Handbrake help needed

[Tiger Tim]

It's test time again for my MK1A & each year I have issues with the handbrake. Last year the imbalance was 50% and greater that 50% imbalance is a fail so just scraped thru. Foot brake effort on both sides is practically identical. Figures are below. Last week I decided to change the handbrake cables, hoping that the old cables of unknown age were stretched. Anyway, with new cables from Mr T installed and adjusted, it still looks like there still an imbalance. With the car jacked up & the handbrake pulled I can't move the rear wheel at the passenger side with the handbrake but can just move the driver's side. Both pistons were wound out 180 degrees with cables disconnected & I didn't move the little arms at the calipers before both sides connected.Bar at the centre adjuster is level & not pulled more to one side. Is there anyway of improving the handbrake at the driver's side or slacking off the effort at passenger side. If I wound the piston out 360 degrees at driver's side, would that make any difference or would it also cause an imbalance on the foot brake. Could there be some issue with the caliper. Any help appreciated.

Figures from last year's test

Braking Effort

Left Right

Front: 1.960kN 1.990kN
Rear 1.610kN 1.590kN

H-Brake 1.930kN 0.970kN Imbalance 50%

Thanks,

Tim

[Tiger Tim]

Just noticed that the spring to the rear of the adjuster under the centre of the car is missing on my MK1A. Does this do anything other that stop it rattling about?.

Tim

[JamesDaniel80]

Make sure you check the handbrake cables.

I had a similar problem and it turned out that the calipers were fine, but one of the cables leading from the centre cable to the wheel was completely seized.

[Tiger Tim]

Thanks, James, but I've all new cables. It looks like the left is activating a good bit before the right. Doing some testing at the weekend, I found by putting a few washers behind the arm that holds the sleeve of the cable away form the caliper on the weak side, it even's up the handbrake effort on both sides. Moving the two handbrake caliper levers by hand with cables disconnected, I meet resistance on the left at a position a good bit before I meet it on the right. There's also a good bit of travel on the left before any resistance is fell.

Thanks,

Tim

[scomr2]

This sounds like the mechanism within the caliper isn't set right.

Paul Woods has a supposedly foolproof method for resetting when you change the pads - search the forum and you should find it.

Simon.

[PW@Woodsport]

Indeed, your right side (OSR) caliper is not adjusted properly.

Or it's internally faulty.

There's a thread somewhere about the correct proceedure. .... found it, makes funny reading all these years later, hope it helps...

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6372

[tommullin]

thats a very helpful thread, thanks paul. i found it the other day and made my handbrake work properly for the first time in about three years. theres a fair bit of 'banter' to read through but very useful information that i doubt a lot of people would have known!

cheers

tom

[Tiger Tim]

Thanks Paul, I've followed your advice to the letter but its still sh!t on right hand side. Got my friendly mechanic to call around & we reset them again as per your instructions & started & pumped the brake several times before connecting cables. Left is OK but right hand side is crap. I could probably get the piston out more by grinding off the "pimple" on the back of the pads but don't know if that would help the handbrake. Mechanic suspects there's something wrong internally. Says moving the lever on the caliper by hand doesn't feel right. Is there anything to be seen by stripping the caliper down or would it be worth just getting another pair. I bought these refurbished a few years ago. Where's the best place to buy calipers in the UK if I have to go down that route.

Many Thanks,

Tim

[PW@Woodsport]

Tim if you followed my routine to the letter then it can only mean the caliper itself is faulty and needs to be replaced.

[SuperRedMR2]

Or buy a refurb kit?

[Tiger Tim]

Thanks for the replies. I could nearly recite your guide now Paul, I've read it so often in case I missed something. Is a refurb kit of any use for the handbrake mechanism. Not sure how much is included in the kit.

Tim

[SuperRedMR2]

No my bad, that's just for the seals.

[Tiger Tim]

Yippee, passed the test today. Got the handbrake imbalance down to 36% (>50% is a fail) with a little bodge. While experimenting, I found if I put a few washers behind the bracket that holds the sleeve of the cable from the caliper, the handbrake improved on the bad side. Have an old rusted set of calipers so I took off that bracket & bent it (club hammer) so that it would be further away from the caliper. Anyway it worked & I got the pass. Now need to sort it properly. Any recommendation on where to get calipers in the UK.
Happy for another year.

Thanks for all the help & suggestions

Tim

[SuperRedMR2]

eBay, Brakes INT do refurbished ones for about £75 each or something.

Mk3 rear calipers also fit.

[Tiger Tim]

Thanks, SuperRed

Wasn't aware that the MK3 rear caliper would fit.

T.