Possible Cure for Dodgy Handbrake..

[ceedy]

I know we've all been looking and sorting this lil fella out for some while now?

But isn't it a truely awful overcomplicated design ? .

I've never understood what the vertical pivot actually does .. its just not needed ?.

A long while back in my distance early kart racing life, We originally had cable drum brakes .. which were 2 front and 1 rear live axle brakes, and this had a cable compensator . ( a 2 into 1 into 2 jobbie) .
And this was miles simpler, and was expected to stop one plunging into things at approaching 100 mph ...

But came the Airheart hydraulic disc setup and we all started stopping . ..

just my 2 cents

Chris.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by ceedy

I know we've all been looking and sorting this lil fella out for some while now?

But isn't it a truely awful overcomplicated design ? .

I've never understood what the vertical pivot actually does .. its just not needed ?.

No more complicated than most and a lot less complex than some, but given that the compensator was an inadequate design and once fixed, it works very well indeed.

Which vertical pivot are you concerned about? If you mean the one on the compensator, it is simply a means of joining the parts together.

[David5000]

Just had car serviced and mot.
It's always a mystery why the handbrake isn't adjusted.

Is five clicks too many.

I tow a 4 berth caravan

[howardf]

A big thanks to Arctic (Steve), who supplied me a modified handbrake compensator.

Fitted it this morning following the how to....steady away took an hour all in.
Perfect 3 click handbrake.
The old unit was very stretched.
Thanks again. H

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by David5000

Just had car serviced and mot.
It's always a mystery why the handbrake isn't adjusted.

Is five clicks too many.

I tow a 4 berth caravan

Sorry for the 14 month delay, but I have just spotted this

Five clicks is too many, but the likely result of doing the adjustment by the book. with it properly adjusted, it should begin to act on one click, work enough on most slopes on two and three will hold it on any hill. Four should be almost unattainable.

The more clicks there are, the harder it becomes for the driver to achieve adequate arm leverage to apply the brake firmly. Its not the brake which becomes less effective, just the lack of leverage. 3 clicks makes it much easier on the driver. I wrote a lengthy 'How To' for correctly setting up the handbrake system, once the stretchy compensator has been replaced.

[daemon]

Help!

I've - with rose tinted glasses - bought an MG ZT in need of MOT and its failed twice now on the handbrake!!!

I've emailed those on the forum who have in the past made these and i'm really stuck - i cant get the car MOT'd with no handbrake!

Heres original link to me and the car over on pistonheads

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/t...+V6&mid=101804

Am happy to get the compensator removed and posted over first if thats a show stopper!

HHHEEELLLPPP!

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by daemon

Help!

I've - with rose tinted glasses - bought an MG ZT in need of MOT and its failed twice now on the handbrake!!!

Having read your posts on the other forum....

A poor handbrake on the MG/75 is a very common problem, such that MOT examiners make some allowance for it..

Only rarely have there been problems with seized cables, usually it is the compensator stretched + poor adjustment + a coat of rust from lack of use in the drum. Some have reported the shoe's friction material have broken up.

If it sort of works, but the lever comes up a long way, almost certainly it will be the compensator which has stretched. I have gone into great detail how to get the handbrake back to great performance in my 'How To'. A couple of hours of effort normally achieves this.

[daemon]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

Having read your posts on the other forum....

A poor handbrake on the MG/75 is a very common problem, such that MOT examiners make some allowance for it..

Only rarely have there been problems with seized cables, usually it is the compensator stretched + poor adjustment + a coat of rust from lack of use in the drum. Some have reported the shoe's friction material have broken up.

If it sort of works, but the lever comes up a long way, almost certainly it will be the compensator which has stretched. I have gone into great detail how to get the handbrake back to great performance in my 'How To'. A couple of hours of effort normally achieves this.

Thanks, yes, based on a reply on there and what i've been reading on here, it appears i need a "new" modified compensator.

Got your PM there. Cheers. I will follow up.