Handbrake Still Rubbish.

[davemar 16]

One of thing my car just failed it's MOT was the handbrake not working well enough. It's a 1.9 GTi, so has the discs at the back. The handbrake has always been a bit rubbish all the years I've owned the car. I've just replaced the cables with proper Peugeot parts, and they are a much better fit, so I've not got dangling cables under the car. I removed the pads and gave the piston a wind in, and the caliper moved freely on it's sliders too. So everything looks to be in good order. I adjusted the handbrake so it engages with about 7 clicks. It sort of does the job, in that it can hold the car on a reasonable slope, but anything too steep and it creaks and rolls away. As far slowing the car down while moving (in an emergency situation) it barely does anything. I'm not really sure how much it needs to work for the MOT, but I think it is still too weak to pass. Over the years it has sneaked through, maybe due to some generosity of the tester; but I'm at a new testing station this time.

 

A replaced the calipers a couple of years ago, and that didn't really make much of an improvement. Is there anyway of making them better?

[jimistdt 1]

Lol, I was just about to link you to this topic, seems its one of yours anyway!

 

Did you look into the compenstars maybe needing adjusting?

[welshpug 1,658]

did the footbrake pass? if so I'd replace the cables.

[davemar 16]

The footbrake seemed to be OK, and I have just replaced the cables, as I've just mentioned. The new cables don't seem to make much improvement, though they do fit a lot better.

 

AFAIK the handbrake should still push the piston regardless of whether the fluid is pumping OK, so I can't see how the compensators can affect things.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Clean the Carrier's up and check the lever arm which operaties the handbrake in the calliper, I've known these to crack causing this,

Once working as they should they do work well

[CosKev 16]

Compensators could make a difference I think

Pretty sure it will be the fluid from the footbrake that adjusts the internal mechanism in the caliper.

 

I know you have changed the cables,have you got the right length ones on the correct sides??????

 

I only ask as I had two longer cables on my 309,bought as a 'pair' brand new off E-Bay!

The passenger side rear footbrake and handbrake had very low performance,and only just scraped threw MOT due to the wrong lenghth cable

[platty 1]

I'm not really sure how much it needs to work for the MOT, but I think it is still too weak to pass.

 

14% is the minimum for an MOT pass iirc

[davemar 16]

They were brand new cables from a dealer, and I checked the part numbers with the service box website to check which side is which, and they seem to fit well. The old ones were too long and dangled all over the place.

 

I might just get it retested and see what happens. I had a load of other stuff to sort for it anyway, which I've done.

[davemar 16]

Failed it's MOT again. The handbrake only measured 14%, so still below the 18% required. The calipers are only a couple of years old, surely they can't have gone off that much?

[t16ryan 1]

16% for handbrake, sounds like what Miles said the lever arm usually needs freeing up

[davemar 16]

If I take the rubber cover off the handbrake lever on the caliper, I assume I'm not going to leak brake fluid everywhere? I assume it's just covering the mechanism and keeping some grease in? I'm just thinking of checking under it to see if everything is OK.

 

Well, I will do when it stops hailing! :/

[philfingers 5]

nothing will fall out if you remove the boot. Rebuild calipers in my experience can go off in two years. They're a bit of a faff but I'd strip them completely, clean and reassemble. I usally put a tie wrap aound the boot on the back side to hold it on nice and snug and stop any water getting in. I run a little O ring lube inside the piston dust cover, stops any corrosion in there. Doesn't seem to have any adverse effects,

 

phil

[davemar 16]

I removed the rubber sleve, and everything looked fine and with plenty of grease on it. The lever moved well and it pushed the piston in as expected. The caliper sliders seems to slide freely too, so the caliper could move well too. So nothing really looking too bad.