AU Handbrake actually works

jonbays · 24-05-2005, 08:28 PM

Well after owning the car for four years with what I thought was a pretty useless handbrake I decided to take off the rear rotors and clean it up and adjust it.

Bloody hell it actually works. I can't believe the difference. I had asked for it to be adjusted when I got it serviced but they obviuosly just didn't bother to do it properly.

The adjusters were still on the stops!

Handbrake turn on dirt now possible!!

cArSiK · 24-05-2005, 08:34 PM

can you do mine for me lol

Casper · 24-05-2005, 08:35 PM

me too, mines shagged and I REALLY dont want to stuff around with the brakes...I'm not that clever.

cArSiK · 24-05-2005, 08:37 PM

my Handbrake makes a ShoooShoooShooooShoooo sound when driving slow...pi$$es me off.....

fairmont1998 · 24-05-2005, 10:40 PM

Must be a thing with AUs. a friend of mine has an XR6 VCT and the handbrake goes up a rediculous amount of notches.

Then again, mine was pretty ordinary until I adjusted it a couple of weekends ago. Getting the rear rotors off after 100000kms can be interesting....

Kryton · 24-05-2005, 10:43 PM

even when mine was 'ford' adjusted it went all the way up, but it did work properly though. maybe its just a 'we like to stretch your cable' thing?
the old mazda used to get 2 clicks and it was fully engaged.

12 · 24-05-2005, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cArSiK

my Handbrake makes a ShoooShoooShooooShoooo sound when driving slow...pi$$es me off.....

And this usually happens when the handbrake is working as it's supposed to, as in, correctly adjusted and correct number of clicks 'till tight..

: And it's not just a AU problem either. I have heard VN to current model Commondores, and EL to current BA's doing it as well.

Mine was loose as.. (get your head out of the gutter..

e), but when I got my 60k service done at G&D and they adjusted it, didn't even ask for it to be adjusted, and it works perfect. No noise (so far) or nothing.. thanks G&D

.

jonbays · 25-05-2005, 07:57 AM

Well mines brilliant now. Well in comparison to what it was.

Two notches and it sharply stops the car rolling.

It used to go a riduculous no of notches with very little effect at all.

I think all Ford do is adjust the cable in the handbrake end which when the cable stretches with age and then the brake shoes wear or bed in does nothing.

I had given up on the handbrake as a useless joke but it isn't that bad now. won't skid the wheels on tar but in the wet on tar or the dirt it will now.

slim · 25-05-2005, 08:06 AM

Well i wish this post was here 2 days ago,thought mine was right up,turned round to see my baby rollin towards my old mans truck.......done the mad dash and of course didn't get to it time....clunk no real damage just cracked the paint on the bumper a bit,still enough to f***k me off tho

StAndArdAU · 25-05-2005, 04:55 PM

you didn't listen to the guy on that Pizza Hut advert did ya...

Dauphin · 25-05-2005, 04:58 PM

Jonbays, is that two notches as in two audible clicks?

jonbays · 25-05-2005, 05:49 PM

Yes its two clicks I haven't actually counted the notches.

I still can't get over it.

I have a steep driveway and usually the car rolls back and takes up the strain on the parking lock but now handbrake on and its stopped and getting it out of park into drive is much easier!

galaxy xr8 · 25-05-2005, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slim

Well i wish this post was here 2 days ago,thought mine was right up,turned round to see my baby rollin towards my old mans truck.......done the mad dash and of course didn't get to it time....clunk no real damage just cracked the paint on the bumper a bit,still enough to f***k me off tho

I had a similar incident happen with mine, I parked my AU in my drive way which is flat enough or so I thought, I had the handbrake on but a lot of good that is, I looked around and seen the vehicle heading south toward's the road and my letterbox, I too made the mad dash and got there just in time, fewwwwwwwwwww, but it sure scared the bijebee's out of me.

galaxy xr8 · 25-05-2005, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cArSiK

my Handbrake makes a ShoooShoooShooooShoooo sound when driving slow...pi$$es me off.....

Mine does this too.

Au2falcons · 26-05-2005, 07:18 AM

The handbrake on my AUII doesn't work at all, i went to thomson ford for one of the 60 thousand k's free service's (that was the first only one i got done) and they adviced me my handbrake was in need of adjustment. After ripping me off $80 i was driving home and heard an occasional squealing which turned into a bloody loud grinding noise. I rang ford and they acussed me of driving with the handbrake leaver up. So i took it back and they apologised for over tightening it and fixed it by simply releasing it totally so now i have no handbrake. I'll get around to trying it myself, was it difficult to do? I've got a gregorys book & it seems straight forward.

Cheers

Adrian.

jonbays · 26-05-2005, 08:27 AM

Yes I have an AUII with the free services included too so the dealer did F*** All and charged ford under the deal.

Great isn't it.

They will have just adjusted the cable up to buggery and not even looked at adjusting the brake adjuster in the drum.

You can adjust the handbrake through the inspection hole without taking the calipurs and disc off but to be sure to avoid overadjustment it is nice to adjust it up until its not too hard to push the disc back on that way you can feel very easily there is no handbrake drag at all.

Dauphin · 26-05-2005, 11:20 AM

Hmm, then my handbrake is in need of big adjustment then. I count over 12 or 16 clicks before it takes any effect. When I bought the car it said on the report sheet that the handbrake was too high. Maybe that's why. But they sold me the car with that problem. Do you think they should have fixed it before selling it? It's not a serious problem, obviously, but maybe pulling it up so high all the time will lead to long-term problems in that area.

jonbays · 26-05-2005, 11:43 AM

Dauphin a functional handbrake is a rwc item so it should have been fixed but I know you will need to do it yourself if you want it done properly.

You should adjust the drum brakes on both rear wheels first and then the cable adjuster to make it all work properly. Most people just want to do the esaiet thing and keep adjusting the cable for ever and ever.

fairmont1998 · 26-05-2005, 06:20 PM

jonbays is right. Do the drums first and make sure the cable is slack when you do them. After adjusting up my drums properly, I didn't even need to touch the cable adjustment.

Timeshift · 27-05-2005, 12:41 AM

My AUIII with 60,000k on the clock takes 9-10 clicks before the car stops making any movement... not too bad I spose.