Make a donation

Author Topic: Handbrake, MOT Fail  (Read 2483 times)

Offline kpowell911

  • Always Involved
  • ****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 7
  • -Receive: 2
  • Posts: 57
    • Email
Handbrake, MOT Fail
« on: January 13, 2020, 07:44:40 pm »
Hi guys, Ive had my 2007 GTI fail on the handbrake.

'Parking Brake Inoperative on one side - Offiside'

Now that its been brought up, I can kinda feel it when I reverse park on my drive which is a hill. It seems to only drop down on one side.

MOT tester said, its probably the caliper, they're common for it on these. Fair enough.

However, its got me thinking.... The Offside rear caliper is relatively new (as its silver not red). and when I first bought the car, the handbrake was woeful so I tightened it up (behind the handbrake inside the car) quite a few turns and that sorted it. Im thinking something else is up here. Could it be something to do with the cable/tightening? Can you individually tighten the left/right?

Ive got a brand new caliper to fit, but seems bizarre that the braking was ok from that side?

Thanks

Offline titchy

  • Won't Shut up.
  • *****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 0
  • -Receive: 33
  • Posts: 527
    • Email
Re: Handbrake, MOT Fail
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2020, 08:53:01 pm »
you can over adjust the cable so your not getting full travel from the caliper but as you say calipers not the best

Offline kpowell911

  • Always Involved
  • ****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 7
  • -Receive: 2
  • Posts: 57
    • Email
Re: Handbrake, MOT Fail
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2020, 09:24:15 pm »
you can over adjust the cable so your not getting full travel from the caliper but as you say calipers not the best

Ok lets imagine its been over tightened....

Scenario was, handbrake was loose, very loose. I tightened it up quite a bit and was fine. Since the, Ive had new discs and pads on the rear as they were very thin, and no handbrake adjustment has been performed since.

Could I loosen off the cable, and it will re adjust itself, and the caliper will then get more caliper?

Offline titchy

  • Won't Shut up.
  • *****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 0
  • -Receive: 33
  • Posts: 527
    • Email
Re: Handbrake, MOT Fail
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2020, 09:43:00 pm »
how many clicks does your h/brake take?

Offline kpowell911

  • Always Involved
  • ****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 7
  • -Receive: 2
  • Posts: 57
    • Email
Re: Handbrake, MOT Fail
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2020, 10:32:43 pm »
Just gone and checked it. Yup, stretched cable. The offside one is about an inch longer!!

FFS! Big trouble now!

Offline LC5F

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 16
  • -Receive: 79
  • Posts: 1110
Re: Handbrake, MOT Fail
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2020, 11:06:21 pm »
Wrote the below before you found stretched cable - still relative...

With the rear caliper, the hydraulic foot brake and mechanical handbrake are separate systems contained in the one caliper - very simplistically put - they pretty much only share the piston for activation.

It is either the handbrake arm on the caliper that is seized (they love to do this), or the hand brake cable corrode and jammed solid -thinking about what you have said about adjustment, the latter sounds possible, but this may have lead to the caliper seizing from lack of use.

To properly diagnose - you need to see what is happening when the hand brake is applied.
First look at the working side, identify the lever and cable, getting someone else to operate the handbrake to see whats happening, now go to the other side see what is not going on - to work out what part you need to unhook the handbrake cable from the caliper, this may require loosening the adjuster -once the cable is released see if its free, if its frozen its you cable, check the arm moves by rotating with grips, careful not to get any on the disk or pads, some lube helps free it up - if this does not move its caliper.

If it is the cable, you will likely have stretched the nearside one, or even the nearside one is likely to loose its seal and go bad - best to replace both sides - look for the Humble mechanic on Youtube he has a great handbrake adjustment video, its a Mk3 but still relevant.