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 ..