Freelander 2 (2007 model) Handbrake Problem

tightropetom

I recently bought a 2007 Freelander 2. On test drive I noticed the handbrake was slipping on all but the highest notch (ie the one where you have to break a bicep to pull it up completely!). The dealer assured me the brake would be sorted before I picked it up.

Needless to say it wasn't and on a 30% slope going up over a mountain pass I had a bit of a scary hill start or two. I tested it on lesser slopes (eg 10%) and it was still slipping.

Anyway, I brought it back to the dealer under warrranty and they said they replaced the shoes/discs.

Tested it today near my house and sure enough, it was slipping backwards a little, before coming to rest after a few metres. On facing downhill, it continued to slide forwards (slowly) and would probably continue all the way.

My first question (finally) is: should the handbrake hold, even on the steepest slopes? Or am I expecting too much? My issue is, that on a steep mountain pass, if someone coming downhill cuts you off, and you have to do a hill start, should the handbrake be good enough to prevent sliding back into the car behind you while you take your foot off the brake and put it onto the accelerator to give it a bit of welly so you can get up the hill?

My second question is: is there a 'breaking in' process for new handbrakes?

My final question is: Should I just accept that the handbrake sucks?

101sean

A properly working Land Rover handbrake should hold you on any dry steep slope, yours isn't acceptable. Go back to the dealer and throw your teddiess out of the pram.

May be worth doing a search on http://www.freel2.com/forum/ to see if there's a recurring problem with them, you can go in armed then.

tk123

OP I had a similar issue with my rx300 (Before you all slag me I'm lurking on this forum to get info for when I a proper 4x4:pac:). It failed the nct (14% and needed 16% to pass) so my dad tightened the cables and it was a little better but failed again.. Then he got shoes from a motorfactors, replaced and tightened up the cables and was much better but again it went back to slipping .. My dad copped that it was the shoes - it had the wrong shoes on it when I got it, the motorfactors also gave the wrong shoes - when we got them from Lexus the guy said that a good few rx300's he'd had in had the same wrong shoes.. So I reckon they're fobbing you off..

Anyhoos my manual says the following to settle it in :
2. SETTLE PARKING BRAKE SHOES AND DISC
(a) Depress the parking brake pedal with 147 N (15 kgf, 33
lbf).
(b) Drive the vehicle at about 50 km/h (31 mph) on a safe, lev-
el and dry road for about 400 meters (0.25 mile) in this
condition.
(c) Repeat this procedure 2 or 3 times

tightropetom

Did the settling-in procedure this evening and there's a definite improvement. Tried it on a 10% slope and it held.

I live in Cumbria now so I'm going to take it to Hardknott Pass (30% slope) to try it again.

Thanks

101sean

That's a lovely steep spot to try it! Shunting my 110 round the hairpin bends was fun last time I was there.

tightropetom

Ok - here's the story so far. Haven't made it down to Hardknott yet for a test but tried it on the 25% stretch below Honister after doing the 'bedding in' procedure and it held.

I think the dealer could have done the bedding-in procedure before releasing it, or at the very least should have told me how I could do it myself.

Anyway, thanks to the internet, I now have a fully functional handbrake. I'll repost once I've done the Hardknott Pass test! :-)

Thanks to tk123

tightropetom

Hardknott Pass test complete. Handbrake seems stable.

Matter closed