Handbrake

I have a question, my week with an a1 has made me ponder some of the things that annoy me about my a2 and one is the handbrake. I am not the sort of guy who goes round handbrake drifting! but the handbrake on my a2 is rubbish compared to the a1. When pulling the lever up it feels much nicer on the a1 and it is easier but it still grabs the wheels tighter and when moving it does stop the wheels (i only checked to see how strong it was) On my a2 no matter how hard i pull on the handbrake it will not stop the back wheels whilst moving and it has to be pulled up very high to stop the car on a steep hill. I have tried adjusting it many times and it seems to make a small difference and then after a while it goes back to how it was. What can i do to sort this out and make my handbrake work like the one in the a1?

Chris

Chris do you have rear discs? have you checked the shoes/pads and adjusted? if shoes/pads are ok, and cable has been adjusted several times, it might be a case of needing a new cable as they have been known to stretch and lose strength/tension.

I find that of all the A2's that come my way, the ones with the rear drum brakes have virtually no complaints with handbrakes, only seen issues with rear discs. The rear discs can also become 'glazed' and if so, then they need a scrub over to 'de-glaze' them.


Cheers
Sarge

I have rear drums so i would imagine that i need a new cable then, or the drums need adjusting!

Cheers
Chris

My handbrake is rubbish at the moment too I need to adjust it...

I was never happy with my handbrake also. When I rebuilt the rear brakes, I found the handbrake cable so rusted and partially seized. I changed the cable and the difference is remarkable, it's so smooth! I replaced brake shoes and had the drums machined - I have now re-adjusted the rear brakes following about 1000 miles to bed them in and "round" them. Car stops so much better.
hope that helps Chris.

blue skies
Tony

That is interesting to hear, what do you mean by having the drums machined? can you get drums powder coated whilst they are off the car or would the coating effect the brakes (sorry if that is a stupid question)

Chris

There was a very small "lip" on the drum and rather than replace the drum, I had them machined by an engineering shop. This entails mounting the drums on a lathe and "cutting" the friction surface perfectly round, smooth and level. Interestingly, I had them powder coated black - no repetition of that ugly corrosion that manifests so quickly.

blue skies
Tony

I was worried that powder coating them would coat the braking surface but is this not a problem?

Chris

Chris, the powder coating of the drums would be done to the outside of the drums, the braking surface is the inside of the drums, which would not be coated.


Cheers
Sarge

Our TDI had problems with very poor handbrake, would make weird sort of dry slipping noises when getting in or out car, turned out seized rear calipers. Sarge had a little trouble with them but done them in end, but won't have trouble now he's got new kit, that's some kit I saw Sarge


Roy

Over the Years i have adjusted my Hand Brake several times to the point where it was at the end of adjustment ...

The hand brake had basically become ineffective ,and for the 1st time in 7 years of ownership it failed the MOT ,so she has been off the road for a few weeks
i had to have 2 New rear drums fitted and change the brake cylinders which where leaking badly along with some NEW shoes
it cost me £315 including the cost of the Mot .but its really Nice to have her back on the road and the Handbrake works like new again ....

I am going to buy new drums and shoes and get the handbrake cable changed and whilst i am at it i will get the drums powder coated for longevity

Chris

Talking of handbrakes, mine is b****red.
I changed the pads 2 weeks back, adjusted the handbrake and all has been fine.

Tonight I went out, 15 min drive to destination.
I get there and the rear left drum is scorching hot and smoking big time. The rear right is perfectly fine.

What has caused only one side to do that, and considering it was fine for two weeks I dont understand it.

I slackened off the handbrake bolt, pushed the brakes a few times, but the rear left is still binding when off

Any ideas??

John

This makes me glad that i am not changing the shoes myself! do you think it is one of the springs?

Chris

Just taken the wheel apart again, and seems the wheel cylinder pistons keep getting stuck, which then forces one side out more, against the drum.

Reset everything put wheel on, apply brakes and hey presto, back to rubbing again...........

I have now ordered 2 new drums and a set of internals for the springs and pushrods etc, cos cant be bothered with the hassle of future problems.

Yer, probably best just to sort the whole lot out and eradicate all your problems. make sure you powder coat your drums when you get them as the paint that comes with them is so thin and they start rusting within months. I have just powder coated mine metallic black and they look great

Chris

I will paint mine with hammerite will last for donkeys

John

Yep good idea, anything apart from the stuff that is on there, it is paper thin

Chris

john-wingnut said:

Talking of handbrakes, mine is b****red.
I changed the pads 2 weeks back, adjusted the handbrake and all has been fine.

Tonight I went out, 15 min drive to destination.
I get there and the rear left drum is scorching hot and smoking big time. The rear right is perfectly fine.

What has caused only one side to do that, and considering it was fine for two weeks I dont understand it.

I slackened off the handbrake bolt, pushed the brakes a few times, but the rear left is still binding when off

Any ideas??

John

Click to expand...

I've found the problem to be the handbrake lever-arm which is pivoted onto a shoe (the shoe towards the rear of the car) at the top. The handbrake cable is attached to the other end of this arm (at the bottom of the break assembly).
It is this pivot which tends to seize-up, particularly if the handbrake is not used often enough (parking only).
If you can remove the drum (likely to be the most difficult part of the whole operation), you can easily check this by having a helper apply the handbrake a few times while you watch for any movement.
If free, the bottom end of the lever should move towards the front of the car when the handbrake is applied and pulled back by a spring when the handbrake is released, about an inch each way.

The first time I've done this I took the whole assembly apart but unless you have all the right equipment - it's a pig of a job!

However, with a little patience and perseverance, a can of WD40 and a medium size screwdriver you can gradually get it to work again:
Gently (through a straw) spray a little WD40 onto the pivot once or twice -- but take great care not to get any oil onto the friction pads -- and let it 'soak in'.
Place the screwdriver through one of wheel-bolt holes (drape a plastic sleeve or tape on the shaft if you are worried about damaging the thread) and try to lever the end where the cable is attached, towards the rear of the car. (Mine was so badly seized-up that I had to tap the end of the lever directly before I got any movement).
Once you get a movement, persevere to leaver (or tap) back and forth, a little at a time adding a touch of WD until you get a full movement and the leaver springs back freely.

Hope this helps, I'll try to add some pic's when I get a chance.

Regards
Mike

I put new shoes in the drums 2 weeks back. So that part is new with the shoes, so shouldnt be that.
Also with handbrake off and pressing the brake pedal the releasing it binds still.
I have ordered new drums, and internal fittings, saves future hassle

John