smart51
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 04:27 PM |
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Handbrake calliper problem. How do I fix it?
My project car failed its MOT on hand brake balance today. A bit of investigative work has shown that the lever is bottoming out against the frame of
the calliper. for most of the arms travel, the brake doesn't come on. tamping on the brake pedal a load of times has improved it slightly.
How do I 'adjust' the calliper so that the handbrake arm starts to pull the brake on sooner?
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Aaron_n_Sim
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 04:36 PM |
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On my old 4x4 sierra I'm pretty sure I adjusted the cable not calliper, what are they off??
Aaron
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chrism
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 05:54 PM |
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It depends how the caliper works. Does the lever go all the way back when the handbrake is off, it could be that the cable needs loosening to allow it
to go back to its starting position.
Also some rear handbrake calipers use a winding bolt kind of thing to push the piston out and they have to be wound back in (Usually clockwise) and
then wound out half a turn or so to reset the auto adjuster inside. This needs to be done with the cable removed and then the brakes pumped to push
the pistons out all the way and then the cables reattached. Both sides need doing at the same time.
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A little hard work never killed anyone, but why take the risk!
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smart51
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 07:29 PM |
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With the hand brake off, the lever can move all the way back and does if you push it with your finger. if you disconnect the cable, it moves back on
its own so I guess the spring is weak.
I fitted new pads a while ago, before the last MOT if memory serves. I wound the pistons all the way in but didn't wind them back at all.
Should I have done this?
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smart51
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 07:31 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Aaron_n_Sim
On my old 4x4 sierra I'm pretty sure I adjusted the cable not calliper, what are they off??
Aaron
When I said "adjust" I meant with something big and heavy. The cable adjustment is done on the lever in the car. It's a Suzuki
Cappuccino BTW.
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Aaron_n_Sim
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 07:37 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by smart51
quote:
Originally posted by Aaron_n_Sim
On my old 4x4 sierra I'm pretty sure I adjusted the cable not calliper, what are they off??
Aaron
When I said "adjust" I meant with something big and heavy. The cable adjustment is done on the lever in the car. It's a Suzuki
Cappuccino BTW.
Ahhh I see, I use a nodgulator for that kind of adjustment, they look a lot like a large hammer.  not familiar with suzi cars!
Work to Live don't Live to Work
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chrism
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 07:38 PM |
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I think it may depend on which car the calipers came off, I know that on MR2 calipers it does need turning out slightly as that makes sure the winding
mechanism is set correctly.
It sounds like the spring is too weak as you say, as if you have to push the lever on the caliper back when the handbrake is off its probably not
adjusting correctly as when it goes back and forth it acts as a crank winding an adjuster out if that makes sense, so when you have been taking the
handbrake off the adjuster is not going all the way back on its own to reset the crank.
If this is the case you may find that cranking it back and forth manually will take up the adjustment and make the handbrake stronger, but you may
want to try getting a stronger spring or the caliper may need rebuilding.
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A little hard work never killed anyone, but why take the risk!
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chrism
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 07:47 PM |
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Just noticed it was a cappuccino, did a google and found this
http://www.suzuki-cappuccino.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3895
mostly mentions streteched cables put one post does mention seized levers on the caliper.
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A little hard work never killed anyone, but why take the risk!
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smart51
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 07:56 PM |
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Hmm. That makes me think. I took the clevis off and moved the lever by hand to check it was free. It is. Perhaps this was the cause of the
calliper being slightly better when I refitted it. I'll try it again tomorrow before the 9:15 MOT retest. Once passed, I'll think about
doing something with the spring. Ta!
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 10/5/13 at 08:58 PM |
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Try slackening the handbrake cable right off so the operating arm fully returns on the caliper and then try pumping the pedal and operating the
handbrake. Most handbrake calipers won't adjust up properly if the handbrake cable has been adjusted too tight so the operating lever
doesn't return properly.
If that doesn't work you could "cheat" and take the pads out and adjust the piston out manually until the pads are just starting to
drag.
[Edited on 10/5/13 by MikeRJ]
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smart51
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| posted on 11/5/13 at 04:36 PM |
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Thanks guys. I turned the piston and pumped the handbrake arm s suggested. The handbrake "comes on" one notch earlier than it did
yesterday so it has done something. and it passed!
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