Parking brake not effective

[jackcramerr]

I just noticed that parking brake is not effective. I have to press it down far to make it work.

 

Is it time for new brake shoes?

[Britprius]

1 hour ago, jackcramerr said:

I just noticed that parking brake is not effective. I have to press it down far to make it work.

 

Is it time for new brake shoes?

The parking brake has adjusters in each rear drum. Adjustment may be all you need, but while the wheels are off to adjust the brakes it only take minutes to remove the drums to check the brake linings. The linings are thin even when new because in theory they are never in contact with the drums while the car is moving.

John.

[is200 Newbie]

5 minutes ago, Britprius said:

The parking brake has adjusters in each rear drum. Adjustment may be all you need, but while the wheels are off to adjust the brakes it only take minutes to remove the drums to check the brake linings. The linings are thin even when new because in theory they are never in contact with the drums while the car is moving.

John.

+1 to Johns comments above. Easy to take a drum off to inspect but if you are experiencing extended brake travel then it will be worth your while replacing them. They are only used for the handbrake so if you are experiencing this, they have obviously worn quite a bit (if it is wear) - MOT failure...

I have put up a walk through on changing the rear shoes on the tutorial section - its an easy process and you can wind the cog in to take up any slack if that's what you want to do - I am pretty sure I have indicated on the tutorial what direction to wind it up to tighten and loosen...

[normski2]

+1 to both of the comments above.

Its highly likely it just needs adjusting. Unless .... of course .... it's been driven a lot with the footbrake engaged!! But you would hear and feel it when starting to move. I did it once to prove a point to myself.

This paragraph from my recent discs and pads overhaul should help.

Rear Discs/Brakes

There is a rubber grommet fixed in the disc … this covers a hole for adjusting the parking brake. Remove it and keep it for placement into your new disc. Now remove the old disc. Mine were ‘frozen’ solid (both sides) and would not budge. So it’s time to use those 8mm bolts again! A snick and a snack and it’s loose enough to remove. Now clean the parking brake shoes and parts with brake cleaner. You will be able now to see the adjuster for the footbrake and how it works. These shoes are only used for parking so are highly unlikely to be worn. But you may need to adjust the shoe to the new hub. If you turn the cog wheel you’ll see the pads move in and out. When the disc is fitted that circular access hole allows for a screwdriver to enter and engage with that cogged adjuster. Shine a torch in there if it helps to locate the little toothed cogwheel. Turn the cog towards the front of the car (on both sides of the car) to expand the shoes and provide an improved parking brake.

[true blue]

Hi ,as previously stated ,this is likely to be wear ,I ran my previous sportcross to nearly 100 000 miles and the shoes and linings were fine ;I would give the shoes and linings a good clean out with brake cleaner as excess dust tends to cause problems.If you are concerned about DIY ,it will not be expensive ,in among the receipts when I bought my IS 250 was a handbrake adjustment at £50 .On my SEL ,if I have a senior moment and try to drive off with the brake engaged I get a loud alarm !! 

Dave

[jackcramerr]

Thanks all.

I will try to do it. Where can I get he bolt for removing the disc?

Two questions:

1. If I tighten it, will that not cause more wear to brake cable and snap it?

2. Why did this happen if it is not due to wear?

 

Thanks.

[Britprius]

1 minute ago, jackcramerr said:

Thanks all.

I will try to do it. Where can I get he bolt for removing the disc?

Two questions:

1. If I tighten it, will that not cause more wear to brake cable and snap it?

2. Why did this happen if it is not due to wear?

 

Thanks.

The play is due to ware, and the reason adjusters are fitted. Under ideal conditions the shoes would not ware, but everyone has the odd lapse and moves off with the parking brake still applied. The shoes are very small and have as said previously very thin linings bonded to them. Even when new I doubt there is more than 3 or 4 mm of material on them.

Adjusting the rear brakes will cause less ware on the brake cable because there will be less movement of it to operate the shoes.

John.

[Britprius]

You may not need a bolt to remove the disc. Often the disc will pull off once the caliper has been moved clear. Any standard 8mm bolt "preferably two" an inch long or longer, and available from any hardware store or places like B&Q will suffice if the disc proves stubborn to remove.

John 

[jackcramerr]

When can one know to replace shoes? And if I am there anyway, should I not just replace them?

[Britprius]

The shoes tend to ware at one end more than the other. If it looks like the linings are down to about 1mm at the thinnest end replace them. It is entirely up to you, but I see little point in replacing the shoes unless they are worn out as they have a very long life with normal use.

John.

[BillNick]

Hi all,

Can anyone please explain to me how the 8mm bolt helps to remove a stubborn disc?

I managed to get mine off at the weekend with a few wacks of the hammer....but if there is a neat trick with a bolt I would like to know?

Also, how do you adjust the handbrake cable itself At the pedal?

[true blue]

Hi ;there are 2 threaded 8 m/m holes in the disc body ,if you screw a bolt in each hole then evenly tighten alternately ,the end of the bolts will butt up against the solid flange behind and jack off the disc simples!! .This is a common feature on most braking discs.  With regard to the cable ,if you adjust the star adjusters in the drum as previously posted ,your pedal travel should be 7 - 9 clicks max ,if it is more than this then the cable is adjustable at the pedal end

Dave

[BillNick]

Ah yes I know the wholes you are talking about, didn't notice they had threads in them? Or maybe they don't. That's the beauty of this forum, picking up tips all of the time!

I have already adjusted the shoes themselves, just wondering if you still need to take up slack in the foot pedal.

See how it feels after I have fitted my new discs tonight with the shoes just touching nicely.

Thanks again.

[BillNick]

Adjusted my shoes at the wheels to what I felt was adequate (a small amount of grinding when turning by hand).

However I got into the car and the pedal was almost not effective.

So I decided to tighten the adjusting screw until it would tighten no more, then click back one click at a time until I could turn the drum by hand.

Pedal nice and tight now 🙂