PLLLEEEEEEEAAASEEEEE help with adjusting my handbrake/...

Post by **Chrissyt** » 03 Sep 2008, 19:57

As above just got in after two hours of trying to adjust my handbrake..

Have replaced one side of the cable as it was worn and rusty, and i guessed sretched,

Noiw even at the full adjustment of the equaliser, atleast one side wont even brake hard enough for me to stop it with my hands with the wheel in the air...

Is there a cable from handbrake to equaliser that can be replaced? I thought it was just a bar and not likely to stretch?

I'm stuck, nothing in the wiki, any good guides?

Chris

Post by **Simon Baxter** » 03 Sep 2008, 20:19

Back the cable right off.
Adjust the brakes.
Adjust the handbrake.

Easy.

Post by **funbus1** » 03 Sep 2008, 20:30

Jacked up wheel off , on stands, Look behind the backplate, You will see a small square hole, inside is an adjuster take a flat end screwdriver and push against the wee ratchet thing, it will turn, keep turning the drum and keep pushing the screwdriver to turn the ratchet thing, untill it starts to get hard to turn by hand. make sure the cable is slackened back enough for further adjustment, Put wheel back on, try turning wheel again. And adjust cable to suit. And yes there is a cable that can be replaced.

Post by **funbus1** » 03 Sep 2008, 20:32

As Simon said. Took me 10 mins to type that,.

Post by **dugcati** » 03 Sep 2008, 21:10

pah I just use bricks and lumps of wood! (not sure the MOT bloke will see things from my point of view though!)

Post by **Chrissyt** » 04 Sep 2008, 16:32

Cheers but there is no more adjustment in the cable, so im guessing the one from handbrake to the equaliser is stretched, as even with adjusting the brakes, then the cable, the brakes wont apply hard enough.

so not Easy. but broken.

Chris

Post by **Rozzo** » 04 Sep 2008, 18:24

if you're going to ask for advice you could at least take it when offered

simon baxter is one of the best engineer/mechanics known to t25's and as usual he is spot on.
take off all the adjustment from every cable adjuster,,, then adjust the rear brakes,, then re adjust the cables to get the best handbrake known to man.
people always assume you adjust the handbrake with the cables but you absolutely do not

any adjustment should always be done at the back brake shoes then the handbrake only has to move the shoes a knats proverbials and the brakes are hard on.
you'll also notice that your footbrake will be miles better as by the sound of it you're probably only braking on the fronts at present (pulling the cables tighter makes this even worse as you're adjusting the wrong end of the brake shoes)
maybe you should let a mechanic take a look as badly adjusted brakes could be very dangerous

Post by **Simon Baxter** » 04 Sep 2008, 19:36

Brake adjusting tools will be on the webshop soon enough, I have them here but I'm awaiting pricing info.

Post by **Red Westie** » 04 Sep 2008, 20:50

Rozzo you are of course right but not completely accurate on which end the cable moves quote;

(pulling the cables tighter makes this even worse as you're adjusting the wrong end of the brake shoes)

Hand brake levers in general, push on the brake adjusting bar (at the top) so open out the shoes in much the same way as the adjuster itself.
The overall point you make however is spot on, adjusting the handbrake with the cables is completely wrong and Chrissyt needs to slacken off cables and correctly adjust through the holes, top centre, of the brake shoe backplates.
My adjuster lever is over 25 years old now, a medium flat blade screwdriver with a 30 degree bend approx 25mm from the blade end.
click....click....click until the brakes bind....bong....bong.....bong in the opposite direction until the wheel turns without binding, giving 1-2 bongs for clearance to allow for expansion. (the bonging noise when taking off the adjustment is when the mechanism is forced the wrong way and rides over the detent lever.
Having read the original post I would also just check that the end of the cable hasn't come out of the brake lever (remove the drum)
Also note* the two return springs on the brake shoes can be fitted the wrong way (if they are they will interfere with the brake adjuster)
Martin

Website · Post by **CovKid** » 04 Sep 2008, 21:02

Rarely is it cables. Agree with above. For 25 years I've done v-dub brakes the same way from bugs upwards. With drums off, set the shoe adjustment so you can 'just' get the drum on. Pump brake pedal a couple of times to settle shoes into right place. See if shoes rub drum at all. If not, wind shoe adjusters up with ocasional pump on brake pedal to make sure shoes are sitting right. I always finish with shoes 'just' rubbing drums and its usually 2 nothches on handbrake - if that. Alternatively you can just wind hub adjusters up till drum is locked then back them off till hub is free.

If that doesn't work, THEN you consider cables. No good the other way around.

Post by **Red Westie** » 04 Sep 2008, 21:08

It can be a bit awkward to get to but if you can refit the wheels when carrying out the adjustment, even better, as the drums are properly clamped to the hubs, a few pumps of the brake pedal whilst rotating centralises the shoes.
If it's my own....and with new shoes etc I also re-adjust after a few thousand miles (won't be necessary in this case)
Martin

Post by **Chrissyt** » 05 Sep 2008, 13:13

Point taken, but advice ? like adjust the brakes its easy,hardly seems constructive usefull advice does it??

I appreciate comments thanks, i have adjusted the brakes, but not as you mention funbus, i'll give that a try later cheers, the haynes is all i had to go by and it is useless.

I replaced the cable as it was fooked not, because i thought it was the cause of useless handbrake..

Chris

Post by **Simon Baxter** » 05 Sep 2008, 20:27

If you don't understand how to adjust brakes then you really shouldn't be messing with them.
As far as I am concerned, if you were capable of messing with the brakes you would have totally understood what I had said.
If you hadn't then you shouldn't.
Take it to someone that can do it for you.
They are your brakes afterall.

Post by **Chrissyt** » 07 Sep 2008, 09:55

lol

I understand how to adjust brakes thanks, but when i've adjusted handbrakes before i've just adusted the cables and rarely had to touch the brakes.

As said with brakes adjusted how you say, the handbrake does not move the shoes enough to lock the brakes.

I appreciate your help and comments but just didnt see it as constructive, i'm sure it is "easy" for "one of the best engineer/mechanics known to t25's" but required a little help from someone who had done it before for a welder like me!

I'll keep on messing with it my self thanks, and wouldnt do so if i thought it was unsafe.
Chris

Post by **HarryMann** » 07 Sep 2008, 11:21

Please note that additional steps CovKid and others have mentioned... between adjustments, pump (or push down) brake pedal quite hard, to get the shoes to re-centre. RE-check drum for binding or adjust up a bit more.

Is prob a very good idea to remove drums, clean out dust and detritus, check that both h/brake cable and ratchet-wheel adjusting mechanism not seized/damaged and spin easily. Clean drum out , replace with adjuster backed off suitably, serviced adjuster will now work better, easier to get adjusted 'just right'

Then check routing of rear handbrake cables, adjustment of equalizng plate ('that' threaded bar)... may require help so you can actually then see action underneath as handbrake is pulled up.

This is the adjusting rod whose ratchet-wheel that needs to run fairly free...

[img:572:203]https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/images/Push_ ... ng_rod.jpg[/img]