997.1 Handbrake MOT Warning Dilemma

[CK99Something]

Hi, I have a small dillemma regarding my 2006 997.1 (60K).
Last MOT had a warning about parking brake efficiency only just met. I understand from research online that that is very often a rusty drum which would make sense as it has become a bit (ok a lot!) of a garage queen with working from home now. It would probably do through coming MOT with same warning as its done so few miles but dont want a history with a repeated warning.
The disks are showing remarkably little wear and only have next to no lip at the rear with about 9mm of pad and a slightly larger lip (maybe 1mm) at the front with a little less pad.
Given I'm doing < 1K/year at the mo I dont really want to change all the disks/pads while they appear to have plenty of life at least in terms of months rather than miles.
Trying to decide if its worth taking the rear disks off and clean up the drum or maybe getting my local specialist to do it or is it crazy to not change the disks and pads having gone to that trouble?

 

[Jam911]

I tried and failed to change the handbrake shoes....the rest of the brakes and pads were easy.

 

[CamGTS]

Have tried adjusting the handbrake cable?

 

[spinnaker]

I was going to ask the same thing. I had mine tweaked a year ago and the hand brake is much better now.

 

[CK99Something]

Have tried adjusting the handbrake cable?

Apologies for the late reply.

Thanks for the suggestion, I hadn't thought about that.

If I pull the handbrake up I can count seven clicks on the ratchet. Doesn't appear that high up.

Not sure how I'd test it though. Really dont want a 'fail' in the MOT history.

 

[CamGTS]

that sounds too much. should be 3 or 4 clicks

 

[Moko]

Have you tried to adjust the parking brake at the rear wheels like in this video
https://youtu.be/IYY1nkvXqns ? Actually this guys video gives even more details https://youtu.be/idhUu7N4yyg

 

[CK99Something]

I tried adjusting and it made little or no difference.

While doing that I noticed the inside face of the rear disk was quite badly corroded so I decided to do all the disks and pads and handbrake shoes (proper job!).

I've dismantled the rears which was fine but I'm having a devil of a job reassembling the shoes. The larger spring doesnt have a hook end so I cant us my spring compressor tool.

The tensioner linkage on the end of the cable just flies apart every time I try and get the shoes on it.

 

[Jam911]

See my earlier post....

I spent half a day trying to fit the handbrake shoes, with step by step guide from the Master on this Forum.

...I still had to get a mechanic to do them...they are a nightmare

 

[CK99Something]

Oh dear, that doesnt bode well!

Its frustrating because there was a fair bit of pad material left on the shoes so probably could have got away with running some emery cloth over them.

 

[MaxA]

I suspect that looking after drum brakes is going to be a lost art; I'd be tempted to remove the disc and simply try to clean up the shoes and springs and what-have-you with an air line, some brà¤kleen, and clean the inside of the disc of rust etc to try and free it all up so it works better for the MOT tester.

 

[CK99Something]

Too late I'm afraid one side is already in bits!

If I'd seen the grief referred to on here I would have left them. They were in good shape and only had a few mm less than the new ones and as I'm fitting new disks I wouldn't even have had the disk cleanup.

I did see from some of the previous links that I was on a non starter because i hadn't released the handbrake cable at the handbrake end. I was sure I saw a guide where they didnt do that.

Also the boxster YouTube in Jam911s link about handbrake shoes does show how to get the shoes initiated with the odd (stronger) spring I was referring to so hopefully that will help.

Have slight concern over locating the retaining springs as the inspection for that is only on top spring and looks somewhat tricky!

 

[CK99Something]

I've managed to do the shoes on both sides but it is one hell of a faff.

The technique I used was:
Leave the spreader lever off, fit the longer spring, clip the lower shoe onto the post at the handbrake cable end and then pull hard on the top shoe to drop that onto the top of the post. You can do this without tools.
Put cable ties around the outside of of the shoes to stop them pinging off.
Fit the compression springs.
Remove cable ties.
Fit the adjustment wheel.
Fit the small spring using a small screw driver.
Fit the spreader level by locating the bottom part, levering up the top shoe and pushing the top part into place.

Just got to put on the rear calipers and then do front disks and calipers but that seems like plain sailing after those shoes!