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[cam.in.head]

Yes the compensator bar would be at an odd angle if something has broken on one side either in the drums or inside the cable (including if the ends of the cable outer has pulled through the body brackets .its only a curled end after all.As you have got this far it’s worth fitting new cable .adjust up each drum whilst cable is off or slack.then adjust up handbrake centre rod.
The thread hasn’t gone on it has it ? Either on the bar or inside the nut ?

[Doctor Gollum]

Just leave it in P and don't use the handbrake....I never did...job jobbed 

Runs and hides 

"Will that be the usual hand brake service and MoT Sir?"

[TD]

Just leave it in P and don't use the handbrake....I never did...job jobbed 

Runs and hides 

"Will that be the usual hand brake service and MoT Sir?"

FYI It never failed the MOT on the handbrake, not even once 

[Entwood]

Old cable now off, and I understand why it didn't work !! Neither side will move more than 1/8" within the sleeve. I'm "guessing" from looking at the marks on the visible part of the inner cable that it was about an inch further along on both sides when it was working but sticking.

I'm "guessing" that the sharp pull given to centralise the shoes after the rebuild was enough to move the cable to this new position where it has remained, which is why the lever is sloppy.

Now to fit the new cable ......   

[Andy B]

Just leave it in P and don't use the handbrake....I never did...job jobbed 

Runs and hides 

"Will that be the usual hand brake service and MoT Sir?"

FYI It never failed the MOT on the handbrake, not even once 

Mine like wise 

[terry paget]

Glancing in Haynes as to how to replace the handbrake cable front end adjuster - mine is rusted solid - I am reminded that to replace the handbrake shoes he recommends dropping the exhaust, the prop shaft central bearing, and removing the hubs. I wonder how many hours Vauxhall allows for all that?

[Bigron]

After reading about all off your trials and tribulations, Gents, I think if I ever have to deal with a dodgy handbrake cable I will use a Special Tool, known as a SEREK!
Limited availability and only from somewhere in Cambridgeshire,  but works every time, superbly.....

Ron.

[Nick W]

Servicing, or even replacing, the entire handbrake system is fiddly but hardly difficult. Or expensive, so it's better than a lot of Omega jobs

[TheBoy]

Just leave it in P and don't use the handbrake....I never did...job jobbed 

Runs and hides 

"Will that be the usual hand brake service and MoT Sir?"

FYI It never failed the MOT on the handbrake, not even once 

I wish I could say the same.  I think my problems with it were my fault in that in the first couple of years of my ownership, I never used it, and then it always seemed to be a running battle every year with it.

Hence, I always used it from then on in.  And also Sassanach showed me the parking pawl, which reinforced how much I needed to use it

[Bigron]

I always use mine - I park on a slope and I want to be sure it will still be there in the morning; however, it never gets use as a brake, i.e. not shoes rubbing in the drum. How come my handbrake cable needs to take up non-existent wear? It cannot all be down to cable stretch, surely? 

Ron.

[Entwood]

What a pain ....

Fitted the new cable, not difficult at all, adjusted it all up nicely, shoes first to just off biting, then the nut at the compensator, and all seemed good. handbrake fully applied at 5 clicks, fully released at 3, all checked by turning the hubs by hand.

So reassemble... heat shields back on, with the exhaust once again very gently moved slightly down to allow access to that poxy centre bolt, just 4 nuts sheared off, plan to drill and self tap tomorrow to prevent rattles, all 8 of the exhaust rubbers back on. Wheels on and torqued up and drop it off the axle stands ....

Check the operation of the handbrake, seems good... on at 5 clicks, off by 3, so out for a test drive. For the first couple of applications it seemed to work ok .. but very quickly started to deteriorate ... now needs 8 clicks to apply and that still allows you to drive away, albeit with a bit of throttle needed. On a hill it only just holds at 8 clicks, I wouldn't trust it overly .. As an emergency brake it is pretty useless ... Definite MOT fail IMHO

So here I am, wishing I had never bothered putting the heat shields back on, as they will have to come off again tomorrow for further adjustment, the idea of somehow accessing the nut with long extensions from the back seems to be impossible as the propshaft centre bearing sits right in front of the compensator bar and its nut.

I'm guessing that some initial stretch or give in the new cables has manifested itself, or I simply hadn't pulled hard enough on the lever when initially adjusting, either way it all has to come off again tomorrow. Methinks I'll leave the heat shields off for a few days in case it needs further adjustment .. they can always go back on in a week or two !! ... if only I'd thought of that earlier ..

[TheBoy]

On my MV6, the headshields were scrapped pretty quickly...   ...ie, the first time I changed the handbrake cable (after the original seized through non-use).

Just say


I suspect if ever I have to adjust the cable on TBE, that will never see the heatshields again...

[Entwood]

Well... its now done ... the small heatshields are still off, but everything else back together and working. 

Problem was quite simple in the end ... the two brackets that the cable "outer" locates in must have been pulled open a wee bit on removing the old cable, the new cable, including the flanges, had pulled about half way into the bracket, thus giving about 1/2 " of slack in the cable. Put them in the right location and tighten the bracket down a tad and things were immediately better. I also noted that the cables where they attach to the brake shoe levers were sitting a lot lower than when I fitted them, I guess they moved down on application, thus making another 1/4 " of play.

Rear heatshields removed. and whilst staring at the centre shields, not wanting the hassle of lowering the exhaust to remove them ... an idea started to form .... with the handbrake fully off for maximum looseness, one arm down the front of the heatshield to push the compensator bar slightly sideways and feel for the socket, and a deep socket on 2 long extension bars from the rear of the heatshield, could I get access to the nut past the propshaft bearing  

Answer was YES, now I know what a gynaecologist feels like !!!  Couldn't see a thing so all done from memory and feel, but the nut was tightened up bit by bit with the handbrake operation checked frequently, now fully on a 5 clicks, fully free at 3. Road tested and good

Rear heatshields remain off for a few days in case further adjustment needed. Down to Highbridge tomorrow to collect the tintent, be interesting to check out the handbrake on a few hillstarts through the Quantocks with the extra weight on the back

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Kicking around in the dust of OOF there's a thread where I replaced my rusted heat shield threads. It never made it as a How To, but in a nutshell I drilled out the old threads and replaced them with stainless steel machine screws and nuts. Had to lift the carpets to do the job properly, and it was judged as a waste of time by onlooking family when I did it(!), but a year or so later when I needed to get them off double quick for the impending MoT, what could have been several hours buggering about was a much quicker, pleasurable job.

I'd say well worth it if you intend on keeping the car, as I do. 

[cam.in.head]

Great ,glad you sorted it. Those brakets do seem weak and bend easily.