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Handbrake

Albionmuz

Well-known member
Joined
28 Oct 2016
Messages
1,360
The handbrake on my car needs a very firm tug to make the car hold on an incline. It has been like this since I bought the car. The Indie I bought it from advised me that they are prone to being like this. Do others have the same problem or can the handbrake be tightened up to hold easily?
 
Yes. Massive effort will get one more 'click' out of it but it has never actually failed (touch wood).

JAZ checked it and said it was fine. I always leave it in gear if on a slope and never leave it on over the winter.
 
mine was like that from purchase, did the rear brakes this year with new shoes etc and now the handbrake works without any effort and feels very solid. The old shoes had plenty of meat but the material was glazed, hardened and the inside of the "hats" were a bit greasy...typical problems with age. New shoes are a slightly different design and I presume updated material - judging by the part code I think they are the same ones fitted to some later 911's that are supplied by OPC.
 
Yup, i find i have to give it a heft for that last click to stop it moving on a slope.
 
Same here, strange because it's very similar to 944 which always works perfectly. Easiest way to deglaze is to use handbrake a few times to stop, best done slowly on an empty road or just pull it on gently with your thumb on the button again slowly without a car up your chuff. Otherwise it's strip, emery shoes and drum surface of disc. Had to do that a few times for MoT. I always leave it in gear, just don't trust it and a pain to set off on inclines. We have just got a new car with auto park brake. Better not forget which car I'm in.
 
Me too, and passed MOT only last week.

Has always tended to be like it and I've had it eight years. Never been a problem on MOTs, though.
 
It doesn't help that these cars spend lots of time not being used, I've recently done a full backend rebuild on mine so lubricated the essential moving parts within the hub which get pretty crusty over the years.

I also renewed both rearmost cables going into the hubs. I did order new (3rd party) shoes but I wasn't happy at all with the design, in fact they were wider than the originals and they didn't fit well, so I removed and put the originals back in which have loads of meat anyway.

Hoping I can get a decent lever.

Trev
 
I've never had a problem with my handbrake but I only use it for passing the ITV (Spanish MOT)and when I want to drop the hood as I have a Tip and use park 99.9% of the time.

I have replaced the rear discs a couple of years ago and while I was in there gave the shoes a good clean and lubricated any moving parts.

What I did find once was that I adjusted the cable too tight to 2 clicks and the handbrake didn't work so well. Once I slacked it off to 3 clicks it was fine. However, all the links are nice and free and as my car has never been exposed to salted or gritted roads this may be the reason.

ATB :)
 
The handbrake on my car has always seemed pretty poor to me, but it's always passed the MOT. So I'm not sure to what extent they test it or whether they really crank it up on the ratchet.
 
My handbrake had never been great and at last years MOT the tester told me that he only just managed to pass it. Over the winter I had Thomas referb the rear calipers so whilst they were off I fixed the handbrake. I changed the shoes, but I don't feel that was necessary, I did take everything off inside the drum, clean it all (including wire-brushing the whole area) greased up the adjusters and contact points and reassembled. The handbrake has never been so good.
 
Albionmuz said:
The handbrake on my car needs a very firm tug to make the car hold on an incline. It has been like this since I bought the car. The Indie I bought it from advised me that they are prone to being like this. Do others have the same problem or can the handbrake be tightened up to hold easily?

How many clicks before it bites? Does it tweak to one side as you apply the handbrake if there is still a bit of movement in the car? It is probably worth doing a bit of an adjust / reset to get it working as it should, some good info here:

https://rennlist.com/forums/964-1989-1994-911/207593-howto-checking-and-adjusting-parking-brake.html
 
Agreed - always one last hike needed on inclines. Does work absolutely fine though - if I am ever worried, I leave it in gear too.
 
My handbrake was always marginal for MOT although everything looked fine when stripped.

A couple of years ago I replaced handbrake shoes and well as discs and pads. The handbrake was only a little better initially to my disappointment.

After use for short while it improved a lot and the next years MOT seemed much stronger. I think the new handbrake shoes bedding in made a big difference.
 
jev911uk said:
Albionmuz said:
The handbrake on my car needs a very firm tug to make the car hold on an incline. It has been like this since I bought the car. The Indie I bought it from advised me that they are prone to being like this. Do others have the same problem or can the handbrake be tightened up to hold easily?

How many clicks before it bites? Does it tweak to one side as you apply the handbrake if there is still a bit of movement in the car? It is probably worth doing a bit of an adjust / reset to get it working as it should, some good info here:

https://rennlist.com/forums/964-1989-1994-911/207593-howto-checking-and-adjusting-parking-brake.html

Not sure how many clicks, I'll check but it needs a really hefty pull (I am more Simpson than Samson) from my puny arms to get it to take the last click and hold.
 

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