handbrake damage?

[rjwise]

I managed to drive my '86 S3 about 20 miles yesterday with the handbrake on. Everything seems OK apart from having to pull the lever up higher to make it work but does anyone know if I might have caused any damage, or how to tighten it back up again?
Thanks
Richard

[cnh1990]

You may have shortened the life of the clutch also. Check the brake pad thickness. There are access holes to adjust the handbrake under the carpet in the sill between the seat and the door. The same carpeted sill where hand brake is located but further rearwards.
Calvin

[rjwise]

Thanks Calvin, I'll check that out.
Richard

[cnh1990]

Let us know how the brakes looks.
Sometimes after they have been driven like that you may have glazed them and they will not grip as well if that has happened or the heat has warped the rotors. I don't even know for most application you will notice if the rears are glazed as the fronts do most of the work anyways. If the pads are worn just change them and the handbrake will be at the correct position again. They are not that much and easy to change yourself. I would hope that there is not damage else where. When my front floating caliper locked up and wore my outside pad down I had to repack and re-adjust my front bearings on the hub. It got hot and So I regreased th bearings. Just keep an eye out in the brake/bearing area
Calvin

[adrianmugridge]

Richard

Have you joined the UK Esprit Yahoo Group ?

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/UKLotusEsprit/

Someone had this problem a while ago when they took it to a garage and they drove it back with the hand brake on. I think quite a bit of damage was done and legal proceeding have started !!! Mind you, you can hardly sue yourself :-)



Adrian Mugridge
www.adrianmugridge.co.uk

[cnh1990]

The damage was done by a valet during parking. I'm not sure but I think it was a V8 with a lot more torque and he might have really given it the gas pedal.
Calvin

[rjwise]

I think I read about that in the Club Lotus magazine. When it is a little less cold I'll have a look to see what has been done. I drove it last night though and everything seemed OK so touch wood I might have escaped anything too bad. The trouble is the car didn't seem any different when I did this yet I have driven off with the handbrake on before and then the car really did feel different so I knew something was wrong and noticed the handbrake on.

[cnh1990]

Hopefully your car is okay. I personally don't think that you did much damage from the descrption you posted. Never can tell. The pad thickness is really easy to tell on your car so just make sure you did not wear out the pads and keep and eye on them on the future so you don't damage the rotor. Sometimes it the secondary items that will get you months down the road and not the immediate items.
Calvin

[SwedishSurgeon]

Richard,
There should be a light on in the dash if the parking brake is applied. If the "tell tale " lamp is not on when you pull up the handle, check the switch at the handle and make sure the button is not stuck in the down position which will keep the light from coming on. I heard the wires can break also. If all checks out ok, check the bulb to see that it is not blown. This will help you from the problem happening again. The most that could happen is you would get a pulsation in the body from warped rear rotors. If you don't feel that, you should be ok!
Cheers,
Robert
'87 Turbo Esprit hci