14 replies to this topic

[danie garry]

heres a few pics of my drivers side brakes, the handbrake is'nt holding as much as it should this side but is perfect on the left. new cables and now got new drums, still no improvement







can anyone tell me if they can see if anything is wrong??

[mark gillan]

Hi there, did you check the handbrake cable quadrants to see if it's seized? That could be your problem.

[Dan]

The bottom spring is fitted upside down and wearing a groove in the hub for one thing.

As above, check the quadrant.

[danie garry]

them quadrants are free, is there a chance they're in upside down, or would that have any affect???
yea noticed the spring but its not rubbing any more, the groove is already dug too far into the hub, the upside down spring wouldnt reduce the braking tho

Edited by danie garry, 20 November 2009 - 07:22 PM.

[Dan]

The effectiveness of the rear brakes depends very much on the order they are assembled in. There are threads here about this, I think they made it into the FAQ. Things like fitting the springs upside down do make a difference. Has the car got the handbrake levers on the correct sides? They bind on the springs or the cylinders if they are the wrong ones.

[danie garry]

the levers on the backplate?

[Dan]

Yes, they aren't part of the backplate though. They are only held in by grommets so getting them in the wrong way around is pretty common. Also if the pivot point in the lever is gummed up with brake dust it will stop the handbrake from opening up properly.

[danie garry]

excuse my ignorance but how can they be put in the wrong way round?

[Dan]

One is left hand and one is right hand. If they are the wrong way around, one lever will be above the other when it should be below or vice versa.

[bmcecosse]

And they - and the quadrants - MUST be very free to get a good handbrake.

[danie garry]

quadrants are free bu i'v just had a thought, some of u might remember that when my car had its last test the rear alignment was out by 19m/km to the nearside(i think), could this be stopping the drivers side rear part of the cable from working properly?

[Sherlock]

Correct adjustment of your rear brakes is essential, first slacken off the handbrake cable(s) so they are not holding the shoes off the cylinders at all. Make sure the pistons in the wheel cylinder are not siezed or stiff, adjust the rear brakes & then re-adjust the cable(s) to give 2-3 notches to lock. Oil or grease all moving parts on the cables, including the slides on the front beam of the rear subframe & even the handbrake lever pivot. If you have fitted new shoes & drums it will take a long time for them to bed in, as so little braking effort goes to the back under normal driving conditions. Exercising the handbrake while driving along, when safe to do so, can speed the bedding in process up.

Edited by Sherlock, 21 November 2009 - 01:25 AM.

[danie garry]

iv done everything as u said but to get the handbrake to work when the lever is pulled in the car i have to have the adjuster so tight that its binding alot when the handbrake is supposed to be off

[minidaves]

had one the other day, and it was the pin that holds the quadrant had worn excessive causing it to lock out before the shoes hit the drum.

dave

[m149]

One is left hand and one is right hand. If they are the wrong way around, one lever will be above the other when it should be below or vice versa.

I may be showing my stupidity here, but which lever goes into which hub? I forgot to mark the pair I removed from my mini when over hauling the drums, linkages etc and now I am having problems getting the handbrake to stop the wheel turning for the test. Shoud the short arm be above or below the longer arm?
I've tried everything else to get them to hold properly so it must be something simple I have overlooked.

Thanks