Hi folks, trying to get the roadster ready for its MOT and since I bought it a few months ago the handbrake has been crap. It has far too much travel.
I assumed it would be a case of needing new cables, but looking at the brakes themselves, one side is worn right down to the wear indicator while the other side looks almost like new. That leads me to believe it's a sticky caliper. Are these push back or wind back?
The handbrake adjuster in the car isn't sitting level, but on an angle because it's pulling through more cable on one side. Is it likely the longer side is stretched or that the shorter side is seized?
Time to get your spanners out!..
Disconnect both cables from the calipers, so you can check comparative lengths and if they are stiff or stuck. If one is stretched or seized, it will have to be replaced. Might as well do both.
Loosen the 12 mm headed bolt that holds the bottom slider on each caliper. Disconnect the calipers from the hubs and pull them off the discs . (Hint, use a lug nut to hold the disc steady, so the caliper is easier to get off). Slide the calipers apart. (Might take some persuasion if one is stiff).
Use a wind-back tool to get the pistons all the way back (open the bleed nipple to let the fluid out), then wind them out just a little, making sure the notches in the piston are straight up and down. If one does not want to wind back, that caliper needs a rebuild. Check that the lever for the cable makes the piston move in and out. The movement should be very obvious. If not, the caliper needs a rebuild.
Pop the pads out and take a pic of how the spring clips sit in the caliper. They are not interchangeable from side to side, so keep them with their caliper. Take the clips out nad clean them, and use a file to remove rust and corrosion on the caliper where the clips sit.
Clean the sliders thoroughly and lubricate the sliders with Ceratic (or equivalent).
Put new pads in, making sure they can move in the clips, and making sure the nipple on the back of the inside pad is fitting into the notch on the piston. (Otherwise your handbrake won't work).
Put the calipers back together and back on the car.
If your cables are ok, Hold the ends up and dribble some light machine oil (3 in 1) down them and work them in and out.
Re-attach the cables to the calipers.
Bleed the brakes, checking the fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir.
Pump the brake pedal ten times. Pull the hand brake on and off a couple of time. Repeat. Adjust the handbrake lever.
I'm sure I've forgotton something...
Cheers, that's pretty straightforward. I'm in two minds whether to buy the cables when I go get the pads and then take them back if not needed or try and do it without the cables first as when it's all back together, it's easy enough to get them swapped. I have actually done them before but it was years ago!
I know what I forgot!!
If you have a brake-hose clamp (handy tool to have), clamp off the brake hose. Undo the banjo bolt that holds the hose to the caliper, before you take the caliper off. Then you can get the caliper all the way off and on the bench, which makes life so much easier.
Not unusual to be combination of sticking piston, streched/seized cables, rust and dirt holding pads to tight.