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Handbrake adjustment....

  • 12-03-2009 12:23pm
    #1
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,401 ✭✭✭


    Hi All,

    I'm not looking on how to actually adjust the handbrake (shoe position or cable tension), as every car is different....

    I'm wondering on cars that have a separate adjustment for the L/R side, how do you ensure that both sides are pulling the same? (or at least within the 30% margin for the NCT). Clearly if you have an NCT type test lane at your disposal its easy enough to the it set-up correctly....

    I know you can some times see on a hill, as you release the hand brake, that one side will release before the other... Failing that maybe a torque wrench set-up and adjust till both sides require a similar torque to brake free?

    Is there any other tricks that can be used when setting this up? or do most places do a try and see approach...


Comments

  • #2
    tin79
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,270 ✭✭✭tin79


    Hi

    I am not sure if you can just tighten one side. my car recently had the handbrake sticking on one side due to the cable sticking in the housing on one side.

    the garage said they tried to loosen one side but that made the other side too loose so they had to replace it as the cable starts as one but then splits near the rear axle. it was only around €60 to replace.


  • #3
    Darragh29
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,097 ✭✭✭Darragh29


    I'm trying to think of how I can explain this to you, it's easily done but not easy to explain. I'm going for a cuppa to ponder this one for a few minutes!


  • #4
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,401 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    tin79 wrote: »
    Hi

    I am not sure if you can just tighten one side. my car recently had the handbrake sticking on one side due to the cable sticking in the housing on one side.

    the garage said they tried to loosen one side but that made the other side too loose so they had to replace it as the cable starts as one but then splits near the rear axle. it was only around €60 to replace.

    Yea on some cars you can't just the cable tension between l/r, all you can normally adjust with these is the main cable tension and the home position of the shoes.... although most shoes are self adjusting...
    Darragh29 wrote: »
    I'm trying to think of how I can explain this to you, it's easily done but not easy to explain. I'm going for a cuppa to ponder this one for a few minutes!

    Excellent...


  • #5
    Yakult
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 7,943 Mod ✭✭✭✭Yakult


    For some reason why right wheel doesnt lock and left one does. They both used to a few weeks ago, and then as my left wheel bearing started on its way out the left wheel stopped locking. What would be the problem there?


  • #6
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,401 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    Darragh29 wrote: »
    I'm trying to think of how I can explain this to you, it's easily done but not easy to explain. I'm going for a cuppa to ponder this one for a few minutes!

    Darragh what are your thoughts on this one? Am I missing something really obvious?


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  • #7
    landcruiserfj62
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 88 ✭✭landcruiserfj62


    DublinDilbert wrote: »
    Hi All,

    I'm not looking on how to actually adjust the handbrake (shoe position or cable tension), as every car is different....

    I'm wondering on cars that have a separate adjustment for the L/R side, how do you ensure that both sides are pulling the same? (or at least within the 30% margin for the NCT). Clearly if you have an NCT type test lane at your disposal its easy enough to the it set-up correctly....

    I know you can some times see on a hill, as you release the hand brake, that one side will release before the other... Failing that maybe a torque wrench set-up and adjust till both sides require a similar torque to brake free?

    Is there any other tricks that can be used when setting this up? or do most places do a try and see approach...

    The limit for parking brake (handbrake in most cases) is 50%, service brake on each axel is 30%...check exactly what u failed on first


  • #8
    sundodger5
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,189 ✭✭✭sundodger5


    I assume drum brakes on the rear.
    If this only started after replacement of the wheel bearing then it sounds like the shoes adjustment was loosened to facilitate the removal of the drums (maybe a small lip on the drum) they should adjust up automatically.
    if this has not happened you may have to adjust the cable (if you have 2 seperate cables)
    have a look at the base of the handbrake if 2 cables you can adjust individually.
    if not drums off and adjust internally untill the 2 sides are as close to the same as possible.


  • #9
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,401 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    sundodger5 wrote: »
    I assume drum brakes on the rear.
    If this only started after replacement of the wheel bearing then it sounds like the shoes adjustment was loosened to facilitate the removal of the drums (maybe a small lip on the drum) they should adjust up automatically.
    if this has not happened you may have to adjust the cable (if you have 2 seperate cables)
    have a look at the base of the handbrake if 2 cables you can adjust individually.
    if not drums off and adjust internally untill the 2 sides are as close to the same as possible.

    I've no issue with performing the adjustments as such (which differ from vehicle to vehicle)....

    Its how do you know when you've adjusted it correctly, that the imbalance is within the 50% allowed on the test....


  • #10
    sundodger5
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,189 ✭✭✭sundodger5


    i will go by the theory that you can adjust the cables individually.
    Get both wheels in the air.
    apply handbrake gradually while checking the rotation on the wheels at the point where one starts to catch leave the handbrake in that position.
    Then adjust the other to the same catch point.
    More or less same procedure with internal adjustment just more laborious.


  • #11
    TURRICAN
    Closed Accounts Posts: 717 ✭✭✭TURRICAN


    +1
    but id adjust the slider at the drum the put the drum back on with the handbrake down and spin it around .fell for the resistance then do the same for the other side


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  • #12
    Darragh29
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,097 ✭✭✭Darragh29


    DublinDilbert wrote: »
    Darragh what are your thoughts on this one? Am I missing something really obvious?

    I had a think about this, I don't know how to explain the method to this for you! When you do a brake imbalance test on a computerised brake tester, as the test starts and you start pulling up the handbrake, the imbalance is huge. What happens is that as you apply more braking force at the wheels via your operation of the handbrake, the results kind of start to converge and the imbalance starts coming down.

    If you take the car off the test lane and jack it up and take the wheels off and the drums off, you should adjust the brake shoe wear adjusters on each side so that the wheels turn freely after the drum is put on. What you do I suppose you could say is you over adjust the adjuster so the drum will not go on. Then you back the adjuster off a bit so that the drum fits on nicely but is not sticking and there is some small clearance between the brake shoe lining surfaces and the drum working surface, (you obviously cannot see the clearance but if the drum is rotating freely, then you know there is clearance there. Some drums have an access hole with a rubber bung at the back of the drum, and others can be adjusted through the threaded hole for the wheel nut in the drum.

    Other things to look out for are drums with a lip on them caused by drum wear, this can get in the way of adjusting your shoes properly and this lip needs to be removed.

    It's hard to properly explain this without having a drum stripped down and a working example...


  • #13
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,401 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    sundodger5 wrote: »
    i will go by the theory that you can adjust the cables individually.
    Get both wheels in the air.
    apply handbrake gradually while checking the rotation on the wheels at the point where one starts to catch leave the handbrake in that position.
    Then adjust the other to the same catch point.
    More or less same procedure with internal adjustment just more laborious.
    TURRICAN wrote: »
    +1
    but id adjust the slider at the drum the put the drum back on with the handbrake down and spin it around .fell for the resistance then do the same for the other side
    Darragh29 wrote: »
    I had a think about this, I don't know how to explain the method to this for you! When you do a brake imbalance test on a computerised brake tester, as the test starts and you start pulling up the handbrake, the imbalance is huge. What happens is that as you apply more braking force at the wheels via your operation of the handbrake, the results kind of start to converge and the imbalance starts coming down.

    Hi guys,

    Thanks for the replies.... I think i was trying to be a bit to scientific about it... I didn't realise that the imbalance would start to converge, as long as they were "close enough"....

    1) Adjust show home position of shoes(with hand brake fully down). On my car i would adjust the shoes till they just start to bind on the drum, then back off the adjuster 8 clicks. Do the same for both sides....

    2) Then bring up hand brake 4 clicks. Then adjust the L & R cable adjustments so the shoes again are starting to bind on the drum. Let the hand brake down, make sure there's no binding on the drum when the hand brake is down. Bring the handbrake up 4 clicks, make sure the shoes start to bind again....


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