Adjustment of rear disk handbrake

[Zardo]

Hi,

I'm posting this here as it seems to be a non model-specific issue.

After installation of a remanefactured rear disk brake caliper on one side (reusing the brake pads) the balancer plate of the handbrake is tilted. With the new (remanefactured) caliber installled and all four brakes bled, the handbrake cable play was adjusted and the central balancer screw was tightened by checking which one of the left and right wheels would seize first, the play was then slightly loosened so none of the rear wheels would lock up with the handbrake not pulled.

Problem: the balancer plate is tilted and the untouched caliper locks up first when the handbrake is pulled. That means the cable on the side with the new caliper has some slack and this slack doesn't go away.

This remains the case even after pulling and releasing the handbrake dozens of times, and driving several hundred miles.

The total braking force of the handbrake appears to be weaker than normal, especially on the side of the new caliper.

Footbrake seems ok.

I wonder what method is best to check and adjust the jackscrew mecanism manually in order to even out the balancer plate and get rid of the one-sided slack in pair of cables.

I found three videos:







However, maybe there is a fourth and easier way?

What about untightening the handbrake play, disconnecting the cable on the side of the old caliber, tightening the play again with only the cable of the new caliper connected, and doing the pull-release cycle several times using the handbrake lever? Shouldn't that auto-adjust the caliper and remove the unilateral slack in the cables? Once done, slack the play again, reconnect the second cable, and tighten the play again, right?

However, one would still need to check again that both wheels can be turned with the handbrake released, jacking up both rear wheels. So maybe it's not easier after all.

 

[bugsymike]

Hi,

I'm posting this here as it seems to be a non model-specific issue.

After installation of a remanefactured rear disk brake caliper on one side (reusing the brake pads) the balancer plate of the handbrake is tilted. With the new (remanefactured) caliber installled and all four brakes bled, the handbrake cable play was adjusted and the central balancer screw was tightened by checking which one of the left and right wheels would seize first, the play was then slightly loosened so none of the rear wheels would lock up with the handbrake not pulled.

Problem: the balancer plate is tilted and the untouched caliper locks up first when the handbrake is pulled. That means the cable on the side with the new caliper has some slack and this slack doesn't go away.

This remains the case even after pulling and releasing the handbrake dozens of times, and driving several hundred miles.

The total braking force of the handbrake appears to be weaker than normal, especially on the side of the new caliper.

Footbrake seems ok.

I wonder what method is best to check and adjust the jackscrew mecanism manually in order to even out the balancer plate and get rid of the one-sided slack in pair of cables.

I found three videos:







However, maybe there is a fourth and easier way?

What about untightening the handbrake play, disconnecting the cable on the side of the old caliber, tightening the play again with only the cable of the new caliper connected, and doing the pull-release cycle several times using the handbrake lever? Shouldn't that auto-adjust the caliper and remove the unilateral slack in the cables? Once done, slack the play again, reconnect the second cable, and tighten the play again, right?

However, one would still need to check again that both wheels can be turned with the handbrake released, jacking up both rear wheels. So maybe it's not easier after all.

When I fit new rear brake calipers with handbrake mechanism, what I do is work the handbrake lever at the caliper by hand to bring the piston close to brake pads, then with handbrake cable very slack so that I know the lever on the caliper is fully off and against it's stop I then press the brake pedal several times (this is after bleeding) the brake pedal should come back to it's normal good position of travel.
Then I check the lever again at the caliper and by moving it by hand it should only move a very short distance from it's stop with the disc able to turn to a firm finger/thumb pressure stopping the brake pad against the disc and on releasing it should go free again.
You can compare the travel of that lever with the one on the other side of car.
Once that is good I would then adjust the handbrake cable to it's optimum position I would then road test vehicle and recheck that it is working well with no dragging etc.
I have often come to vehicles where cable is over adjusted and in the off position the levers at the brake caliper are not fully returning to their stop/off position. If that is the case then the self adjusting ratchet inside the caliper cannot work correctly and foot and handbrake will get worse and worse.
On a new caliper this method should work every time.
I have had old calipers that after winding the piston in to fit new brake pads it has been lazy in self adjusting so sometime needed to wind the piston out nearer to the pads. If it doesn't start to work correctly then, generally a new caliper is required.

 

[koalar]

I'd start by checking the cable isn't seized, you should see from inside the car both inner cables moving backwards and forwards

It normal for the plate to be tilted

There are self adjusting, but to work

The handbrake adjuster nut has to be loosened at least 3x turns

With the handbrake off and the engine on repeatly firmly press the brake pedal

Readjust the hand brake

If one brake is still coming on before the other something wrong

The total braking force of the handbrake appears to be weaker than normal,

It shouldn't be, alarm bells ringing.

After installation of a remanefactured rear disk brake caliper on one side

It's recommended to do both sides together to keep them balanced

 

[Zardo]

Thanks,

I did loosen the adjuster nut 15 revs until there was so much slack I would have been able to remove both cables from the balancer plate and, with the engine running and driving at a slow pace, pushed 10 times very hard on the foot pedal. Then I tighened the adjuster nut again. This helped a lot.

See also the discussion in the model specific section here.