Handbrake help! New brakes & cables but not holding?

Ozzy · November 4, 2020, 18:09

Hi,

So my handbrake was always crappy and brakes were showing their age so got them all done. I got new disks and pads done all around, new handbrake cables and new rear driver caliper. Rear passenger caliper is new-ish but around 6 months old now.

The handbrake sorta works now but still doesn't hold too well, especially on steep hills. Scared of it rolling off as its happened a few times before and when driving, it feels like the handbrake is still slightly applied or it's too tight as the car feels like its being held back a bit abit... Feels like an overtightened/seizing handbrake but its still crappy and doesn't hold so I'm confused.

Any ideas what the problem is?

Carolyn · November 4, 2020, 19:57

Take a look in the 'how-to' section. It's all there.

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=68798.0

Ardent · November 4, 2020, 20:51

Struggling a bit with this.
Does not hold car on a slope. But is enough to feel it is holding the car back.
I seem to be missing something.

Ardent · November 4, 2020, 20:54

Are the cables Mr T or 3rd Party?
Are they the correct ones?
Different lengths left and right and maybe? different again FL PFL

Gaz mr-s · November 4, 2020, 21:33

You used the term "I got", which suggests you got a garage to do it. It's said on 2 forums that some garages don't understand how to set a 2's handbrake up. Where you went may be one of them?

paulj · November 5, 2020, 08:15

If you used a garage, go back! But note the comment about people not understanding the basics.

When I bought my 2 it had one new cable and calliper, and an advisory for weak handbrake. I think the work might have been to get it through an MOT. I started out thinking MR2 handbrakes are generally poor but then found the adjustment guide in here. That fixed it and is now a maintenance task every 6 months or so.

Print it out and take it to your garage - or have a go yourself. You might have all the right and working parts but not properly trimmed up....

Ozzy · November 5, 2020, 10:14

I got a garage to do the work as I had no way to get under the car at home and I did read several threads as I know the handbrake can be a bit tricky. I told them what it says in the online forum guides, including having to wind the piston half a turn out which they noted down and said they'll do.

Also the cables were third party from PartsInMotion and not sure if cables are different between the years but I did get the PFL ones which mine is and packaging was clearly labelled which side is which so dont think they got them wrong way round.

As of now, the garage told me to let the brakes bed in as they're new and feel very crap and to see if it improves after putting some miles on. If not, to bring it back.

So could it simply be that the brakes need bedding in first or should I try the handbrake/pedal tightening procedure myself without waiting to bed in? Thanks

AdamR28 · November 5, 2020, 10:20

It could be that the calipers are just crap. I had this issue. Currently putting together some pics / info to start a 'rear caliper identification' thread.

To get through MOT I literally swapped from a new re-manufactured caliper to an old Toyota one, and the brake force went up from 40kg (with an extension arm, so about 30kg without it) to 105kg immediately. Both setups were adjusted in exactly the same way, to the same number of 'clicks', with the same cables, pads, and rotors, on the same brake tester, done by the same guy, on the same afternoon.

I don't see how the cables being 'too long' compared with standard can be an issue - unless they are ridiculously long of course. You have an adjuster to take up the slack at the handbrake lever, that'll take out about 25mm's worth of slack. (Appreciate FL and PFL are said to be slightly different, and this could cause an issue.)

Bedding the pads in will help.

Some info here: https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63117.msg837647#msg837647