General Handbrake cable

[Liam1804]

Hi guys, I have a problem with the handbrake,

Ive noticed the O/S doesn’t lock, I took the handbrake cover off because I thought it might be a snapped cable, but it’s not a snapped cable but this, the O/S cable is longer than the N/S,

I jacked the car up and I slightly put some tension on the cable and I noticed the O/S wheel did lock, so the cable seems fine it just seems slack, this brings me to the next picture, the left cable is the O/S wheel, there looks like there is some sort of threaded screw, would I be correct in saying if I unwind this threaded screw will it put tension on the cable? Because on the N/S cable I can’t see any threads?

My other concern is, as you can see the cables are different lengths, would all this be caused by worn brake shoes? Or just the handbrake not being set up properly from previous owner?

 

[Rado77]

I never saw Puntos handbrake mechanism, but in other cars there were always 2 cables with same look and same lenght... but maybe Punto is specific...

 

[chris3234]

Tha adjuster is for both cables not just one
If you have tension on one cable and not the other you problem is likely at the drum end probably the auto adjusters arnt working and correcting for the wear in the shoes

 

[Liam1804]

Tha adjuster is for both cables not just one
If you have tension on one cable and not the other you problem is likely at the drum end probably the auto adjusters arnt working and correcting for the wear in the shoes

Not the adjuster, if you look at the 2nd pic we’re the cable comes into the car there seems to be what looks like a threaded bolt, that’s what it felt like anyway, I’ll take another look tomorrow, maybe one of the rubber mountings has come lose, failing that I’ll have a look at the shoes

 

[SRafferty]

This is what it looks like. Your cable maybe snapped inside the drum. It's not a big job.
[ame]https://youtu.be/t9g6SYo-WR0[/ame]

 

[Liam1804]

Found the problem the cable wasn’t snapped but the clip had broken were it clips into the body of the car by the handbrake, but after dismantling the drum the cylinder started leaking all over the shoes, so it’s a new cable, shoes, and cylinder, I have a question regarding the auto adjuster, all was ok until I took it out and started messing, now I think it’s lost we’re it was set at, when I put it back together do I just wind it out so it’s touching both shoes then once everything is back together pump the foot brake a few times and it will adjust it’s self? First time doing drum brakes so I apologise if It sound like common sense, I appreciate all the help

 

[Bernievarian]

Once the drum is reassembled, you can adjust the tooth wheel with a flat screwdriver thru one the wheel's hole. Release the hand brake hand and tight the adjuster until the shoes just get in contact with the drum. Have a look at it before reassembly and you'll figure out how it works.

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

 

[Liam1804]

Think I’ve hit another problem, When I was removing the handbrake cable from the brake shoe backplate there was a small clip that came out with the cable but broke because it was rusty, does this clip come with the new handbrake or is it part of the backplate?

 

[varesecrazy]

Think I’ve hit another problem, When I was removing the handbrake cable from the brake shoe backplate there was a small clip that came out with the cable but broke because it was rusty, does this clip come with the new handbrake or is it part of the backplate?

Photo of this clip..?

Is it just holding the head of the cable inside the drum. ??
Look on ePER for a picture: part number.

 

[Liam1804]

Photo of this clip..?

Is it just holding the head of the cable inside the drum. ??
Look on ePER for a picture: part number.

Had a look on ePER just gives me an error message every time I select what engine I have under brakes,

heres a pic I got online, your correct it looks like the head of the cable clips into it but looks like it was part of the backplate

 

[Liam1804]

Managed to find an imagine that matches, this is for a Ford KA but it looks like the part

 

[Liam1804]

Found out it’s part number 77362446, about £20 from fiat ?. What a total rip off for something that looks like it costs pennies, best thing is the ford one looks exactly the same. I think I’ll chance buying the ford one, they both look the same and only about £6 from ford

 

[Liam1804]

Trying to fit the handbrake cable but we’re the cable enters the car there is a plastic clip with 2 tabs on to hold it to the body of the car, How the hell do you attach this to The body? I’ve tried to pushing it on, pulling on the cable hoping it will click into place, but it’s having none of it

 

[puntodad19]

The "bar" at the handbrake lever end is a compensator, and should be "parrallel" but as you have found the is an issue with the cable on the "slanting" side.

Have seen on other cars where the cable dissappears inside the drum, no stop for the outer cable to press against if you see what i mean.

Post a pic of the handbrake lever end with the clip issue.....

The self adjusting rachet mech must be free and lubed for it to work.....when back plate reassembled and the handbrake fully un adjusted ( it should be the first job to do when changing shoes ) , (so the shoe lever is at its stop against the shoe, the pressed in bulge on the shoe lever ) , centralise the shoes via the foot brake, you may hear the rachet working as the system centralises and self adjusts.

With the car back on the deck, a very short drive ( say 4 metres ) and pressing the foot brake will ensure shoe centralisation, do this a few timkes to make sure, then adjust the handbrake cable, but remember the wheel needs to rotate freely before the handbrake comes on.

8 clicks seems to high, mot would probably adviseory.....

 

[Liam1804]

The "bar" at the handbrake lever end is a compensator, and should be "parrallel" but as you have found the is an issue with the cable on the "slanting" side.

Have seen on other cars where the cable dissappears inside the drum, no stop for the outer cable to press against if you see what i mean.

Post a pic of the handbrake lever end with the clip issue.....

The self adjusting rachet mech must be free and lubed for it to work.....when back plate reassembled and the handbrake fully un adjusted ( it should be the first job to do when changing shoes ) , (so the shoe lever is at its stop against the shoe, the pressed in bulge on the shoe lever ) , centralise the shoes via the foot brake, you may hear the rachet working as the system centralises and self adjusts.

With the car back on the deck, a very short drive ( say 4 metres ) and pressing the foot brake will ensure shoe centralisation, do this a few timkes to make sure, then adjust the handbrake cable, but remember the wheel needs to rotate freely before the handbrake comes on.

8 clicks seems to high, mot would probably adviseory.....

All sorted now mate with the handbrake,

Regarding the brake shoes what I did was, I adjusted them so the drums were ever so slightly touching, put every thing back together and I pumped the footbrake about 50 times, I did here the adjusters clicking then I couldn’t hear any clicking after a couple of pump on the brake, does that sound like they have adjusted correctly? Never done drum brakes before only Calipers

 

[puntodad19]

Sounds about right, but for "proper" centralisation of the shoes its best to have the car moving and then apply the footbrake several times, including in reverse. Then adjust the handbrake cable.

When the brake shoes are centralised and auto adjusted, the "hook" that turns the autoadjust rachet mech "overides" ( skips over ) the rachet wheel teeth as the shoes are self adjusted enough.

Then adjust the cable.

After that its all self adjusting apart from the cable from time to time.