Please visit the Club's website https://www.dloc.org.uk/ to join. Visit https://www.dloc.org.uk/adhoc to DONATE towards the cost of the forum.
Please don't post someone's email address to avoid it being harvested by spambots and it's against GDPR regulations.
Always look at "ACTIVE TOPICS" to see all posts in date & time order as they are sometimes moved; or look at "Your Posts".
Please add Reg. nrs. when posting a photo or anything about a car as this will help searches. Don't add punctuation next to nr. as this negates search.
CHANGED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS since registering?, click your username and check your address in User Control Panel, Profile, Account Settings.
If you want help to register, use "contact us" at page bottom for help.

handbrake lever won't release

zuurb
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:11 pm

handbrake lever won't release

Post by zuurb »

The handbrake lever of my SP 250 can only be taken rear-upward. But then it sticks in that position. Pressing the button, to keep the handle in the upright position( as it is described in the owners handbook) is not necesarry. If you stop lifting the handle it sticks in that position. I can not release the handle by lifting it by hand.
I took the total assembly from te car to inspect the different parts. I did not discover broken teeth or a damaged ratched pawl. I think i did not make a mistake on assembling the parts again because there is only one way one can do that. Studying for hours on the bench i am not able to find out what is wrong. I hope someone has encountered this problem ad can tell me how he solved it.


Kind regards,

Simon

Vortex O'Plinth
Extra-Wise Man
Extra-Wise Man
Posts: 1065
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 8:15 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: handbrake lever won't release

Post by Vortex O'Plinth »

I assume the spring arrowed in red below is present, unbroken and moving freely?
handbrake.JPG
Nick

"Don't bother with the Air & Space Museum - there's nothing to see.......".

zuurb
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:11 pm

Re: handbrake lever won't release

Post by zuurb »

Hello Nick,
What a very nice picture of all parts of the hansbrake assembly. Yes, the spring is moving freely and complete with the small washers. If i press the button on the end i can see the small ratchet moving upward. It looks like that the distance between the two ratchets is too small. I can not understand how this can happen. The trouble started after a mechanic in the MOT-garage pulled the handle upward with a lot of force. then it did not come down and i had to dismantle the whole assembly. The fulcrum pin has traces of usage, but is not worn. I think that to increase the distance just a little bit between the teeth of the two ratchets i should cut out the pivot hole in the small ratche, but i am hesitating to do that,


Kind Regards,
Simon Zuurbier

A.N.Other
Wide Man
Wide Man
Posts: 551
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 12:45 pm
Location: Leeds

Re: handbrake lever won't release

Post by A.N.Other »

Could the inner bar connected to the button have been slightly bent when abused by the mechanic? If so it may be fouling somewhere!
Colin,
I may be slow but I’m rough as well !

daimlersteve
Helpful Person
Helpful Person
Posts: 496
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 11:20 am

Re: handbrake lever won't release

Post by daimlersteve »

If the bent rod is changed ( by force ) the button cannot clear the pall contact and wont release.
A car i sold many years ago had the same problem -- when the transport driver hauled the h/brake on at the start of the journey it couldnot be released at the destination. A mechanic was called out and disconnected the diff end to get it off the truck.

regards to all.

Fossil
Wise Man
Wise Man
Posts: 516
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 5:08 pm
Location: Helensburgh, Argyll

Re: handbrake lever won't release

Post by Fossil »

Hello

The J shaped handbrake lever to cable plate can fracture following this sort of abuse. This happened to my first SP on one of the few occasions that my wife drove it, she is stronger than she thinks! I had to dismantle the lever assembly and have it welded and reinforced with an additional piece of steel plate. It hasn't happened to the current one yet.

Cheers

Geoff

zuurb
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:11 pm

Re: handbrake lever won't release

Post by zuurb »

i do not think tht the inner bar is bent. But Geoff,s remark about cracks in the J-shaped hook is interesting.
The hook to the cable is fitted on the left side of the handbrake assembly in a complex way. It is welded directly to the lever but it is also housed by a rectangular plate with similar holes . i notice indeed cracks in the welding of that plate. So far i did not pay attention to it because i was thinking that the holes on the backside of the lever through wich the fulcrum pin goes were of more importance . I will the welding have neatly done again. Thanks

Simon

zuurb
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:11 pm

Re: handbrake lever won't release

Post by zuurb »

I have solved the problem thanks to all off you who send a reply. My wife suggested to enlarge the photograph of nick and to compare the shape of the inner bar/rod on the screen with the one of my handbrake. it was obvious that the last elbow to the small ratchet was bend. So after heating restored the shape. After assembling the the hole unit it was functioning again.

thanks to all of you

Hawkyork
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:56 am
Location: Poole, Dorset

Fly-off Handbrake will not hold car

Post by Hawkyork »

Slightly off topic but linked: I have difficulty getting the fly-off handbrake to hold the car on a slope.
a. is there a common problem that can be fixed? and b. is it possible to convert to a standard pull on, press button off handbrake

thanks

A.N.Other
Wide Man
Wide Man
Posts: 551
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 12:45 pm
Location: Leeds

Re: handbrake lever won't release

Post by A.N.Other »

It may not be worth modifying the mechanism but have you checked the hand brake pads ? Which are separate items from the foot brake pads. The other thing to check is the mechanism rods mounted on the back axle.
Colin,
I may be slow but I’m rough as well !

Post Reply