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        General >> Problems >> handbrake adjustments
        
(Message started by: Andycan on Apr 28^th, 2011, 9:12pm)

Title: handbrake adjustments
Post by Andycan on Apr 28^th, 2011, 9:12pm

Hi can anyone tell me where the handbrake adjuster is? Also how to get to it if it is in the centre console please?

Thanks Andy

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by scorpio_man on Apr 28^th, 2011, 9:17pm

hi there

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/adjhandbrake.htm

hth

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Andycan on Apr 28^th, 2011, 9:45pm

Thank you scorpio_man it looks like I am in for a long job taking the calipers to pieces and trying to repair them or replacing them.

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by SnowyScorpio on Apr 28^th, 2011, 10:48pm

What problems are you having andy?

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Mike H on Apr 29^th, 2011, 11:57am

Interesting as handbrake is supposed to be self adjusting - but did have one seize up once.

Note I was told off for not using the handbrake at all for a while in favour of just the autobox park, this means of course rear caliper pistons are not being racked up to compensate for pad wear ;D

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Simmo on Apr 29^th, 2011, 4:01pm

Andy. Photos of the calipers are in How to do things' Here (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=admin;action=display;num=1267895657). As Mike says the usual problem is the fulcrum seizing. Slightly loosen the bolt holding it down on the caliper.Lever it up, apply liberal quantities of WD 40 and then lever the fulcrum back and forth Tap the fulcrum down , lever it up and repeat this process a few times until it.hopefully. frees up. The fulcrum has to be free to move back and forth as the cable is released and applied. If you are lucky this will solve the problem. Remember also that the rear pistons are threaded and CANNOT be simply pushed back like the front ones. It is this threaded system which creates the self adjusting mechanism to compensate for pad wear.The fulcrum to which the cable attaches is at the top of a shaft. At the bottom of this is a small 'peg' which locates in the end of the large threaded rod you see in the pictures. If you try and dismantle the caliper you will need some long,strong, circlip pliers to access the clips as they are deep in the caliper. :)

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Mike H on Apr 29^th, 2011, 6:11pm

Yes the pistons rotate in a thread, otched around and locked by the hand brake ratchet gadget, it's a pig to wind back when putting new pads in so I believe ;D preferably needs a special tool

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Mike H on Apr 29^th, 2011, 6:16pm

PS it's on top of the caliper isn't it? Least that's what I saw when I had a wheel off recently. And there's like a coil spring on top of it as well

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Mike H on Apr 29^th, 2011, 6:17pm

PPS is it worth soaking this bit with WD40 occasionally?

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Jonnycab on Apr 30^th, 2011, 12:54am

Mike, to wind the calipers back you need a 'brake cube'. Just look for them on Ebay, they're very cheap & do the job :)

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Simmo on Apr 30^th, 2011, 12:08pm

There is a selection on Amazon Here (http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=caliper+wind+back+tool&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=7728041806&ref=pd_sl_7yk7ja19xd_b). There are various units but the 'cube' by Draper is the one Jonnycab mentions. I have one and it does the job. :)
The first Laser one and the Jack Sealy one are also good and reasonably priced. The Draper one requires a 3/8 drive to operate it. :)

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Mike H on Apr 30^th, 2011, 3:35pm

Whoo ;D

Ta

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Andycan on May 3^rd, 2011, 12:23pm

Thanks Simmo I have found this out the hard way. I have been doing what you said even sanding off the rust and after 3 days we have a little movement but not enough to release the brakes. It seems as if the return spring is not strong enough. I have contacted the local ford dealer to see if I could buy just the spring but according to him there is no spring lol.
This problem is all that is stopping me getting a new mot but I shall not be beaten.

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Highlander on May 3^rd, 2011, 1:27pm

Its not the spring, the arm is stuck, have you unhooked the the cable?

tried tapping it back and forth with a hammer and WD40?

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Simmo on May 3^rd, 2011, 4:05pm

on 05/03/11 at 13:27:30, Highlander wrote:

Its not the spring, the arm is stuck, have you unhooked the the cable?

?

To do this you will need to slacken off the handbrake cable by following the 'adjustment' link. There are clips which hold the cable as it passes through the suspension and it is encased in very stiff protection at these points making it a bit of a push and shove job! ::). I favour using a stilson type wrench on the lever to move it back and forth. Stuart is right when he says it is the shaft inside which is seizing. The problem is that under that lever there is a tight seal which is meant to prevent water going down. It also prevents anything else!! which is why you need to raise it slightly in order to try and get the penetrating fluid in there.If you look at the pictures you can see a recess where the seal sits. If this fails you are probably looking at a replacement caliper. Just before you do that, if the earlier advice fails, take the holding bolt right out, watch out for the spring...it is a strong one.... and raise the lever as far as it will go in order to get more WD on it. It WILL NOT come right out as the small peg in the pictures sits in a recess in the shaft and passes through the caliper body to the adjusting screw thus effectively locking the shaft from below. If this does work you will need to replace the spring and a length of strong thin cord or wire , levered with a piece of wood, will be required in order to get it back in place. :)
There is also another set of photos Here (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=admin;action=display;num=1268993371) which will help understand. Matt had a problem with his 'host' and so they were missing from his post until the other day. ;)

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Andycan on May 3^rd, 2011, 5:55pm

Thanks Highlander and Simmo I have already taken the spring off and pulled the lever piston out as far as possible and sprayed a gallon of wd 40 on it over the last 3 days.
When it is out it moves easily and isn't too bad when you put it back in but I can just refit the spring and bolt using only my fingers and then it won't release the brake pad thus I assumed it might be a weak spring. I have however noticed that if a loosen the bolt off a bit and pull yhe piston thingy out a bit the lever releases the brake pad possibly enough to pass the mot.

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Highlander on May 3^rd, 2011, 6:16pm

Doesnt sound right, the springs are hellish to get back on (big bar and skint knuckles stuff)

I never take them off completely because of that.

Can you take a picture of it?

Title: Re: handbrake adjustments
Post by Andycan on May 3^rd, 2011, 6:47pm

I have compared it to the pictures on here and on the internet oh and the one on the other side and it seems exactly the same. I think if it gets through the retest then I will get another caliper.

According to our local ford dealer there isn't a spring to take the handbrake off lol.