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Topic: Handbrake Advice (Read 4208 times) |
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Paul B
Senior Member
'98 24V Ultima saloon
 
Posts: 2442
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Handbrake Advice
« on: Jan 9th, 2005, 4:35pm » |
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I've been having another look at my handbrake today but still can't get it quite right. 
I've taken this picture of the connection of the handbrake cable to the rear caliper....
The idea is that when you lift the lever, the cable pulls that thingy-bob and activates the brake. And when you release the lever, the springs return and pull the cable back with it. Right?
Well mine will work ok, but my springs aren't springing back again for some reason  and thats leaving me with a limp lever 
I'm wondering if those springs have weakened. Is that possible?
And on this page... http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/adjhandbrake.htm a parking brake repair kit is mentioned. Can anyone tell me what you get in the kit?
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waders
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Paul,
Is the limp lever the only problem or does the handbrake not work properly?
If it all works, the cable adjuster will take up the slack.
Waders.
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Paul B
Senior Member
'98 24V Ultima saloon
Posts: 2442
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #2 on: Jan 9th, 2005, 4:58pm » |
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No, when the lever is lifted, the brake operates.
When it is released, these things don't return (leaving the lever limp) so the whole cable is then slack.
These arm things (what are they called?) at the caliper end of the cable can be pushed back with, say, a screwdriver blade. This then pulls the slack cable tight and pulls the lever down tightly to the centre console tray.
Am I doing something obviously wrong here?
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waders
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Sorry, the brakes stay applied?
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Paul B
Senior Member
'98 24V Ultima saloon
Posts: 2442
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #4 on: Jan 9th, 2005, 5:21pm » |
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Well, they do come back just a touch. Just enough for the brake to come off I guess. But they're springing right back.
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waders
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Try adjusting the cable to the point they want to sit at, apply the hand brake hardish 2 or 3 times, jack it up and check the wheels spin without binding.
Is it a "parking brake actuating lever"
Barry.
BTW these do tend to have alot of return travel with a slack cable.
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mr._floppy
Junior Member
Posts: 100
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #6 on: Jan 9th, 2005, 10:11pm » |
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Could the inner wire be sticking in the outer cable ? the pull on the hand brake activates the mechanism , but internal drag on the wire is too much for the spring to overcome, thus the handbrake handle is limp.
I used to get this problem on my old Audi , but only when the temperature went below zero. Water somehow got into the handbrake cable and during the night froze . Result ? a floppy handbrake lever and locked solid rear brakes .
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easyrider66
Newbie
1997 2.3 Ghia Auto Saloon
Posts: 39
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #7 on: Jan 9th, 2005, 10:40pm » |
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Hi Paul,
I think you will find it is the actuator arm pivot that is seizing,
you can try and free with wd40, but the best way is to remove it and give it a good clean up and plenty of grease when you replace it. You may have to slacken the cable to release it from the arm.
Regards 
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Richard
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Paul, are both sides the same or is it one more than the other ?, It could be that your caliper is starting to sieze and may need a overhaul. I had the same problem on a Sierra and had to replace both rear calipers as they were to far gone.
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Badboytunes
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I agree with easy rider........ its a common problem on the seirra xr4x4.......
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Richard
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Great minds eh ?.
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Badboytunes
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too right Rich. Tho how come ur posting wasnt there when i postd mine? Yet ur appears before mine..... Is the site affected by the foibles of the scorpio LOL
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Richard
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I edited it so perhaps it doesn't show while doing this.
But you never know,lol.
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Paul B
Senior Member
'98 24V Ultima saloon
Posts: 2442
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #13 on: Jan 10th, 2005, 6:58am » |
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Thanks for the replies guys.
Until I played with it last week, these actuator arms didn't move at all and were caked up in dirt 'n' stuff.
I gave them a bit of a brush up, sprayed some WD40 on them and gave them a small tap with a hammer. Hey presto - they then worked!
Maybe they're just not free enough then 
So, looking at my picture... if I undo that 10mm bolt and take off the spring, will that actuator arm come off too?
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Snoopy
Administrator
Very old.BAD tempered and missing friends.
Posts: 6278
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #14 on: Jan 10th, 2005, 8:36am » |
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Its along time since I had mine apart but I think there is a fair amount of pressure on the spring in question... It is physically a thick spring..... but if you see the service manual on the brakes it is possible to take this all apart.... its all in here as you already are aware
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/brakesmanual.htm
looking at the exploded diagram. Yes it does come off..
Its worth taking the caliper off and checking every thing over inside if you can its obvioulsy sticking as you have remarked...
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Paul B
Senior Member
'98 24V Ultima saloon
Posts: 2442
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #15 on: Jan 13th, 2005, 8:14pm » |
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OK, I had a spare hour this afternoon. Not much I know, but I thought I'd have another play with it.
I removed the spring from the top of the caliper (it's not too springy at all really). Loosened the small 10mm bolt which holds it and then looked at the actuator arm.
With a large, flat screwdriver I prised it upwards a bit. But it was a bit tight and felt... erm.... smooth. Like it was filled with fluid. Thinking that I might be in all sorts of mess & trouble if I popped it out, I pushed it back down.
My problem now is that now I've pushed it back down, it won't move at all. And the brake is stuck on
Do you think the piston thing moved out and need winding back?
I don't know. What I do know is that I need to sort it quick, cos I'm going to have to use my van for everything until I get it fixed 
Oh, and if I need the wind-back tool, where's the best place to get one? Any old motor factors?
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mr._floppy
Junior Member
Posts: 100
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #16 on: Jan 13th, 2005, 8:46pm » |
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If pushed a pair of old circlip pliers may do the trick, but I got one for £9.99 on-line. It's a metal cube which will fit any caliper design. It fits on to a 3/8 drive.
Used it on Saturday , works like a dream , and no skinned knuckles !
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Badboytunes
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Paul.... i f u intend to remove the h/brake cable u should remove the pads and wind in the piston with the tool...
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Paul B
Senior Member
'98 24V Ultima saloon
Posts: 2442
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #18 on: Jan 15th, 2005, 6:24pm » |
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UPDATE:
Got myself a piston wind-back tool this morning (and what a good thing it is).
Took off the 'stuck on' rear caliper, wound the piston back in and reassembled.
Everything is fine again. Well, sort of What I mean is that the brake is not stuck on any more. The handbrake is still pretty useless though.
I can get it to work, but those springs are just not pulling things back again. As Mr Floppy suggested earlier on, maybe the inner cable is binding somewhere on the outer part. Is this really likely? And has anyone replaced a handbrake cable before? It looks quite involved from what I can tell.
F.A.O Admin... On this page http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/adjhandbrake.htm there is mention of a parking brake repair kit. I've checked this out and it is no longer available. Handy eh? Maybe next time you're updating things...
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SaveTheNight
Senior Member
I can resist anything ...except temptation !!
 
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Re: Handbrake Advice
« Reply #19 on: Jan 15th, 2005, 8:34pm » |
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Hi Paul .. as you probably know by now ..you're in dodgy territory ..these calipers are renowned for seizing and even more so for serious brake seize after being messed with ..although many will say they are serviceable the truth is that once they really start playing up then replacement is by far the safest option .. having said that your own don't sound too bad from what you say .. so ... firstly and MOST importantly you must TOTALLY de-adjust the cable < personally I always release and unhook them completely > .. and back off the cable adjuster until there is masses of play !! ..clean all parts with WD or whatever you prefer ..but do not use WD down the cable as it actually causes sticking of the nylon cable shrouding inside the outer cable ... then and only then with the handbrake actuating levers RIGHT BACK against their stops ..then wind the pistons in ... doing this without the levers back will incorrectly adjust the handbrake wormscrews making correct adjustment impossible .. refit and press the brake pedal a few times to adjust the footbrake first and ONLY then attend to the cables ..check them for seizing and replace if necessary ..then reconnect them to the calipers .. only NOW adjust the cable ..you should find that the small movement you have is now correctly holding the handbrake .. it sounds a bit of a mission but it isn't .. and it's the only way to do the job properly ..hope that helps and shout me if you need any help ... regards ....STN
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