of the day is a parking brake folks, not a handbrake. It will never hold a two and a half ton bus on a hill even when its at 60%.