Technical handbrake cables

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Technical handbrake cables

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Jan 21, 2011
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Hi all, MOT time coming around again and as usual my handbrake has gone "chocolate teapot mode". Has anyone bought handbrake cables from ebay and found them to be the right length?
Also any recommendations ( from experience please) of which are the best disks / pads combination.
And finally has anyone opened up the handbrake mechanism in the caliper, if that is actually possible, and been able to improve the performance?
I did change cables / disks / pads / calipers 2 years ago :bang: but suspect there may be a weak link in one of the components.
Thanks in advance, blacky
 
Not me. I bought 3 sets ie 6 cables from various source and they all seem too long, over a few thousand K hardly 'worn' when replaced. A VW garage had the most success in tinkering, they insisted on yet more cable/pads & discs (cheap but all the 'old were new anyhow) My HB now just works BUT is still on the limit of travel. I'm wondering if the 'other' rear calipers are more suited to cables since there's only the few of us complain. My B is parked in Spain for now so don't know the make. I suspect the cure is different manufacturer calipers, I don't know how to fix & have a decent HB. Sorry.
 
Hi CasaPaulo, yes mine are all new parts too. Strangely i have exactly the same set up on my Smart Forfour and it works great! Going to have another tinker next week. I think it's got to be calipers but mine are new so i would not know which to buy as they could be just the same!
 
Got back from my hols yesterday so had another go at the handbrake (this post is also related to caliper types by me). I bought some 8mm metal tube and split it so that it would fit over the the metal strands of the cable at the caliper and closed it up a little to stop it falling off, this effectively shortened the cable for me. Adjusted the handbrake and i can actually lock the back wheel so that i cannot turn it by hand. Upshot is the stranded metal cable inside the plastic tube of the handbrake cable is approx 25 mm to long. I'm wondering now if i can squeeze some of the metal tube over the cable then weld the end before sawing off the excess cable, not because i'm too mean to buy new cables but because the new cables may be no better.
 
Useful tip, blackydog. I've got to sort out my handbrake during the next 2 weeks, as my MOT is up mid-month, and it only just squeaked through with an advisory last year. Others have also suggested that the cable is too long, so buying new cables is probably just throwing good money after bad.
 
Shortened my handbrake cables by approx 20mm, MOT today passed with efficiency of 22%. relief and smiles :) and it actually holds on hills!!
Strangely though both front brakes were well down on efficiency on last year despite only having done 350 miles since then, maybe thats it, the lack of use.
 
Shortened my handbrake cables by approx 20mm, MOT today passed with efficiency of 22%. relief and smiles :) and it actually holds on hills!!
Strangely though both front brakes were well down on efficiency on last year despite only having done 350 miles since then, maybe thats it, the lack of use.

Had an issue with my front brakes recently. When out just for a local trip, on my return felt that the car was not responding regarding acceleration, did think that it was the hand brake but on jacking up the rear of the car found that the rear wheels moved freely. Jacked up front left all ok, but the right front the brake pads were locked on, the wheel I could hardly move. When I got the car home I did expect that the calliper piston had seized, but it was free. The issue was the flexible front brake hose had failed, no fluid could pass through it.
I have now replaced all the flexible brake hoses and all is good. My car also only does very few summer months miles.
 
Had an issue with my front brakes recently. When out just for a local trip, on my return felt that the car was not responding regarding acceleration, did think that it was the hand brake but on jacking up the rear of the car found that the rear wheels moved freely. Jacked up front left all ok, but the right front the brake pads were locked on, the wheel I could hardly move. When I got the car home I did expect that the calliper piston had seized, but it was free. The issue was the flexible front brake hose had failed, no fluid could pass through it.
I have now replaced all the flexible brake hoses and all is good. My car also only does very few summer months miles.

Factory brake hoses are to be replaced every 10 years on all cars, no matter their condition.
That's why there's a production date stamped on all brake hoses.
(When fitting performance, stainless steel braided brake hoses ( like Hell or similar) you can leave them on for as long as the car lasts).
 
Factory brake hoses are to be replaced every 10 years on all cars, no matter their condition.
That's why there's a production date stamped on all brake hoses.
(When fitting performance, stainless steel braided brake hoses ( like Hell or similar) you can leave them on for as long as the car lasts).

Sorry but I don't think this is correct,
 
It is, although hardly anybody knows this, and worse, almost nobody changes them at the right interval.
They wait until the hose(s) fail ( like yours did).
To prevent potential dangerous situations, car factory's advises to change the hoses every 10 years, again that's why all hoses have a date on them.
The problem you described with your car is TYPICAL what happens with neglected brake hoses.( just think what could have happened during a high speed emergency stop....)
In those cases almost all parts are cleaned and/ or changed without much effort, and in the end, the hoses are the blame....!
 
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