MOT fail...

[mike-evans]

my girlfriends car just failed the mot on Park Brake efficiency. It says " RBT Park Brake efficiency: 10%"...Parking brake below requirements (3.7.A.9/10). Does that mean that when they check the handbrake on the rollers it aint holding enough? I had a look at the shoes yesterday and it was about 2-3mm shoe material on them but looking very glazed, wil replacing the shoes solve this fail?

 

[Nick_P]

Most probably needs tightening.


Either under the downpipe heatshield or in the cabin by the handbrake. My last clio had effeicenty of like 4% lols

 

[mike-evans]

what did you do to get the efficiency better?

 

[Henry]

what's your girlfriend's car?

could be a handbrake cable compensator problem (may be a stretched cable on one side) or problem with the drum/shoes/handbrake mech

 

[ScottyD]

Best to remove the Drums. Clean up the Shoes and Adjust them up using the adjuster. Then Adjust up the Handbrake from underneath the Car, by removing the Heatshield

 

[ChrisPearson]

Did they not tell you exacly what needs doing?

 

[mike-evans]

sorry guys it aint a clio its a corsa, just a general question regarding the fail..my misses said the mechanic nentioned "shoes", its like chinese wisper getting info from her...

 

[MikeB]

you will probally need to just adjust the shoes, but check wheel cylinders are not leaking or siezed. also try not to overadjust vauxhall brakes as they tend overheat quicker than most cars.

 

[mike-evans]

i inspected them yesterday because when the handbrake is released it sticks, as if the shoes are binding to the hub. The hubs were a right pain to remove, when i finally removed them they were really dusty and smelt like burnt brakes. Shoes had lots of material on them but looked glazed and tired, i then cleaned then removing the dust, cylindes showed no leaks, nice and dry.. Steps i took to adjust them/handbrake..slackened handbrake cable right off (wheels off jacked up), adjusted both shoes so the hubs rotated with light resistance, pulled handbrake up 3 clicks then tightened the cable up til it started getting tight on the handbrake..now it comes up acout 5-6 clicks where it holds, is this correct?

 

[ScottyD]

i inspected them yesterday because when the handbrake is released it sticks, as if the shoes are binding to the hub. The hubs were a right pain to remove, when i finally removed them they were really dusty and smelt like burnt brakes. Shoes had lots of material on them but looked glazed and tired, i then cleaned then removing the dust, cylindes showed no leaks, nice and dry.. Steps i took to adjust them/handbrake..slackened handbrake cable right off (wheels off jacked up), adjusted both shoes so the hubs rotated with light resistance, pulled handbrake up 3 clicks then tightened the cable up til it started getting tight on the handbrake..now it comes up acout 5-6 clicks where it holds, is this correct?

problably 3-4 clicks would be about right

 

[MikeB]

^yeah thats right, they probally just need some more adjusting the pass mark is 16% i think

 

[mike-evans]

^yeah thats right, they probally just need some more adjusting the pass mark is 16% i think

so just tighten up on the shoe adjuster is it?

 

[MikeB]

yeah mate theres a little adjuster between the shoes and you turn i always do 2 clicks then try the drum and so on. that i dont over do it.

 

[ScottyD]

Dont do it from the Drums because u have said that uve adjusted it up already until there is some resistance. If you adjust it up anymore they will bind. Just give it a few more turns from the Adjuster inside the Car

 

[MikeB]

^ that de adjusts it from the shoes and normally makes it even worse

 

[ScottyD]

^ that de adjusts it from the shoes and normally makes it even worse

How can that de-adjust the shoes?

Use the Adjuster under the handbrake cover.

He has maximum adjustment at the brake shoes. so if he adjusts them even more the wheel will bind if he manages to get the drum over the shoes

 

[mike-evans]

does anyone know the pass mark (%) for the park brake efficiency? Am I correct in thinking that it failed with 10% as it was not holding enough?

 

[MikeB]

i think its 16% min