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[Marks DTM Calib]

There is no auto adjuster...

People know my view on handbrakes.....and how you either do it properly or don't bother as otherwise the results will be very below par.

[omega3000]

There is no auto adjuster...

People know my view on handbrakes.....and how you either do it properly or don't bother as otherwise the results will be very below par.

What people  A decent rubber mallet is very handy for getting the drum over the lip + a big ish swear box 

[Kevin Wood]

There is no auto adjuster...

People know my view on handbrakes.....and how you either do it properly or don't bother as otherwise the results will be very below par.

What people  A decent rubber mallet is very handy for getting the drum over the lip + a big ish swear box 

I find that, if you relax the adjuster fully, the drum practically falls off.

[omega2018]

finally got round to doing this (adjusting the star adjusters) so here is an update. 

actually much easier than i found last time, trick is to get a magnifying glass or jewellers loupe and look in the hole with a torch.  then you can clearly see the star and the thread next to it. i've forgotten now which way round mine were but this definitely works - if the thread shows on the left of the star then push on the bottom of the star with a small screwdriver to tighten the handbrake.  if on the right, push on the top.  check the wheels spin freely before adjusting - they may be a bit stiff.  adjust until the wheels are stuck, then back off one star point so they rotate as freely as they did before.  that gave me a handbrake that kicks in immediately you lift it.   if you prefer a more travel which probably most people do then turn the star back two goes. 

backing off the star once the pads are against the drum is not as easy as tightening it.

well worth spending the time to check which way to wind the star before starting to move it.

[terry paget]

I always adjust brake shoes with a forehead torch on. Look at the star wheel, it is a nut on a screw; work out which way you need to turn it to unscrew it - that's the way to tighten the brake. If you intend to remove the disc/drum fully slacken the adjuster first, otherwise the shoe linings will snag on the unworn rim of the drum.

What fails on the handbrake is the scissors lever arrangement pulled by the cable seizes solid, then you loose the 4:1 mechanical advantage. It's a bore to rectify, means stripping the brake right down  freeing it up, and reassembling, but very rewarding. Buy a set of aftermarket shoes before you start, you will prpbably need them. Vx shoes are very dear.