Handbrake improvers - herald , vitesse, spitfire

[Paul H]

Seen these on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Spitfire-GT6-Herald-Vitesse-hand-brake-improver-/371960459308?hash=item569a92302c:g:tx4AAOSwo4pYEKHS

 

Apart from appearing expensive do they work ? With an MOT imminent they might be worth considering

 

Any input welcomed

 

Regards

Paul

[Colin Lindsay]

Technically they extend the lever and so allow more pressure on the shoes; in reality they shouldn't be needed if the system is running as it should. I know they've been discussed here before:

 http://forum.tssc.org.uk/index.php?/topic/152-handbrake-improvers/

 

As many for as against....

[Darren Groves]

I made my own version of these, they do work but increase the amount of travel on the handbrake, so more frequent adjusting to keep the handbrake travel sensible.

 

I went back to the standard set up in the end and just made sure it was setup correctly.

 

Darren

[Ben Caswell]

Some later cars like the dolomite use a lever with a longer arm that would do the same job.

[sulzerman]

I extended my levers, more handbrake travel but the handbrake holds best ever 33% at the MOT

[daverclasper]

I read about this in an article in Club Torque mag (July 13) viewed online with a photo. "drill a new hole 7/16" closer to the fulcrum pin on the compensator link".

 

Apparently gives much better handbrake performance at the expense of a bit more travel.

 

Dave 

[Paul H]

I read about this in an article in Club Torque mag (July 13) viewed online with a photo. "drill a new hole 7/16" closer to the fulcrum pin on the compensator link".

 

Apparently gives much better handbrake performance at the expense of a bit more travel.

 

Dave

 

I don't understand or have misunderstood the above. Surely drilling closer to the fulcrum pin is opposite to other views expressed where metal is added to move the handbrake link further away from the fulcrum point and In turn increase leverage and improve handbrake performance

Regards

Paul

[Pete Lewis]

Aha thke fulcrum lever is the pivoting lever above the prop shaft, moving holes increases or decreases the advantage this is not he bacl plate lever

 

pete

[Paul H]

Aha thke fulcrum lever is the pivoting lever above the prop shaft, moving holes increases or decreases the advantage this is not he bacl plate lever

 

pete

Thanks Pete - I understand

Best regards

Paul 

[Pete Lewis]

and thats with silly tablet spelling and thumble finger key pad crap.

 

 

I did a spiel on using stag bell cranked expanders  on the 2000 these are 15mm longer didnt really add to travel but by heck better low effort hand brake lever . 

to extend the lever length on the weeny lever  & pins on H,V,S,GT that sit on the backplate i wonder if adding more effort through them would over load them  , as back plate and wheel cylinders seem to suffer  here