need help adjusting handbrake ASAP!

[Honda Junkie]

Hey, my car failed its mot the other day coz the rear brakes dont function enough. While driving along i can put the handbrake on fully and can barely hear them go on and it doesnt slow my car down nearly enough.

Pads have plenty life on em and i've tried adjusting the bolt inside the car under the plastic trim but this didnt seem to help as the bolt is adjusted as far as it'll go i think.

The workings of the calliper are ok as i have just stripped them down and inspected them too and the brake fluid is fine too.

Dunno if this maybe means the cables have stretched too much and need replaced

 

[Vtec6000]

New pads might get you enough bite to pass, how are disc's for wear?

 

[Honda Junkie]

New pads might get you enough bite to pass, how are disc's for wear?

think the discs are ok. Mite try the pads. gonna nip to a motorfactor now....


Didnt bother getting pads coz the new pads were only around 2mm thicker than the dixcel ones i have on just now. dont know what else to try.

 

[eternal blue 2000]

had the same prob two years ago for MOT time (

driver side wasn`t holding enough so changed..
discs,pads,caliper and brake cables!

passed when i done that but then they said passenger side aint as good !

bloody MOT centres over here are joke!!

hope you change less than i did to pass...goodluck

 

[tico_ek9]

heck the ebrake spings

 

[vtecnology]

I have the same problem with my ek9. I try everything except change the rear calipers. New brake pads,new rotors,new ebrake cable. What do you mean HECK the ebrake spring?

 

[type-r-dunk]

Try to free off the cable as much as poss then press the brake pedal really hard several times. This will allow the hand brake to reset in the caliper/piston. If worked then the hand brake should only need a little adjustment now.
Also may be worth checking the pads move freely in the caliper and not partially seized.
All the best, Dunx

 

[Kozy]

If the pads are not moving freely what is the recommended cure? I took the retaining clips out and wire brushed all the crap out of them but the pads are still over tight in the caliper.

 

[Honda Junkie]

I tried adjusting everything and it was ok the first time i used the hand brake but get worse again.

In the end i just replaced the calipers with refurbished 98 spec dc2 ones which solved everything.

A mechanic told me that a lobe inside the caliper can wear and it has to be refurbished to get the caliper to work again or something like that.

 

[type-r-dunk]

If the pads are not moving freely what is the recommended cure? I took the retaining clips out and wire brushed all the crap out of them but the pads are still over tight in the caliper.

You will need to file the rust off the pads and caliper, scrape the crap off the shims so they shine again, they should move ok now.
The hand brake cam in the back of the piston can get all gummed up and stop returning correctly.
It is poss to clean them all up and get them working but you will have to remove the piston and risk damaging the piston seal.
IMO its your brakes, best to fix properly. Fee up the pads, try resetting the cable, if this doesn't work just get a new recon caliper from your local motor factors.
Dunx