I don't have a workshop manual, but I was wondering if someone could describe the procedure for adjusting the handbrake? Mine currently comes up to near-verticle, & it still pulls off the brake when useing it to stall up the auto :redface: . So if someone could decribe the procedure, or scan the manual, or point me to an online manual, it would be much appreciated... i need to practice consistant launchs before the drags next weekend.. theres $500 up for grabs in the "Fours, Rotaries & Import 6s" category at Benaraby at their day/night major next weekend!

Thanks in advance :D

yeh my handbrake cant hold my stalls eithe anymore after i had a little too much fun one night out :) i would also be interested, m ight have a search i think haydn (tbutcher) put one up ages ago? requires removing rear wheel/s and tightening up in there, not just at lever (they do lever at service anyways, they did for mine it did sfa)

hey all

i adjusted my handbrake a little while ago, and it is still tight today ! hehe

anyways, remove the bin from the centre console, and you should see a couple of cables, loosen these to get a little slack ,

then remove a back wheel,
take off the wheel, and on some part of the brakes ( dunno name, can't remember which part lol), there will be a little hole*, and inside it a "starwheel" , move this with a flathead screwdriver until the wheel no longer spins, then back off until the wheel starts spinning freely again, repeat with other wheel

*you have to sometimes turn the wheel hub thing to line up the hole with the starwheel


once you have done this, tighten the cables (underneath centre console bin), how ever much you want (eg. 5 clicks, 3 clicks of the handbrake till lock)

hope this helps

it is just what i can roughly remember when i did mine

later :cool:

I second that.

one thing to note though, only in some cases, like in mine! adjusting it tighter, eg lock the drums with fewer clicks than before, induces brake drag, and in extreme case, like mine, it induced brake jerking, makes decelerating very annoying when the car tries to slow down then the brake lets go then bites again then lets go then bites again... made me sick, not literally but was enough to annoy the F outa me. I think this only happens to old and abused drums. I hope new set of DBA slotteds will fix this.

I think this only happens to old and abused drums. I hope new set of DBA slotteds will fix this.


dba disks do not replace the handbrake drum... the hand brake drum is totally different part of the braking hardware. unless your talking about warped disks?

Isn't the pad for the drum inside the hub part of the rear rotor? isn't it part of the same assembly?

it is due to my rear dics being wraped slightly, but now that i've loosen the star-wheel I don't get as much brake jerk as before. don't know how to explain.

don't listen to me, i'm just blabing on.

Isn't the pad for the drum inside the hub part of the rear rotor? isn't it part of the same assembly?
I don't think it is. I think a drum handbrake is actually like a shoe that sits around an axle.

I thought the pad pushes against the hub, dunno if this is right from howstuffworks.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/drum-brake1.htm

White devil is right...
Inside the rear brake disk is a drum... attached to your axle is a set of pads that look like the ones in the "Who stuff works" link.
you also have a set of calipers that clamp onto the disc part...
In "some" cases the handbake also activates teh caliper and clamps onteh disc.. but in our cars they have a drum rear Handbrake only setup..
I will be changing my prakes to the Brembos on the weekend.. so I will show you some up close pics :)

Haydn

The reason for seperate drum setups for the handbrake (like our Magnas) is that in case of a failure (cables stick) or the handbrake hasn't been fully released, the pads and disks don't heatup and and cuase a braking problem like: premature wearing of pads, scorched disks and heated brake lines (leading to the boiling of brake fluid) etc... :D

I will be changing my prakes to the Brembos on the weekend..

in the humble words of the virgin mary........... "come again?"

I second that.

one thing to note though, only in some cases, like in mine! adjusting it tighter, eg lock the drums with fewer clicks than before, induces brake drag, and in extreme case, like mine, it induced brake jerking, makes decelerating very annoying when the car tries to slow down then the brake lets go then bites again then lets go then bites again... made me sick, not literally but was enough to annoy the F outa me. I think this only happens to old and abused drums. I hope new set of DBA slotteds will fix this.


no such thing as DBA slotted drum, i think u mean slotted discs....

no such thing as DBA slotted drum, i think u mean slotted discs....

Who ever said DBA slotted drum??? I never said that?

In case you didn't know, the drum handbrake uses the hub part of your rear rotor. the rear rotor includes the brake disc, they are one assembly.

Therefore, changing my rears rotors to DBA slotted rotors, it will result in changing of the hub used by the drums! you get what I'm talking about now?

The descriptions given here are in part right so let's collaite them

First of all the rear rotor (disk) has 2 parts. The external disk is where the brake pads contact when you put your foot on the brake. This is controlled by the calliper.

Inside the drum is another machined surface.

The handbrake has what is called a 'Shoe", this is basically a horse shoe shape item. It is attached to the backing plate that is bolted to the rear hub assy.

At the top of the plate is a cylinder, for lack of better way of putting it, this contains a lever, an adjuster, and a few other bits.

When the handbrake is applied, the cable pulls a lever that in turn pushes the adjuster on one side and a cone like object on the other side, this spreads the shoe to endable it to contact the rotor hub.

This is a very basic explaination of the process however it is simple enough to understand.

When the handbrake is over adjusted or the handbrake is left on the drum part will in turn heat up and can cause a very bad shudder. It can also cause a fair amount of damage to the drum and the disk through heat.

The reason that a lot of car manufacturers changed back to hand brake drums is there have always been issues with the calipers that are able to operate via hydrolics and cable, subaru had many issued years ago as did the forst gen magna's.

It is also believe it or not cheaper to manufacture the set up we have now over the dual action calipers.

Here are some pics to go with the texts above...

Haydn

PS these are from My 4WD.. so the location of the adjuster may be at 12 o'clock on some models..

Haydn, could I ask, how easy is it to pull the rear dics/rotor off? it doesn't seem to be as loose as the front rotors I have where I could jiggle it about with the wheels taken off, but the rear disc doesn't seem to jiggle at all, even with the hand brake off. are there any release thingys holding the rear rotor on? I need to know cause I'll be changing the rear rotors when the arrive.

Haydn, could I ask, how easy is it to pull the rear dics/rotor off? it doesn't seem to be as loose as the front rotors I have where I could jiggle it about with the wheels taken off, but the rear disc doesn't seem to jiggle at all, even with the hand brake off. are there any release thingys holding the rear rotor on? I need to know cause I'll be changing the rear rotors when the arrive. They may be caught on the hub with rust...

The calipers come off SO easy.....
If people are painting the calipers/rotors... a 14mm socket and a 17mm socket is ALL you need to remove the brakes..

On that.. My Front rotors had a LIP around the edge.. meaning I couldnt Slide the caliper off the rotor...
This is EASY to fix.. once you have undone the two securing bolts on the insideof the caliper.. gentle rock the outside edge of the caliper to wards and away from you.. this will "spread" the pads.. pushing the pot back into the caliper and allowing the caliper to be easily removed...
remember that once you have reinstalled them to tap your foot on the brakes to take up this slack you have caused.



Haydn