Need help. Car failed MOT today on the handbrake. About 8 weeks ago I replaced the handbrake cable, brake shoes and a wheel cylinder. Everything seemed to work fine. Anyway, I tried adjusting the hand brake today but the drivers side wheel has less braking than the other side. When the car is jacked up the handbrake lever will pull up 4 notches or so, but as soon as the car is on the ground I struggle to pull it up 2 notches. Also, when I pull the handbrake lever up about an inch and a half there is absolutely no tension and than it goes rock hard. When you release it, it doesn't spring back down - I have to sort of push it down. Anyone have any ideas where to look before I strip it all apart and start again. :bang:
Technical handbrake trouble!
- Thread starter shkmon
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Technical handbrake trouble!
I think it's in the HOWTOs, but where the handbrake cable connects to the drum there is a little arm sticking out. hat you can't see is that, inside the drum, this has a pivot. Chances are that this has seized. Get it out (need to dismantle the shoes, etc.) and either replace and/or bash them free (till they'll open and close with a flick of the wrist) and coate the pivot pin with well worked in coppaslip. Should last from 1 MOT to the next.
first thing we checked. Dads a bit handy with a spanner - he's puzzled. Nothing seems to be seized. The arms you mentioned were freed as this was the initial problem with the brakes. We think the problem may be at the handbrake lever end? It sometimes makes a clunking sound when the cable is adjusted. Like I said, what I cant understand is why when the handbrake will pull up 4 notches or so when it is on axle stands, it only pulls up 2 or 3 when it's on the ground. Strange.
Sounds like the cable is incorrectly sited/routed.
Cheers
SPD
Cheers
SPD
The only difference between being in the air and being on the ground is the position of the trailing arm. The cable crosses that divide, so must be something up, unless you have a failed/failing flexi thats putting pressure on a rear brake when down.
Cheers
SPD
Cheers
SPD
Likeliest thing is that the cable is routed under the arm instead of above it.
signwerx
Member
Fit some rear discs and never worrk about handbrake problems again!
I have adaptor plates for sale if you want some!
Adam
I have adaptor plates for sale if you want some!
Adam
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My Sei has annoying handbrake problems. MOT bloke said next time it will need a new cable. But the one on the car looks fine so I suspect its something else. This used to be a hassle on BL Minis. I'd have thought Fiat would have sorted it by now.
Maybe fit another hydarulic cylinder to each brake and have a hydraulic handbrake.
Maybe fit another hydarulic cylinder to each brake and have a hydraulic handbrake.
No-one has really sorted out handbrakes. Note that BMW use a design which Lancia found problematic 30 years ago............
Illegal in UK, me thinks. Generally they respond well to 6 monthly (or so) maintainence and the odd new "elbow". The Punto GT (etc) rear ones require less maintenance but the non-hydraulic bits do eventually seize up and offer no performance advantages in terms of braking power.
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Booger never thought about that.
It was a mod that used to be done on BL Minis for rallying along with fly-off handbrake (which I wouldnt want).
Disc rear brakes are nice but on a small road car I think they are overkill and often go rusty befor they wear out. My Sei has 45K miles; the rear brake shoes still have the machining marks and drums show no wear so they cant be doing very much.
OK, so yesterday I unclipped the cable (which is new). I found that on the drivers side of the car it was running under the fuel filter/lines, so I re-ran it over the top of it and joy - when I adjusted the cable the drivers wheel locked up. I then went round to the other side and checked the near side wheel and now this isn't locking up. So basically the problems moved to the other side of the car. Oh, and the handbrakes still crap. Any suggestions? I never had any problems like this on any of my mini's either!
Possibly the auto adjusters on the shoes are in the rong position. Worthhile trying reversing the car (slowly!) then jamming on the handbrake to stop (hopefully!) the car. Then adjust to 2 clicks.
