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  1. #1
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    handbrake adjustment

    on my last mot(a year back ) i had a slight problem with the hand brake
    system (drum brakes ) as in one side working perfectly fine and the other showing less
    brake effort somehow the garage fixed it (or could not be bothered and let me pass anyway )
    i always thought that was to do with one of the brake cables being worn/streched etc .
    now while refurbing the rear axle i fitted brand new wheel cylinders and brand new handbrake cables and i still seem to have the same problem .

    any ideas ?

  2. #2
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    New poster! (less than 10 posts)

    are you fitting new drums and shoes ?

  3. #3
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Wilson@ PCS View Post
    New poster! (less than 10 posts)

    are you fitting new drums and shoes ?
    shoes are new ,drums are not .

  4. #4
    Non-member Tiny Tim's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    What cables are you using Evren? Both mine have been replaced for slightly shorter GTT ones, far better efficiency.

  5. #5
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by Tiny Tim View Post
    What cables are you using Evren? Both mine have been replaced for slightly shorter GTT ones, far better efficiency.
    i am using aftermarket renault 9 cables mate ,compared them to
    old cables before fitting.
    cant see how shorter cables are gonna help though (plus you got discs )
    i have not exactly got a problem with efficency , its one side
    holding better than other . 2 brand new cables pulled by the same centre
    section ,i cant stop thinking one disc is worn more than the other hence
    shoes on the worn side are not biting fully

  6. #6
    Non-member Brigsy's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Have you adjusted the shoes properly?

  7. #7
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by Brigsy View Post
    Have you adjusted the shoes properly?
    now thats something i am not sure how to do
    thought they were self adjusting anyway

    i see how it can affect though

  8. #8
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    they are bendix type btw if that makes any difference .

  9. #9
    Non-member Brigsy's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Rofl self adjusters, they never work on any car ive owned with drums.

    Take them up manually & importantly make them even both sides, adjust cables to suit mot req clicks (i do 4) & job done

  10. #10
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by Brigsy View Post
    Rofl self adjusters, they never work on any car ive owned with drums.

    Take them up manually & importantly make them even both sides, adjust cables to suit mot req clicks (i do 4) & job done

    how do you adjust them manually ?

  11. #11
    Non-member Brigsy's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Looking at the pic, the rod can be adjusted in the middle to push the shoes out?

  12. #12
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by Brigsy View Post
    Looking at the pic, the rod can be adjusted in the middle to push the shoes out?

    will have to look into this , i remember haynes mentioning some
    min and max shoe distance figures

    i can see this setting me back on mot time otherwise

  13. #13
    Non-member Brigsy's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Pah haynes figures, it ain't a black art infact very easy. 15 min job tops. If you have managed to replace the shoes then setting the adjusters is easy.

    Undo the handbrake cables fully both sides. Wind the adjuster out on the shoes until the drum fits on nicely, without binding when fitted. Its one of those jobs you get a feel for over trial & error. You need the drum to slide on over the shoes. Do both sides the same, adjust both handbrake cables evenly until you get the desired amount of clicks. The Brake pedal will have less travel too, brakes will feel so much sharper.

    Also make sure there's no lip on the outer of the drum, if you leave a lip on you will pull the shoes off if you need to get the drum back off.

    My grandad taught me this years ago, has never failed me yet. I prefer the handbrake on drums any day of the week over discs. Now get out there and adjust them drums

  14. #14
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by Brigsy View Post
    Pah haynes figures, it ain't a black art infact very easy. 15 min job tops. If you have managed to replace the shoes then setting the adjusters is easy.

    Undo the handbrake cables fully both sides. Wind the adjuster out on the shoes until the drum fits on nicely, without binding when fitted. Its one of those jobs you get a feel for over trial & error. You need the drum to slide on over the shoes. Do both sides the same, adjust both handbrake cables evenly until you get the desired amount of clicks. The Brake pedal will have less travel too, brakes will feel so much sharper.

    Also make sure there's no lip on the outer of the drum, if you leave a lip on you will pull the shoes off if you need to get the drum back off.

    My grandad taught me this years ago, has never failed me yet. I prefer the handbrake on drums any day of the week over discs. Now get out there and adjust them drums
    just one question ;
    from what i see both handbrake cables are evenly pulled by the same self
    levelling mechanism . how can can you actually adjust the cables ?

  15. #15
    Non-member Brigsy's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Just slacken the y-piece off on the handbrake lever, take up shoes & re tension.

  16. #16
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    i think the problem i had was the adjustment of the shoes as in how much
    they were apart from eachother .
    roughly measured them today to find out there was 3mm difference
    between the 2 sides to take that slack of the problem side i wound
    up the adjuster nut by tapping them on the splines to turn over .
    what a bitch of a job that was though

    the hand brake has very much improved after doing this ,but still not
    too happy with the foot brakes ,they are not as sharp as they used to be
    which i think is to do with air in the system

  17. #17
    Honorary Member THE MASTER's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    dam this is easy stuff
    i can do this blind fold with a propper hangover


    right listen and learn

    first slacken the hand brake cables so that the leaver inside the drum is all the way back on its stop. then bring up each self adjuster so that you can just about slip the drums on (sometimes there is a lip that builds on on the drum that makes it difficuly to get the drum on) (an angle ginder can be used very carfully to remove the lip)

    there is a point that is too tight with the self adjusters. once you have found the drag point just back of the self adjusters one or two clicks (becarful the aduster might flip its plate out)

    once the shoes are adusted propperly all thats needed is to take the slack out of the cables

    easy stuff

  18. #18
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by THE MASTER View Post
    dam this is easy stuff
    i can do this blind fold with a propper hangover


    right listen and learn

    first slacken the hand brake cables so that the leaver inside the drum is all the way back on its stop. then bring up each self adjuster so that you can just about slip the drums on (sometimes there is a lip that builds on on the drum that makes it difficuly to get the drum on) (an angle ginder can be used very carfully to remove the lip)

    there is a point that is too tight with the self adjusters. once you have found the drag point just back of the self adjusters one or two clicks (becarful the aduster might flip its plate out)

    once the shoes are adusted propperly all thats needed is to take the slack out of the cables

    easy stuff
    funny you mentioned the lip ,i just brought the drums in to grind the lips
    with a flap wheel

    are you on about the shiny plate thing that sits on one of the splines
    on the adjuster bolt ? it came off on one side while i was turning the screw to adjust ,i managed to get it back in .does that sound right ?

    will give it another go tomorrow anyway ,thanks for the info

  19. #19
    Non-member Brigsy's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by THE MASTER View Post
    dam this is easy stuff
    i can do this blind fold with a propper hangover


    right listen and learn

    first slacken the hand brake cables so that the leaver inside the drum is all the way back on its stop. then bring up each self adjuster so that you can just about slip the drums on (sometimes there is a lip that builds on on the drum that makes it difficuly to get the drum on) (an angle ginder can be used very carfully to remove the lip)

    there is a point that is too tight with the self adjusters. once you have found the drag point just back of the self adjusters one or two clicks (becarful the aduster might flip its plate out)

    once the shoes are adusted propperly all thats needed is to take the slack out of the cables

    easy stuff

    Thats the one col, i couldnt think of the wording to describe the drag point when refitting the drums, very easy to do

  20. #20
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    ok adjusted the brakes where i can hear the shoes lightly contacting the
    drums ,spinning the drum by hand once the hub nut is on i get 2-3 full turns
    does this sound about right ??

  21. #21
    Non-member Brigsy's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Thats fine, any where near will do aslong as both sides are the same & drum ain't stuck solid.

  22. #22
    Non-member Schakal's Avatar
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    Re: handbrake adjustment

    Quote Originally Posted by Brigsy View Post
    Thats fine, any where near will do aslong as both sides are the same & drum ain't stuck solid.

    cool ,sounds like a retest tomorrow than

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