Handbrake lever under massive tension

[lordluvitt]

Hello all,

When releasing the handbrake on my '98 W202 (using the dashboard paddle), there is a tremendous clunk as if the release mechanism is under a lot of tension. The noise can be heard very clearly outside of the car as I notice a few funny looks from passers-by.

Is this normal? If not, what should I be looking at to adjust?

The handbrake cable from the foot pedal doesn't appear to be over-tight as I have to stamp right down on the pedal to get the handbrake to bite.

All suggestions welcome. Thanks.

 

[Legoman]

thats your problem , the cables loose , either needs adjusting or replacing , its making a 'clunk' noise as theres stretching tension on the release arm spring from cable so it just whizz's off till there is. the only other possible cause is the ratchet mechanism on the pedals gone.

p.s just had a thought , it could suggest the rear pads on the handbrake drum are close to wearing out hence the cable stretch.

 

[television]

The clonk is quite normal on most of the cars,4 to 6 clicks on the pedal is about right, any more than this, then it may clonk more as it has further to travel.

The parking brake uses shoes inside the drum and are self adjusting, you adjust the cable just under the drivers seat if it needs it

 

[JEZ.S320L]

Hello all,

When releasing the handbrake on my '98 W202 (using the dashboard paddle), there is a tremendous clunk as if the release mechanism is under a lot of tension. The noise can be heard very clearly outside of the car as I notice a few funny looks from passers-by.

Is this normal? If not, what should I be looking at to adjust?

The handbrake cable from the foot pedal doesn't appear to be over-tight as I have to stamp right down on the pedal to get the handbrake to bite.

All suggestions welcome. Thanks.

Pardon my ignorance, but I rarely use the handbrake/footbrake when driving a automatic. I just leave the vehicle in 'park'. The only time I do use the handbrake/footbrake is when I am parked on a steep incline.

What are the pro's and con's of doing so?

 

[television]

Pardon my ignorance, but I rarely use the handbrake/footbrake when driving a automatic. I just leave the vehicle in 'park'. The only time I do use the handbrake/footbrake is when I am parked on a steep incline.

What are the pro's and con's of doing so?

None really many of us do that

 

[bigasotonuk]

The clonk is quite normal on most of the cars,4 to 6 clicks on the pedal is about right, any more than this, then it may clonk more as it has further to travel.

The parking brake uses shoes inside the drum and are self adjusting, you adjust the cable just under the drivers seat if it needs it

I can confirm that the CLUNK you hear is quite normal both mine do it.

 

[Rory]

If it's an auto you can keep some weight on the foot pedal as you pull the handle to release it, so it doesn't 'wang' back up (you can't really do this in manual as you haven't for enough legs)!

 

[anyweb]

on a flat surface in an auto you most surely can put one foot on the handbrake pedal, as you are releasing it via the hand release, and it just glides up quietly,

i sometimes do it that way as the noise does bother me too, but as stated already, the noise is normal

cheers
anyweb

 

[Bam Bam]

....Normal Clonking for me too, mine's a Manual so I probably use it much more than you Auto guys.....Ooooh er the Parking Brake that is. ;-)

Jim.

 

[Legoman]

i suppose if its really bugging you , you could put a rubber stop or something where the pedal contacts to lower the noise. depends how loud it is tbh , mines not bad at all hence my opinions above.

 

[lordluvitt]

Wow! Thanks for so many replies!

Glad to hear that other drivers have the same sound occuring when releasing the handbrake so mine's not out of the ordinary. However, I will investigate the brake pads and cable as a matter of course.

Thanks chaps.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

on a flat surface in an auto you most surely can put one foot on the handbrake pedal, as you are releasing it via the hand release, and it just glides up quietly,

i sometimes do it that way as the noise does bother me too, but as stated already, the noise is normal

cheers
anyweb

Thanks for that - yes, it does work.

In retrospect, I rather like the reassuring 'clunk' - confirming that it has gone off.

 

[wireman]

Use of the hand brake when parking in public places is a legal requirement.

Lazy idle people dont bother with the parking brake, a practice which lets all the working bits get grotty and stiff, the result of which is usually the whole parking brake mechanism requiring stripping down and refurbishing or replacing.
In addition to the operating mech getting rusted and sized up the surface of the drum will get rust build up which will cause more trouble requiring replacement of the rear disks to cure it.

Regularly using the parking brake will keep it free and prolong its life.

To me it sounds like worn parking brake linings, a broken pulloff spring or very badly adjusted shoes, the clonk is one (or both) of the shoe expanders flipping into place as the tension is relieved. On older cars the adjustment was mannual, they were adjusted through one of the wheel bolt holes.
The parts are quite modest in cost and should take about 2 hours to fit.

On a personal note I dont like cars with any brake faults and feel that anybody using one with any such fault should be locked up, the reason is because I have twice in recent years been in the car in front, once when the git with poor brakes did not stop and on a subsequent occasion when the lazy idle git in a BMW behind did not bother with his parking brake and the stupid git with poor brakes hit him. It is six years since and it still hurts, no compensation can get rid of my ailments.

Please use your parking brake it may help prevent somebody else getting injured.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

Use of the hand brake when parking in public places is a legal requirement.

Lazy idle people dont bother with the parking brake, a practice which lets all the working bits get grotty and stiff, the result of which is usually the whole parking brake mechanism requiring stripping down and refurbishing or replacing.
In addition to the operating mech getting rusted and sized up the surface of the drum will get rust build up which will cause more trouble requiring replacement of the rear disks to cure it.

Regularly using the parking brake will keep it free and prolong its life.

To me it sounds like worn parking brake linings, a broken pulloff spring or very badly adjusted shoes, the clonk is one (or both) of the shoe expanders flipping into place as the tension is relieved. On older cars the adjustment was mannual, they were adjusted through one of the wheel bolt holes.
The parts are quite modest in cost and should take about 2 hours to fit.

On a personal note I dont like cars with any brake faults and feel that anybody using one with any such fault should be locked up, the reason is because I have twice in recent years been in the car in front, once when the git with poor brakes did not stop and on a subsequent occasion when the lazy idle git in a BMW behind did not bother with his parking brake and the stupid git with poor brakes hit him. It is six years since and it still hurts, no compensation can get rid of my ailments.

Please use your parking brake it may help prevent somebody else getting injured.

Interesting.

Was the driver of the BMW parked up, when he was shunted into the back of you?

 

[wireman]

No, he was stopped at the same roundabout as I was for about 1 min, lots of time to have used the parking brakes as the DOT driving test (the one about safety we all have to pass) requires.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

No, he was stopped at the same roundabout as I was for about 1 min, lots of time to have used the parking brakes as the DOT driving test (the one about safety we all have to pass) requires.

I'm not being funny, but I only use my parking brake when I am parked on an incline. In traffic, I simply keep my foot on the brake (mine's an automatic, and would 'creep' forward if I didn't).

I daresay that there is a whole raft of things we SHOULD do. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Hope you recover soon.

 

[wireman]

Keeping your foot on the footbrake is a good idea, it will signal to any driver behind you that they should consider stoping.
However it is an offence under the road vehicle lighting regs to cause dazzle something which does occur to a driver stopped behind the vehicle with the brake lights on, personaly I find it inconsiderate of most drivers who do so.

If the brake lights are used as this form of signal then they should be extinguished when the vehicle behind stops, you will then need your parking brake anyway so why not put it on when you stop?

Sorry to be tedious about this but without the parking brake engaged the car is more at risk of taking off all on its own when you are hit hard from behind regardless of the foot brake pressure applied, when you get hit hard the car moves and then the contents (you) move this will cause the foot and brake pedal to come apart and there will be no brakes applied, that is until the witts are gathered and the foot replaced on the pedal and then pressed (if you dont hit the loud pedal instead) during the time that this will take the little old lady, small child or maybe just about anybody who choses to walk across the road in front of a stopped vehicle will be damaged or worse.

And all because the majority of drivers don't (or won't because they think it will wear out and cost money) use the parking brake.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

Keeping your foot on the footbrake is a good idea, it will signal to any driver behind you that they should consider stoping.
However it is an offence under the road vehicle lighting regs to cause dazzle something which does occur to a driver stopped behind the vehicle with the brake lights on, personaly I find it inconsiderate of most drivers who do so.

If the brake lights are used as this form of signal then they should be extinguished when the vehicle behind stops, you will then need your parking brake anyway so why not put it on when you stop?

Sorry to be tedious about this but without the parking brake engaged the car is more at risk of taking off all on its own when you are hit hard from behind regardless of the foot brake pressure applied, when you get hit hard the car moves and then the contents (you) move this will cause the foot and brake pedal to come apart and there will be no brakes applied, that is until the witts are gathered and the foot replaced on the pedal and then pressed (if you dont hit the loud pedal instead) during the time that this will take the little old lady, small child or maybe just about anybody who choses to walk across the road in front of a stopped vehicle will be damaged or worse.

And all because the majority of drivers don't (or won't because they think it will wear out and cost money) use the parking brake.

I hear what you say.

Out of curiosity, how many drivers have been prosecuted in the last year, for keeping their foot on the brake, rather than using their hand/foot brake and causing 'dazzle' to the following driver?

On balance - I'll continue to keep my foot on the brake when I'm stopped.

Thanks anyway.

 

[sidmon]

How do you go about adjusting the handbrake on a '96 W210 estate? Thought I'd read somewhere that there was an adjustment mechanism under the rear seat bolster...but I couldnt find one!

 

[television]

How do you go about adjusting the handbrake on a '96 W210 estate? Thought I'd read somewhere that there was an adjustment mechanism under the rear seat bolster...but I couldnt find one!

Under the car, the adjuster is 80 in the link



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