Handbrake cable replacement

[jade]

Hello everyone 

Looking for some advice think I need a new cable for the hand brake and wondering if it's better to get an original one from somewhere like Ebay or an after mark one?

Also will just the cable be alright or is it worth looking for any of the other parts in the brake diagram 

[johny]

Whats the problem Jade?

[jade]

1 hour ago, johny said:

Whats the problem Jade?

Currently the hand brake only holds when its pulled up to the highest level which I struggle with on my own so not really ideal spoke to a mechanic over he phone and they recommend buying the replacement part before bringing it in in case it does need replacing 

[DVD3500]

Have you adjusted the rear shoes?
Those determine how many clicks it take for the handbrake to engage.

Pull the hand brake up 3 clicks. Chock the front wheels and raise the rear.

Put a 1/4 inch square wrench/spanner on the adjuster (the end of a socket and a bolt can be used)

Rotate the wheel and tighten the adjuster until the wheel stops. Do the same on the other side...

 

[Colin Lindsay]

Don't do it with the rear wheels dangling free, that gives a false reading as it stretches the cable and once you lower the car again the cable goes slack. Take the rear wheels off but lower the axles onto axle stands so that safe but they're free to turn, supported under the shocks for example, but at the 'normal' driving angle.

[johny]

Yes Jade the handbrake has plenty of adjustment points so its unlikely that a cable has stretched so much that its outside the range. However as said you really need to go through a step by step process to get everything right and its worth doing that for optimum performance rather than just taking up the slack at the lever itself.... 

[Mjit]

Yep, unless you have an obviously weak cable, so fraying or flaking rust start by going through the full adjustment process as set out in the WSM.

Chances are once you've done that, so taken out 50 years of lazy/incorrect adjustment you'll have a perfectly good hand brake.

Edited September 13 by Mjit

[Dick Twitchen]

5 hours ago, jade said:

in case it does need replacing

My recommendation would be use Canley Classics or James Paddock for your parts as and when.

Dick

[johny]

The worst condition bits Ive found on the handbrake system arent the cables so much as the springs and their holding brackets by the drums. I suppose they get all the crud off the wheels so suffer....

[Pete Lewis]

covered on other posts there are a few basics that need addressing to wake up  the handbrake

when fitting a new cable you need to be aware of the angle at the compensator lever 

the wheel cyl must freely slide in the back plate this can be upset by wear from the handbrake lever wearing 

quite deep grooves in the back plate .this needs weld and clean off.

as said dont let the axles hang , with the cable removed at the wheel cyl,  fully lock up the adjuster hard

now you can reconnect the cable with no taut or slack , just a nice fit of the pins in the forks .

now release the adjuster about 4 clicks (one turn) 

you should have around 4 -6 clicks on the handbrake 

and as a thought i would remove the drums and check the trailing shoes are the right way round ( the unused rectangular hole for the handbrake on the rear shoe must be at the bottom

Pete