Adjusting handbrake

Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:31 pm

My 316 touring has just failed it's mot on the handbrake.

It has rear discs & you're supposed to be able to see the adjuster through the wheel bolt holes except I can't !

Caliper mounting brakets are on so tight I'll need heat to get them off so I can't get the disc off for a look.

Currently working on the driver side. Whereabouts is the adjuster?

Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:40 pm

Just replaced the discs, pads and handbrake shoes on my touring saturday. Look at the disc, line up one of the wheel bolt holes to be right at the top and shine a torch through. You actually see the side of the adjuster, put a small flat bladed screw driver through the hole and move the teeth of the adjuster up or down. Experiment with this with the handbrake off, trying the handbrake until you get the desired 'bite' you want.

Mine only just goes up to two clicks now and it will hopefully pass the M.O.T.

Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:57 pm

But you adjust it at the lever end

dont you?

Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:00 pm

eko wrote:But you adjust it at the lever end dont you?

You need to adjust at the disc end to compensate for wear.

Cheers,

Iain T

Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:01 pm

oops sorry

Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:22 pm

taking the disc off and washing it out and roughing the shoes and discs will help on the brake rollers for the mot.

Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:37 pm

Thanks for the info.

Mon Nov 28, 2005 9:26 pm

Adjust the cable off at the lever, adjust up the shoes at the wheels(if you can) and the take up the slack with the lever. Adjust the shoes up tight and then back till you can turn the disc, dont adjust the lever too tight, it needs to have a few clicks, 3 is good, some MOT places can be really sticky. HTH

Mon Nov 28, 2005 11:27 pm

eko wrote:But you adjust it at the lever end dont you?

NO, YOU MOST CERTAINLY DON'T! The adjusment at the lever is for taking up the slack in the cables only. Adjusting the handbrake at the lever results in a pathetic handbrake,and bu**ers up the shoes permanently.

Mon Nov 28, 2005 11:29 pm

littlejim wrote:taking the disc off and washing it out and roughing the shoes and discs will help on the brake rollers for the mot.

If you can't get the handbrake (or any other of the brakes) to meet the very low requirements of the UK MOT, then there is something very wrong with them.

Tue Nov 29, 2005 1:59 am

Well I've had another look & still can't see the adjuster.

It's a Dec '93 model so maybe they're different. I need to get the bolts on the mounting bracket off so I can pull the disc & see for myself.

The handbrake had been adjusted using the cable rather than the shoe adjuster.

Borrowing my mates long breaker bar & better socket rather than my puny T-bar & 17.1mm socket!!! If that doesn't work I'll need heat!