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Bad handbrake(on other car)
Attachment 34592Attachment 34592Just been given MOT failure ticket on my other Passat as there is a disparity between the amount of pull that the handbrake gives left and right - that is, the left hand side holds slightly better than the right-I know this as I put axle stands under the car. Apart from a shredded piston boot on the right hand calliper everything is okay, no binding etc. The brake pads are decent quality Pagid ones and have plenty of life left in them. I cant see anything wrong with the self adjusters as they took up the 'slack' after about 20 odd pulls of the handbrake lever. Can anyone help? as I cant afford any more surprises. Have just uploaded a pic of the cable compensator under the handbrake. The cable on the right hand side has 'pulled' through more than the left hand one. The thing is, the cable outwardly looks perfect and the inner cable looks fine at the calliper end, so I am still mystified.
Re: Bad handbrake(on other car)
Are you sure both inner cables are free in their outer cables?
Re: Bad handbrake(on other car)
Yes, both inner cables are free to move within the outer and I've inspected the outer cable carefully. It's just as if the right hand cable has about 1cm longer inner cable poking out than the left one, if that makes sense?.
Re: Bad handbrake(on other car)
I suggest you follow the instructions in the Haynes manual for adjustment, removal and refitting of the brake cables without actually removing them, so that you have the adjustments correctly set.
Re: Bad handbrake(on other car)
Thanks for the reply but the cables cant be adjusted; that is, Any freeplay in the cables is taken up by the self adjusters on the backs of the callipers. Besides Haynes often take the long winded approach to a lot of jobs and with a young family I dont have time to muck around under the car any longer than an hour at a time. Looks like I am going to have to change the calliper as it binds ever so slightly so is probably the piston not retracting back far enough which is causing this left/right handbrake disparity. Just thought someone on here might have had the same problem at MOT time.
Re: Bad handbrake(on other car)
Maybe you're right, but I was more concerned about the disparity in the cable lengths and the possibilty that the adjusters have reached their limit.
Re: Bad handbrake(on other car)
The quadrant on the back end of the hand brake lever seems to be pulling left and right hand cable in a uniform amount so I dont think one side has reached its limit as you are suggesting. I think I'll just bite the bullet and change the calliper anyway. Sadly I dont have the luxury of a garage to do this but worse things have happened at sea.
Re: Bad handbrake(on other car)
I was thinking also that one adjuster may not have worked properly to shorten its cable, the balancing quadrant has reached a stop on that side, and as a result only one cable is getting the full forvce from the lever.
Re: Bad handbrake(on other car)
I know what you're saying but I've had a look and there is still someway to go before the quadrant would 'bottom out' on its pull to the right hand cable. I've gotta fix this as we are out in the sticks with no public transport. Surely there is a 'tech' reading this.
Re: Bad handbrake(on other car)
Sorry I'm not enough of a "tech" for you.
I must have been wasting my time for years:(
As the Big Yin might say. ck'you then.