Discussion
Right guys .Not good with spanners.i have been told my handbrake cable might need to be longer..of that makes sence.i am taking to another mate tommorow .For him to take a look . is there any slack .adjustment at the hand brake end in the car.i don't think mine is operating correctly .Thanks all Mike .350i
Two areas to look at ...
They occasionally stretch but not shrink!! LoL!
Seriously ....
Chris
They occasionally stretch but not shrink!! LoL!
Seriously ....
- The adjusters at the rear are right in the path of weather and heat so seize or not operate. Lub them up and get someone to work the handbrake
- Take the centre console off in the car and check the operation of the handbrake, where the cable goes through the tub there is a cone and this wears or sinks into the glass fibre. I fitted a couple of washers and reseated the cone
Chris
Hi Mike...You should get your self a copy of the Wedge manual...It does help....
The adjustment is at the caliper end...Not the handbrake...There is also a pad adjuster/Bolt for the handbrake pads but the split pin may need replacing afterwards.
Heres a pic of the handbrake caliper...You can see the adjuster/Bolt...This can be adjusted so that the pads can be set closer to the disc...The handbrake pads rarely need changing..
I have never done this so can't give much advice I'm afraid....If need be i can scan the page as regards to adjustment from the bible...
Cheers
Ziga
The adjustment is at the caliper end...Not the handbrake...There is also a pad adjuster/Bolt for the handbrake pads but the split pin may need replacing afterwards.
Heres a pic of the handbrake caliper...You can see the adjuster/Bolt...This can be adjusted so that the pads can be set closer to the disc...The handbrake pads rarely need changing..
I have never done this so can't give much advice I'm afraid....If need be i can scan the page as regards to adjustment from the bible...
Cheers
Ziga
You probably need to slacken the cable so the arms can be spread apart by hand away from the discs.
Then use the big slot in the adjuster on each side a turn at a time until the pads are back to touching the discs. So they are just dragging on each side.
Then operate the handbrake a few times and release. Check the dragging again, it might have disappeared, screw in the adjusters a half turn at a time. Repeat.
When they are both dragging lightly, the handbrake lever should get firm after a few clicks. Then check the wheels won't turn.
Let it off again and undo each side a little to line up with the little holes and insert a split pin to prevent it undoing.
Any slight binding will probably disappear on the way to the MoT, or during the test itself, leaving the pads exactly right. You might want to back off a half turn after the MoT if doing a long run right away or going on a track day.
Then use the big slot in the adjuster on each side a turn at a time until the pads are back to touching the discs. So they are just dragging on each side.
Then operate the handbrake a few times and release. Check the dragging again, it might have disappeared, screw in the adjusters a half turn at a time. Repeat.
When they are both dragging lightly, the handbrake lever should get firm after a few clicks. Then check the wheels won't turn.
Let it off again and undo each side a little to line up with the little holes and insert a split pin to prevent it undoing.
Any slight binding will probably disappear on the way to the MoT, or during the test itself, leaving the pads exactly right. You might want to back off a half turn after the MoT if doing a long run right away or going on a track day.
you want to adjust screw (black arrow) until the handbrake pads bite, then back off 1/2 a turn, and insert pin (they must have a pin)
the you want to adjust the cable so the arm (arrow red) has max travel.
This should allow correct operation of the handbrake.
p.s.
Zig I hope those was not sandblasted with the pistons out, as you don't want any abrasive to touch the piston surface.
also if the pistons was totally closed then replace the pistons.
Leigh supplied the arrows! Cheers.
Also I just noticed in the picture above the flat bronze springs are missing - these spread the calipers after application to get the pads off the discs. Sometimes these get a bit bent up but you can straighten them up in a vice and they will be fine.
They look like this:
Also I just noticed in the picture above the flat bronze springs are missing - these spread the calipers after application to get the pads off the discs. Sometimes these get a bit bent up but you can straighten them up in a vice and they will be fine.
They look like this:
Edited by adam quantrill on Wednesday 15th June 21:12
TVRleigh_BBWR said:
p.s.
Zig I hope those was not sandblasted with the pistons out, as you don't want any abrasive to touch the piston surface.
also if the pistons was totally closed then replace the pistons.
Hi Leigh...The pic was taken from Ian's site as regards to rear brake rebuild...So was done correctly...Zig I hope those was not sandblasted with the pistons out, as you don't want any abrasive to touch the piston surface.
also if the pistons was totally closed then replace the pistons.
Mine seem okay...And i actually found a pair of handbrake pads in the garage when i had a clear out of all the 280i bits and bobs..Its surprising how small they are....
Right guys here goes.Both calipars have been adjusted up .then turned back to get split pin in .that was missing from both sides.we think there is a problem with the handbrake cable not being long enough...Not sure will know a bit more tomorrow..My problem being I am relying on mates.The garage doing the mot is a big main dealer .Thanks Mike
Even on a refurbished caliper, it's possible the adjusters are wound in too much, so suspect this first.
I note from above that the adjusters tighten automatically on hbrake use, but won't slacken, so if too tight already, you need to
slacken them by hand.
I note from above that the adjusters tighten automatically on hbrake use, but won't slacken, so if too tight already, you need to
slacken them by hand.
Edited by RCK974X on Wednesday 15th June 21:48
TVRleigh_BBWR said:
p.s.
Zig I hope those was not sandblasted with the pistons out, as you don't want any abrasive to touch the piston surface.
also if the pistons was totally closed then replace the pistons.
They were my calipers a few years back. The plan was a total rebuild so the pistons were left in and the fluid ports plugged during the blasting.Zig I hope those was not sandblasted with the pistons out, as you don't want any abrasive to touch the piston surface.
also if the pistons was totally closed then replace the pistons.
I have found the auto ratchet on the handbrake calipers to be a bit sensitive to the point that no matter how much I adjusted them, every time you applied the handbrake the pads kept closing up on the discs. In the end I took the ratchets out and set the pads manually to just clear the discs when released.
I also added an extension piece to the bottom of the handbrake lever to increase the leverage and my handbrake has been superb ever since
Theoretically, the handbrake pads should never wear out as they aren't contacting a rotating disc, so there shouldn't be any need for them to auto-adjust. Arguably the handbrake doubles as an emergency brake (not that it'd ever stop a Wedge, never mind a 2-tonne Jag) but even so, if you had enough brake failure that you needed to stop on the handbrake, you have bigger issues to worry about
For the 'which other car used it' geeks, the same calipers were used (mounted outboard) on the DeLorean.
The handbrake lever is as used on the Giugiaro Esprits but where it came from before that I have no idea! Probably a forklift truck or milk float...
as I've said before, on mine, I put springs along the cable to fit between the levers to make sure they go back as far as possible when hbrake released. The levers didn't seem to do this by themselves. This also seems to help with the self adjusters. Since doing that and the big clean up and grease etc, hbrake works fine.
njhucker said:
I put a long compression spring over the cable between the levers several years ago after noticing that on a jag there is a pull off spring attached to each caliper lever. I have not had to manually adjust the handbrake since, and I do 5000 miles a year in my Wedge.
Yeah, I added the Jag springs to my car when I did the overhaul on the basis that they must have been there for a reason that TVR didn't think necessary. However to do it I had to fabricate a couple of brackets that clamp around the chassis rails which (a) looks untidy and (b) is sure to promote corrosion, so I think the long coil spring between the caliper levers is a nicer way to do it.Is this the record time taken to find and fix a design flaw on the Wedge? ;^)
What length do we need - something like 150mm, e.g.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-X-16-X-150mm-Engineeri...
What length do we need - something like 150mm, e.g.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-X-16-X-150mm-Engineeri...
Edited by adam quantrill on Friday 17th June 08:23
I used two springs with a large washer to separate them and keep them from tangling up.
I got my idea from the much older solid axle/leaf spring type setup where there is a solid bar interconnector which typically has a compression spring on it.
I note Wedg1e's idea of adding brackets, but as I never worked on jags, I didn't think of that, just the principle that the levers needed to be pushed apart more, and the hbrake setup for solid axles.
I got my idea from the much older solid axle/leaf spring type setup where there is a solid bar interconnector which typically has a compression spring on it.
I note Wedg1e's idea of adding brackets, but as I never worked on jags, I didn't think of that, just the principle that the levers needed to be pushed apart more, and the hbrake setup for solid axles.
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