Cost to change a handbrake cable - Toyota Avensis

johndaman66

As the title says could somebody please give me a ballpark figure of how much labour time and cost of replacing a handbrake cable on a 01' Avensis VVTI. Handbrake not holding the car at all. Had the drums off today and shoes look grand so am guessing the handbrake is a goner. Could somebody give me a ballpark figure of what I could expect to pay at an independent garage which aren't in the business of fleecing people?

cletus

Have tou tried adjusting the handbrake cable at the lever itself.

Other than that, is there a self adjuster in the drum, could be stuck

Avns1s

There are two cables on these. (one to the left and one to the right in case it's not obvious) Cables will be costing about €25- €30 each depending on brand. I would be thinking in the region of about an hours labour.

Aside of that, did you check that the automatic adjusters on the shoes weren't seized? In fact, a seized cable is more likely to show us as the handbrake stuck on, rather than not coming on at all. Worth further investigation before you get someone ordering parts IMO.

CJhaughey

I did my 1999 T22 this year, same thing. Handbrake wouldn't hold on any kind of incline.
Took the back drums off and checked operation of handbrake, drivers side wasn't working well.
Ordered a spurious Blueprint cable €31.87 . Fitted fine, just had to crimp the two metal sleeves that hold the cable in place under the car.
Solved the problem and made the handbrake work really well.
Takes about an hour to back off handbrake in car, and in the wheel and reassemble the shoes.

johndaman66

cletus wrote: »

Have tou tried adjusting the handbrake cable at the lever itself.

I checked the cable inside at the handbrake lever itself cletus. Even if I tighten the cable up as much as I can its still very slack.

cletus

Then i'd check the self/auto adjusters next. As stated above, replacement cables are pretty cheap, and if your any way handy (and considering you were already in at the drum and the lever, you probably are) you'd be as far on doing it yourself

johndaman66

Avns1s wrote: »

Aside of that, did you check that the automatic adjusters on the shoes weren't seized? In fact, a seized cable is more likely to show us as the handbrake stuck on, rather than not coming on at all.

CJhaughey wrote: »

I did my 1999 T22 this year, same thing. Handbrake wouldn't hold on any kind of incline.
Took the back drums off and checked operation of handbrake, drivers side wasn't working well.
Ordered a spurious Blueprint cable €31.87 . Fitted fine, just had to crimp the two metal sleeves that hold the cable in place under the car.
Solved the problem and made the handbrake work really well.
Takes about an hour to back off handbrake in car, and in the wheel and reassemble the shoes.

Although I changed shoes before I am not quite sure how to change or adjust handbrake cable on Avensis. Changed on on brothers Mondeo before alright as it was siezed though but memory is a bit sketchy on it now. I just can't remember any adjuster mechanism at the wheels. Its a handy enough job on Avensis?

Mar4ix

did somebody pull up hand brake , while you was looking on shoes ? you shall see mechanism move, or there is no move at all ??

i would understand if one cable snaps, but two ??? never heard about it.
Maybe need reassemble shoes mechanism, clean from rust and dirt, there is self adjustment system, which have to work, if does not, with the time, youll loose your handbrake.

Also if it snapped, then handbrake lever should go up without any force

CJhaughey

Mine wasn't snapped, just hard to pull.
There is three cables, one from the lever to a point under the car where it splits into the two separate cables for the rear drums.
The centre piece was kinked from the cable being sticky.
If it is left in that condition, the cable can prevent the shoes returning and you end up wearing them prematurely.
But mine manifested as very poor handbrake operation.

Avns1s

dieselbug wrote: »

Hi John

The first thing you need to do is slacken back the handbrake adjustment until its loose. Remove the drums and make sure the levers on the shoes are off fully and moving freely.
There is a small adjuster, like a little toothed wheel on the shoes. There is a rubber grommet on the brakeplate directly behind this adjuster. Remove the grommet and you can turn the adjuster with short flat screwdriver. When you have the shoes adjusted then take up the slack on the cables.

Try the handbrake gently, with the drums removed to see if the levers at the shoes are pulling and releasing correctly.

That's a very good description of what to do with a 2003+ Avensis (except the grommet is in the drum) but unfortunately it won't help the OP with his 2001.

dieselbug

Avns1s wrote: »

That's a very good description of what to do with a 2003+ Avensis (except the grommet is in the drum) but unfortunately it won't help the OP with his 2001.

Discs? Sorry disregard. Il delete.

Avns1s

dieselbug wrote: »

Discs? Sorry disregard. Il delete.

The 2003 onwards had disc brakes in the rear with the handbrake mechanism in a drum in the middle of the disc.

Earlier models have drum brakes in the rear with automatic adjusters. I am not aware of any way of adjusting these with a screwdriver, which would be good if they could as getting the drums off can be a right pita!!

CJhaughey

Avns1s wrote: »

The 2003 onwards had disc brakes in the rear with the handbrake mechanism in a drum in the middle of the disc.

Earlier models have drum brakes in the rear with automatic adjusters. I am not aware of any way of adjusting these with a screwdriver, which would be good if they could as getting the drums off can be a right pita!!

Yes, there is no adjuster grommet on the early drums.
I have found judicious application of a 2kg hammer all around the drum can loosen it enough to allow removal.:D

Avns1s

CJhaughey wrote: »

Yes, there is no adjuster grommet on the early drums.
I have found judicious application of a 2kg hammer all around the drum can loosen it enough to allow removal.:D

The Hammer is the only way!!!!

Waterson

Are there not two threaded holes in the drum that you can wind 12mm bolts into to apply pressure on the bearing boss to break the drum seal? Of course the lump hammer does some in handy if the drums have big ridges on them! Id reckon on removing the drums and adjusting the gear to see if that improves the situation. Otherwise replacing the cable shouldn't take any longer than an hour at a good indie, so around 40-45 euro labour and maybe 35 for a cable ballpark

Mar4ix

also, if you diagnose one cable snapped, suggest you change both, as youll never get your handbrake even, ... fail in NCT guaranteed.

Avns1s

Waterson wrote: »

Are there not two threaded holes in the drum that you can wind 12mm bolts into to apply pressure on the bearing boss to break the drum seal? Of course the lump hammer does some in handy if the drums have big ridges on them! Id reckon on removing the drums and adjusting the gear to see if that improves the situation. Otherwise replacing the cable shouldn't take any longer than an hour at a good indie, so around 40-45 euro labour and maybe 35 for a cable ballpark

If you try and pull off the hub using the threaded holes and theres a lip (which there invariably is) you will make sh1t of the retaining clips. The best way is the small lump hammer and go round the drum a few times. The drum should pull off fairly easily after a while!!

CJhaughey

Avns1s wrote: »

If you try and pull off the hub using the threaded holes and theres a lip (which there invariably is) you will make sh1t of the retaining clips. The best way is the small lump hammer and go round the drum a few times. The drum should pull off fairly easily after a while!!

This and the holes in the drum strip very easily, they are only a few mil thick at that point.
Hammer is the best, it might sound ignorant but it works well!