SL55 / R230 parking brake adjustment..... (with pics)

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I have finally found the annoying rattle that has been at the back of my SL55 since I bought it over a year ago! Partly my fault as I have been too lazy to diagnose but got under the car this morning to take a look.

What has been happening is when going over rough road surfaces slowly (the light concrete coloured stuff) i've been getting a metallic rattly noise from the rear wheels both sides). Very frustrating and embarrassing!! :Oops:

It is coming from the handbrake / parking brake cable on both sides. If I press the parking brake inside the cable obviously tensions and the rattle goes (you can replicate the rattle by wiggling the rubber tube that come from the centre to the rear hubs). Upon releasing the parking brake the cable slackens and I get the rattle.

Its as if the cable is going too loose causing too much slack? Is there any way of adjusting / tightening these?

Few pictures of said item.

Where it goes into centre of car:

Complete pipe next to driveshaft:


Handbrake cable entering the centre of the car (near the rear diff)



Back of hub/brake caliper where tube goes in and where the rattle is....



Thanks
 
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SL63 Mark

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I had this, took MB 10 mins to find and fix, but it's now come back a bit :(

They said the springs that position the handbrake shoes were loose, the result of the car being driven with the handbrake on :Oops: Something which I have done again I'm afraid.
 

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It will be 470 or 480


7ff5ca3f1c1fa0cbff5a1921d7e94711.png
 
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Mark, to be honest I have never even used the parking brake!!

Are they conventional handbrake shoe type things on these as well then? How would I adjust them or is it a pain to do??
 
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There is a larger hole in the drum at 11 one side and 1 the other side, you insert a flat bladed screwdriver into the hole and flip the adjuster (420 in the above drawing) round till the drum locks then back off about 6 clicks.
 

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have to admit that the parking brake is something I use as frequently as the headlight washers - that being not at all ;)
 

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have to admit that the parking brake is something I use as frequently as the headlight washers - that being not at all ;)

Same for me David, I often get my left foot stuck under the brake pedal in the SL, the CL uses only a press button for on and it's off as soon as the car moves.
 
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ok thanks malcolm I 'think' from my understanding you mean at 11 oclock and 1 oclock (each side), hold a flat blade in the hole and turn (with pliers?) the large thing (at 420) then turn anticlockwise back 6 clicks? I presume with the parking brake off?

Thanks
 

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To do it spot on, the parking brake cable should be slackened off a touch.

yes 11 oclock and 1 oclock , the adjuster has teeth that you flip up or down to tighten/loosen. it goes one way on one side and the opposite way on the other.

This could help
 

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Ok thanks Malcolm I think I understand now, was looking too deep into it!

Firstly ensure cable is slightly slack (in my case slightly press e-brake just a touch? Then from the front face of the hub, remove wheel and brake disc, find the hole on the face (behind the brake disc) at 11 or 1 oclock, flat screwdriver in hole, then twist/flick screwdriver to tighten, then slacken off 6 clicks by twisting back? Same for both sides I imagine.....

Thanks
 

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have to admit that the parking brake is something I use as frequently as the headlight washers - that being not at all ;)

Headlight washers :shock: I forgot it had them !
 

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Just remove the wheel, there is a special hole in the drum part to insert a large screwdriver to flip the adjuster round, you will need a torch to find it, once you do its all clear.

If you have spring off causing the rattle, the the caliper and drum has to come off.
 

SL63 Mark

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The trouble is, the car has so much torque, there is no way you can even feel the parking brake is on ... (until the red warning light and alarm comes on, and then it's too late)...
 

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The trouble is, the car has so much torque, there is no way you can even feel the parking brake is on ... (until the red warning light and alarm comes on, and then it's too late)...

I know, even the 500 does not know the parking brake is on, on the other hand the parking brake is so useless it has never held either of mine even on a 1º slope. so I have not used it ever now.
 
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Ok thank you will check tomorrow after work, just to clarify is the said hole on the face of the hub or from behind?(!)

Definitely true about the parking brake, completely pointless (as are the headlight washers!!)!
 

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Take off a wheel and you will see the hole in the drum.. Look at the first picture. do chock the car so that it cannot roll or move as the car must be in N and parking brake off
 

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The rattle is the cable/quadrant connection (500). The cable rattles in the quadrant, adjusting the shoes does not affect this much, you need to tighten the main cable a minut amount to take up the slack in the quadrant.
 
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Thank you Star for that, I emailed PMW last night who look after the car and they said exactly the same thing! How easy is it to tighten the main cable? I'm pretty handy with spanners!
 

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You do the adjustment at 120

485875012b417ad161b6ed465472da7b.png
 

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Bolt 130 on 120 above prop, get to from under car.
 


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