I hope someone can help me? I had the back brakes done for the MOT and now the handbrake isn't working at all? Took the car back to the garage and they said it needed a new or 2nd hand handbrake. OH wondered if the callipers have been put on the wrong way as the cables work without the handbrake on.

Hi,#
did the garage say how the handbrake cable had failed? is it the nipple on the end of the cable which has broken, has the cable come off the handbrake end? are you able to see and take pictures of where the handbrake cable attaches to the rear brake caliper area? This may help people on the forum to help you more.
You say the cables work without the hand brake which suggests that the cable is detached at the handbrake end, this may be an easy fix but I haven't played in this area yet, hope someone here can offer more help.
Steve

Ive adjusted my handbrake a few times particularly when i replaced the new rear calipers. Everything is pretty simple, but as Steve says we need more info to help you !!

Hi, quick handbrake question. I never push in the button on handbrake when I'm putting my handbrake on, I just pull it up. However had a discussion at work today and a lady I work with said I'll have destroyed my handbrake. I was never taught to push the button in when putting brake on

As a worrier, how much damage will I have done to my handbrake and how important is it to start using the button?

Thank you

She's talking through her whatsit. Complete and utter cobblers.

It's a Fiat 500 I have, sorry didn't realise this post was under a different model.

Does it do much damage?

Some people say that the ratchet wears if you don't press the button.

Do they have anything to actually to back this up ?

Likely ....No....just old wives tale.......

iona1 said:

I hope someone can help me? I had the back brakes done for the MOT and now the handbrake isn't working at all? Took the car back to the garage and they said it needed a new or 2nd hand handbrake. OH wondered if the callipers have been put on the wrong way as the cables work without the handbrake on.

Click to expand...

How did it pass the MOT?
I don't think its possible to fit the calipers the wrong way round.

Hi JN. The button on the end of the handbrake is there for a reason.Yes I have seen the ratchet stripped in the past. Use the button.As a test usually the light on the dash will come on after 1 click and the wheels will lock after 5 clicks, thats if the self adjusters are not seized

ArthurM said:

Hi JN. The button on the end of the handbrake is there for a reason.Yes I have seen the ratchet stripped in the past. Use the button.As a test usually the light on the dash will come on after 1 click and the wheels will lock after 5 clicks, thats if the self adjusters are not seized

Click to expand...

Seriously??? The purpose of the button is to disengage the handbrake. If there was any measurable risk of stripping the ratchet while engaging the handbrake, don't you think they'd have engineered a solution sometime in the last 50 years or so, or supplied some suitably dire warning in the handbook? Give me strength. Please let's put these old wives' tales to bed. If someone in the dim & distant past actually managed to strip their handbrake ratchet, I'll lay money that it didn't happen in normal use (my money's on a series of ham-fisted handbrake turns). And by the way, if you're holding the button in, how the hell do you know how many clicks you've applied?

Had a look in my handbook and it mentions 'clicks' and you should know it's engaged by these clicks. That makes me think you shouldn't push the button in, as how else would you know it's 'clicked'?

JNAnderson said:

Had a look in my handbook and it mentions 'clicks' and you should know it's engaged by these clicks. That makes me think you shouldn't push the button in, as how else would you know it's 'clicked'?

Click to expand...

Exactly!!

Hi all. As I said I have seen handbrake ratchets stripped and not due to handbrake turns. We all have differing views on most things so please respect mine. As I have seen in the forum posts "what is popular may not be right and what is right may not be popular".

Number of clicks is irrelevant, it depends on adjustment and wear as to how far it needs to be pulled on to hold the car. Personally I push the button in and pull on the brake until it feels right but I live in Huntingdonshire and don't have many hills! I leave the brake off in the garage as I feel this causes less stress to what appears to be a weak area on the Barchetta.

The handbrake mechanism is just like a ratchet that mechanics use

Yes wear will occours - but they are designed to lock and hold
I dont use the button on anything i drive unless im releasing the button

Number of clicks isnt really important
If its a fine toothed mechanism u could have 13
If it was a rough tooth id be 3 - 5 for example

Idearly u need handbrake disengaged, a small amount of slack in cables to ensure full release and calipers have sat on the stop/fully released bumpers

The brakes should he free from binding and spin freely

Id say 1st click shouldnt do much in form of braking
But id expect that the handbrake shouldnt go any further than 50% of its travel

Id expect it to hold / lock the car at 50%

U never know when ur going to need to rely on it when hydraulics fail...
Its nasty when it does... im glad my handbrake did work at that time...

Ziggy

Learning to drive in the 60's I was always taught to use the button as it relieves pressure on the ratchet when both engaging and disengaging. No doubt metalurgie has moved on and perhaps ratchets are nowadays made of stronger stuff. However as 'good practice' I still use the button but whenever parked up at home I always leave the cars in gear with the handbrake off having had a handbrake freeze on one winter. As an aside to the handbrake question has no-one else drive a Triumph Spitfire with a fly-off handbrake? One of the worst handbrakes ever and it meant I only had my 'Spit' for less than 24 hours as I just could not get on with it.

Slightly off topic, but this thread has reminded me of a favourite story of my late lamented father-in-law, who was science teacher in Thetford.

Teacher to Pupil: "You boy, what's a ratchet?"
Pupil: "It's like a mouse sh*t, sir, only bigger."

Only in Norfolk.

Like that

As an ex driving instructor pupils would get a minor fault against them for not using the ratchet on a driving test.
I would think it to be quite a rare case to ware out a ratchet on a hand break

The last ford I owned stated in the handbook not to press in the ratchet botton when applying the handbrake