Handbrake Adjustment

Tas4200coupe

Junior Member
Messages
69
Gents, thank you all for these clear and simple directions. I adjusted mine yesterday and couldn't be happier.

Kind regards,

Kim M
 

alfatwo

Member
Messages
5,517
Just execly like the old 1970's 105 series Alfa Romeo Ate rear brake set up, but a bit larger :)

Dave
 

rs48635

Member
Messages
3,181
Anyone tried the BMW 7 series shoes? what is the deal with the spring?

Happy to have mine re-lined but Belfast Brakes or GB bonding.

Gary's details are
GB Bonding (Reline Brake Shoes)
73 Ballycrochan Road
Bangor
BT19 6NF
TURNAROUND IS JUST A FEW DAYS. - price £35 including return postage
Tel 07545 382229
 

Kyle4200

Junior Member
Messages
251
Hey guys!

Had an MOT yesterday and they picked up a few small things, one of which is the handbrake - it takes more than 5 clicks to stop the car which is over the limit so that will need adjusting but the main thing is which I hadn’t noticed is that if any weight is applied to the handbrake it drops down which then releases the brakes! This is a major safety concern, has anyone had to play around with the mechanism itself inside the car, the parts for a new handbrake aren’t too expensive.
 

RSM Masser

Member
Messages
2,437
The adjustment is the same on s 4200 as the 3200 - in other words rubbish!
If the cable has stretched or the shoes need manual adjustment it's jack up and wheels off time.
As for a quick release - that's not so easy , you may have to remove the centre console, the handbrake body will be bolted to the structure of the car, you maybe lucky if one or more of the bolts just needs tightenening up, rather than replacing the mechanism if the teeth on the ratchet are broken or worn.

5 clicks isn't a failure- handbrake test is based on a percentage of the brake efficiency - yours is not the only near vertical handbrake lever
 

GeoffCapes

Member
Messages
14,000
The handbrake on my 4200 was rubbish but passed in both the MOT's I took it to.

Theres a knack. Pull it up. Then pull it up again one click.
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
Hi Kyle, the problem will be wear to the ratchet caused by a design intended for a left hand drive car only! The handbrake lever when stripped bare is basically stamped out and folded cheese! Pulling from the right opens the folded metal and allows the ratchet cam to slip to the side so it is only holding on about 25% of the thickness and this quickly wears and fails. You can remove the lever and quite literally welt it back into shape with a large hammer but this will only be a temporary fix, it would pass the MOT though.

What I did on my 4200 was get one from Germany from eBay, these will only ever have been pulled to the left and so will not be bent. They will ask for £100 initially but low ball them on an offer of £25, it will be rejected but then you can counter offer till you get what you are happy with. Absolutely no point getting one from a RHD car.
 

Kyle4200

Junior Member
Messages
251
I paid £37 plus postage I think about three years ago.

How easy is it to get to the handbrake itself from inside the car, do you have to remove all the NIT Unit and surrounding leather console (ash tray etc)? I’ve ordered a new one from eurospares so I’d rather move bits out of the way myself before letting the MOT guys spend hours trying to take all the equipment out of the way to get to the lever!
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
Yes remove centre armrest, tray, ash tray and lighter. Find the hidden screws under the pen tray mat and remove the NIT/moulding. There are acres front and back I recal. Two or mor cable block connectors too.

The handbrake lever is very easy to remove, just two or three bolts but the pi$$er is the handbrake cable rod end. This is retained by a tiny split pin over a washer, easy enough to remove but the rod then pings out and shoots back almost out of the tunnel!!! I suggest getting a loop of wire into the bend before releasing it so you can control its recoil! You will need to use a piece anyway to pull it back enough to relocate it in the new one.
 

Kyle4200

Junior Member
Messages
251
Yes remove centre armrest, tray, ash tray and lighter. Find the hidden screws under the pen tray mat and remove the NIT/moulding. There are acres front and back I recal. Two or mor cable block connectors too.

The handbrake lever is very easy to remove, just two or three bolts but the pi$$er is the handbrake cable rod end. This is retained by a tiny split pin over a washer, easy enough to remove but the rod then pings out and shoots back almost out of the tunnel!!! I suggest getting a loop of wire into the bend before releasing it so you can control its recoil! You will need to use a piece anyway to pull it back enough to relocate it in the new one.

Well what i'll do is strip down the surroundings and the new one on the seat so they can then take over from there, they'll need to adjust it anyway as it's needs to be pulled so high. I'll put it back together when I get it home, is there a thread on how to remove the NIT etc? MOT rebooked for Tuesday to allow time for part to come.
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
There is, I'm travelling now so don't have time to dig it out, it is fairly intuitive though on the 4200, if it doesn't lift easily there are still hidden fixings!
 

Kyle4200

Junior Member
Messages
251
There is, I'm travelling now so don't have time to dig it out, it is fairly intuitive though on the 4200, if it doesn't lift easily there are still hidden fixings!

I found it! It was on an old thread about removing the NIT unit, I've stripped the console down now so the handbrake is accessible with ease, i'll let the garage do the rest on Tuesday, New lever and components should be here tomorrow.
 

rs48635

Member
Messages
3,181
off outside to replace handbrake cable on the QP. Might be gone for quite some time, so taking a false of coffee and head torch.
 

Caldy999

Junior Member
Messages
445
Belfast Brakes cum G B Bonding are I believe now known as :

7CDA79B8-08E6-4BCA-93A5-1D8F086DA360.jpg

Very helpful on phone, reline quoted £50 plus VAT plus return delivery.
 

Caldy999

Junior Member
Messages
445
Further to previous comments re plenty of local companies offering relining services, I used these ..... been doing this for 30+ years. Very quick, helpful and competitively priced.

6261B7DF-EEA5-4EB9-9881-2FEF49D4F476.jpg