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
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.
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
-
- Extra-Wise Man
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 8:15 pm
- Location: Gloucestershire
Re: handbrake lever won't release
I assume the spring arrowed in red below is present, unbroken and moving freely?
Nick
"Don't bother with the Air & Space Museum - there's nothing to see.......".
"Don't bother with the Air & Space Museum - there's nothing to see.......".
Re: handbrake lever won't release
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
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
Re: handbrake lever won't release
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 !
I may be slow but I’m rough as well !
-
- Helpful Person
- Posts: 496
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 11:20 am
Re: handbrake lever won't release
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.
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.
Re: handbrake lever won't release
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
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
Re: handbrake lever won't release
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
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
Re: handbrake lever won't release
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
thanks to all of you
Fly-off Handbrake will not hold car
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. 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
Re: handbrake lever won't release
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 !
I may be slow but I’m rough as well !