Handbrake on E220 Coupe

[Kully E220 Coupe]

Hi All,
I would lik eto know if anyone here has tried to adjust there foot operated hand brake so that it actually stops the vehicle rather than letting it rest on the Park Pin, I was told that the previous owner was very heavy footed when it came to applying the foot brake, so i believe this has lengthened the handbrake cable, i have bought the haynes manual and in there it describes how to adjust the handbrake at the rear wheels, has anyone done this before is it easy enough to do or shall i get it done at a garage??? Is there a risk of over tightening and thus suffering excessive rubbing when driving??

- Kully

 

[tom7035]

Hi Kully.
To a mechanic or even a DIY mechanic, adjustment is simplicity itself, but to someone who has never done it before - well - don't forget you're dealing with part of the braking system here albeit just the parking brake which does nothing else. The fact you ask if it is possible to overtighten the brakes inclines me to suggest you at least obtain some help from someone with the knowledge if you decide to have a go for your first time from your Haynes manual. (We all had to learn!)
My car has a separate cable adjuster ubove the propshaft but not all models do. The shoes MUST be adjusted first before the cable. Follow your manual carefully, don't rush it, and if you have a problem come back.
Good luck, Tom.

 

[cubicincubi]

mine needs doing. I'm not going to have a go myself. In this weather it pays to let a mechanic do it. Brrrrrr!

 

[turnipsock]

I just failed my MOT on this. I replaced the disks a while ago never bothered to adjust the 'handbrake'. I never really use it so it wasn't an issue with me.

As Tom says, it's easy if you know exactly what you are doing. I had to remove one of the disks again just so I could familiarise myself with what was in there.

The idea is you take out a wheel bolt and then put in a small screw driver and turn a jaggy wheel. (The picture in Haynes is quite good, for once, wish I had looked at that before pulling a disk off).

I put the brake on a few clicks before I started the adjustment incase I over did it.

The parking brake doesn't look that robust and I wouldn't risk it in any thing other than emergency.

We have a car (Jag), at work for running around in. I am amazed at the power some people pull the handbrake on with (they also don't hold the button in either). I struggle to release it sometimes.

When I went to pick my car up after the MOT, I climbed in and turned on the lights. On came the bulb failed light! The MOT guy was right beside the car and asked what was wrong when I jumped back out. Sure enough a bulb had gone at the rear. I had a spare in the glove compartment. We had a look at the old bulb and sure enough, the filament had gone.

If we didn't have a warning light I could have been stopped on the way home with a lot of interesting questions:

"Did you check the lights before you set off sir"
"No, but the MOT station did"

 

[Kully E220 Coupe]

thank you for the advice i will try doin the hand brake this weekend, i shall let you know how i get on.

Thank you all