Handbrake weak on one side

[Steve1986]

Just took the car for a pre test check and apparently my driver's side handbrake is very weak. Haven't had a check yet but assuming the caliper hasn't rusted itself into oblivion, is there a way to adjust them? I thought they were self adjusting

 

[Louis]

It'll be the handbrake lever on that caliper. Need a new caliper ideally

 

[JamesBryan]

It'll be the handbrake lever on that caliper. Need a new caliper ideally

This or the cable has seized in the liner.

 

[YorkshireKyle]

Your car has poor brakes?

Well isn't that just the biggest shock this week

 

[Steve1986]

Your car has poor brakes?

Well isn't that just the biggest shock this week

View attachment 1656575

Not the brakes, they work fine, only the handbrake for some reason

 

[Steve1986]

I'll be annoyed if I need to replace anything, both calipers and both handbrake cables are only 12 months old

 

[Louis]

You can easily check the handbrake lever, just move it with a screwdriver and watch the piston

 

[ripp]

Change the cables and then see if it works. I had the same problem and one of the cables was chewed by corrosion. I did them both and it sorted it

 

[Steve1986]

Well after inspecting everything and seeing everything move correctly I assumed it was the caliper at fault. Just fitted a new caliper and it's doing the same bloody thing so I'm guessing it must be the cable after all

 

[JamesBryan]

Cant believe it's the cable after only 12 months.

How far is the handbrake lever coming up, normal?

 

[Steve1986]

Cant believe it's the cable after only 12 months.

How far is the handbrake lever coming up, normal?

Yeah absolutely fine, no different to when it passed its MOT in March.

 

[Steve1986]

Shame you can't transfer an MOT when registering a car over here, that would have saved a lot of messing around

 

[JamesBryan]

Yeah absolutely fine, no different to when it passed its MOT in March.

Odd, could try take the caliper off or pads out and actuating the lever loads of times to see if it brings the piston out and then wind it back in.

That should free it up.

 

[Steve1986]

Odd, could try take the caliper off or pads out and actuating the lever loads of times to see if it brings the piston out and then wind it back in.

That should free it up.

It's a new caliper now so it's presumably as free as it's ever going to be

 

[JamesBryan]

It's a new caliper now so it's presumably as free as it's ever going to be

That's true

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

I had a new caliper that was leaking after 12 months, through the handbrake mechanism. Warranty turned down by the garage as it was 3 days over the 12 months guarantee.

 

[VenomUK]

Had this on the Meg225, replaced the cables and didn’t make a difference so replaced the caliper and has been fine since

 

[Steve1986]

Ok hear me out. The handbrake on the passenger side is working fine, so presumably adjusting the handbrake using the adjuster under the exhaust heat shield will result in the passenger side binding. The driver's side is pulling the lever, but obviously not enough to actuate the handbrake fully. What's to stop me just throwing a slotted washer between the cable and the lever on the driver's side to effectively shorten the cable/increase leverage on the lever?

 

[R3k1355]

That'd work if one side is slacker than the other. But if it's a problem with the caliper, it'll only have an effect for so long, till the cable stretches out and it's back to being poo.

 

[Steve1986]

That'd work if one side is slacker than the other. But if it's a problem with the caliper, it'll only have an effect for so long, till the cable stretches out and it's back to being poo.

Well I just replaced the caliper with absolutely no change so I'm guessing it's the cable being too long

 

[ldubl]

The Pagid handbrake cables from ECP were too long (handbrake barely held on an incline at full engagement)

Much better now with the cables that Ktec sell

 

[JamesBryan]

The Pagid handbrake cables from ECP were too long (handbrake barely held on an incline at full engagement)

Much better now with the cables that Ktec sell

Euro don't do the correct length ones.

There's a thread on here listing the correct Borg & Beck cables somewhere.

 

[Steve1986]

I think I was recommended a Borg & Beck for the passenger side and First Line for the driver's side. They've been recommended a few times on here. What are Febi like, any good?

 

[R3k1355]

Febi/Bilstein stuff is good.

First Line own Borg and Beck, although I've never rated First Line stuff but found Borg and Beck to be fine?