VITESSE Mk2 - HANDBRAKE ADJUSTMENT

[Guest]

I have been reading with interest the thread in the Braking Forum "Handbrake Cable Too Long".

 

Hopefully over the weekend I will be adjusting my h/brake cable as the h/brake is not locking the rear wheels tight enough to prevent a tiny bit of creeping when the car is on a slope.

 

The WSM says adjust and carry out the job with rear of car raised - understandable.

 

However reading the other thread there is mention of the car being down on its wheels or certainly under load.

 

Am I right in thinking that under load is required when replacing the complete h/brake cable system OR does it apply / can it apply equally to a simple h/brake adjustment.

 

I presume that the only h/brake adjustment is at the rear wheels rather than being able to adjust the "wire" at the h/brake mounting ?? In fairness I have not checked the h/brake to see if that is an option.

 

I'd be very grateful for views on this please.

 

Thank you.

 

Richard.

[TomL]

Hi Richard,

 

I've only ever adjusted the handbrake with the car jacked up off the ground.  Whilst I imagine you could carry out adjustment with the wheels on the ground, it would be difficult it know if you'd nipped it up too tight (or too loose).

 

There is most definitely adjustment at the handbrake lever too.  I have carried this out and I recall that re-assembly of the handbrake lever is a three-handed task that involved a lot of swearing!  But well worth the much-improved feel of the handbrake.

 

Tom

[Clive]

I think I meant (in my other post) the suspension needs to be in the "running" position.

On non-roto cars the handbrake cable run does what it should, and doesn't alter length over the suspension travel.

The rotoflex cars do alter, so you need to take that into account and the cable appears a bit loose when the car is jacked up.

 

Richard, I don't want to teach you to suck eggs, but is the handbrake quadrant lever thingy set correctly? And the shoes moving well? and the adjuster correctly set up? 

[Darren Groves]

You need to jack up the rear of the car, remove the road wheels, then put axle stands underneath the rear hubs and lower the car back down (I normally place the stands on the lower shock mount), then adjust. If you try to adjust with no weight on the rear suspension you will never get the handbrake set up correctly. Having the hubs just hanging takes up some of the slack in the handbrake cable, so if you try to adjust at that point it will have you thinking you've adjusted it OK, but as soon the the cars back on its wheel the slack is reintroduced and the handbrake will be poor.

[Guest]

Folks.

 

I am glad I have asked the question, because combined they make for a good answer and timely; especially as I have a Rotoflex but have done the rear strut conversion. 

 

Supporting the car on the lower shock mounts is something that I would not have done and would of had them supporting the axle. I'm happy with the shoes and the drum adjustment; but of course all will be checked.

 

As pointed out the h/brake setting itself will also be checked and then adjust the cable after all those checks. Hopefully that will do the job.

 

Tom, I did think doing the job with the wheels on the ground would be a challenge !! 

 

Clive - your reply was fine, I did not twig about the suspension being in the "running" position; which Darren has now made me realise.

 

Many thanks & appreciated.

 

Richard.

[Pete Lewis]

Its important to make sure the basic shoe adjuster is correct in the first place

 

if there is any tension in the cable holding the shoes open a little the base adjuster will give a false impression of being locked up

thats why when things are not quite right you must disconnect the cable from one of the brakes then really lock up the cam adjuster, then refit the cable to suit without any tension , finally undo the adjuster cam around 4 clicks / one full turn .

 

having the wheels /suspension at road running height takes away any deviations in cable route

or cable angles affecting its on road length

 

pete

[Ben Caswell]

Where the operating lever for the handbrake acts against the shoe there should be a little "H" plate that sits in the hole in the shoe. This takes up quite a bit of the action which in effect would shorten the cable action. 

 

Problem is this part is not shown in the manuals or spare parts catalogue and often goes missing when the shoes are exchanged.

[Pete Lewis]

I remember those good spot Ben acts as a sort of wear pad in the slot ,

 

have had a search around in some old brake manuals but cant find the little sod

 

pete

[Clive]

I know the dolomites have them, but didn't think heralds etc did? But they use the same shoes (vitesse and dolomites)

 

A chappie on the TDC has had a batch made, pretty cheap but easy enough to make. I got mine from him for my sprint axle.

[Ben Caswell]

Clive you could be right as the proper GT6/Vitesse workshop manual shows an actual photo of a rear brake set up and the

shoes have rectangular slots for the lever so the "H" plate would not fit in.

 

But if the shoes have the taper in the slot I think the "H" plate would improve the action.

 

Found the part listed in a Marina parts book as 37H 3075

[trevorc]

Hi Ben

 

I can't begin to work out how many different Heralds I've changed rear brakes on!  And none have had that part fitted.  Looks like we are all agreed it is not a Herald part.  The question of taking up the gap is worth thinking more about though.

 

Cheers

 

Trevor

[Clive]

Not to mention repairing wear in the backplate and the lever arm where the contact points are.

[trevorc]

I've tracked down two new backplates - not many about.