WHY IS IT SO HARD TO GET A GOOD HANDBRAKE ??

[Jinxy]

In the last year ive replaced the parking brake shoes, cables, both shoe sliders in fact virtually everything to do with the parking brake, yet its still rubbish !!, I have to pull the handbrake lever up as far as I can to get it to hold !!, my drive is on a slight downhill, if I stop the car on the foot brake & pull the handbrake up as far as it goes & take my foot off the brake, the car rolls forward I then put my foot back on the brake & can then get another click, maybe two on the handbrake, then it'll just about hold, but the car still kind of creaks like its only just holding, its really driving me insane, are they all like this or is it just mine ? does anybody ever get a handbrake skid out of their 944 ????, help & advice please guys, cheers, Jinxy

[PaulSmith]

Sounds like it just needs to be adjusted to take up the slack, mine holds on three clicks.

There is a good guide at Clarks Garage http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/brake-05.htm

[tr7v8]

They are never great. Are you adjusting it correctly? Slacken cables off, adjust properly on hubs. & then adjust cable. Not t'other way round.
Also from experience with the Jeep which used the same system the discs are critical, mine didn't improve until we changed the discs because they were knackered.

[Jinxy]

Cheers Jim/Paul the discs are the only things I've not changed to be honest but I think it's my next step by the sounds of it.

[AlpineTurbo]

If the discs are in good condition I would potentially leave them.

My handbrake was poor on my 951. Adjusting it improved things but it took use of it at this new adjustment for the handbrake to work correctly.

[Greggers]

Mine's shite too - exactly the same level of performance as yours ...

Did you take the cable pivot out of the brake plate?? It does apparently matter which way the actuating lever goes in, although for the life of me I couldn't see why... I didn't discover this until I'd reassembled the whole of the assembly and frankly couldn't be arsed to resolve the problem .. Now I tend to leave it in gear - I have an understanding MOT tester.



G

[Baztop]

I had exactly the same problem on my 944s2 cab. I renewed the discs, shoes, the lot, only to find I just couldn't get it to hold, even on the slightest incline. I seemed to spend every weekend lifting the carpet, adjusting the cable and whipping the wheels off adjusting the hub cams.
I eventually found that the cable outer sheathing has become dislodged where it splits to the two wheels and after a bit of huffing and puffing, got it back into place, adjusted the cable and hey presto...working handbrake! On two clicks, it's just passed the mot, no problem.
It might be work a poke about underneath.
Regards
Barry

[wingers]

"Now I tend to leave it in gear - I have an understanding MOT tester."

Cripes hope it does not have a DVSA roadside check etc.

Mot only needs 16%, checked mine on the Tapley meter and had a reading of 25%.

[tr7v8]

To be pedantic it isn't a handbrake it is an emergency brake or parking brake. Mine struggled to 16% as well.

[944s2Fla]

I concur..mine is at 16% with a pass of 17%, apparantly the job is huge to do the whole shebang:( leaving it in gear is my current solution.

[Greggers]

It's not too difficult, just a pain in the @rse getting the wheels and discs off and cleaning everything up ... When I get in there next time I'll replace the rear wheel bearings as well...

[Endoman]

993 handbrake is even worse. They are very similar systems. The pin where the cable attaches to the lever mechanism seizes. So strip, lubricate with anti seize and some coarse emery on drum surface much better but no handbrake turns.

[Jinxy]

Oh well im glad im not the only one then, ive literally replaced everything except the discs, everything else is fairly new, i will adjust them up again though, is it best to slacken the nut off behind the parking brake handle fully then adjust the rear shoes until they just rub, then tighten the nut up behind the parking brake handle ?

[Endoman]

Basically yes. Slacken off handbrake adjuster, fully tighten shoe adjusters, then back off 2 clicks, tighten handbrake. Pull on hard, release and readjust shoes, this will help to center them. I don't have them rubbing at all. Handbrake fully on at 4 clicks.

[barbeast]

Mine's shite too - exactly the same level of performance as yours ...

Did you take the cable pivot out of the brake plate?? It does apparently matter which way the actuating lever goes in, although for the life of me I couldn't see why... I didn't discover this until I'd reassembled the whole of the assembly and frankly couldn't be arsed to resolve the problem .. Now I tend to leave it in gear - I have an understanding MOT tester.



G

It was the only way I could get mine through its MOT - I had to try one side at a time after replacing absolutely everything else in the system. I believe it is due to moments and actuating length from the pivot point......