Why are umbrella handbrakes so sh*t?

Paris Hilton · 20-07-2005, 12:21 PM

Ok, I don't know why, but my handbrake has gone floppy. It just mjoves in and out freely, when you pullit out it does nothing, the button dones nothing, it's just a pain in the neck because whoever invented canberra decided to make the roads as not flat as possible, and there is only so much weight that the box can hold and only so many rocks that can be found on the side of the road...so here's the question...What's gone wrong and how do I fix it, and how do I fix it? It's really ****ing me off.

niko · 20-07-2005, 12:24 PM

get cable adjusted

and DONT THRASH IT !! lol

T_Terror · 20-07-2005, 02:47 PM

Do a side mount (A.K.A NORMAL!) handbrake conversion.

NO wait, make it a HYDRAULIC HANDBRAKE conversion. mmmm

And get a manual in there too.

Then start getting some handbrake entries happening for your drifts.

Thats wat i would do anyway...

Walkinshaw · 20-07-2005, 03:57 PM

The car is manual already. Sounds like you have a stretched/broken cable. FIX IT.

20-07-2005, 04:35 PM

I was going to say something like "because umbrellas don't go very fast" but then I read your problem description. Sounds like something on the lever itself has broken with symptoms like that. Either that or a cable has broken.

neb · 20-07-2005, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niko

get cable adjusted

and DONT THRASH IT !! lol

right... how do you thrash a handbrake cable... apart from pulling on it really hard purposely trying to break it?

LUXO_8 · 20-07-2005, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neb

right... how do you thrash a handbrake cable... apart from pulling on it really hard purposely trying to break it?

LMFAO. thrashing a handbrake cable!

Paris Hilton · 20-07-2005, 06:03 PM

Alllmost had an accident today, car was parked on a slope (the whole carpark is bodgy), get into the car, clutch in...rooool..

: almost hit some person in a camy behind me. but anyway...what is involved in replacing the cable?

EA_Bender · 20-07-2005, 06:04 PM

is there a way of doing the conversion? id be interested in doing it.. ive never really looked at the setup, there would have to be a mounting bracked welded onto the center consol wouldnt there? and there doesnt seem to be the room in the early e series between the seat and the consol to put on there anyway...

bender

Brent-EA Ghia · 20-07-2005, 07:00 PM

To replace the cable you remove the plastic shroud around the handbrake lever (two phillips head screws) then unbolt the lever (3 13mm bolts, 1 up near handle, 2 on firewall under carpet) Then outside the car 3 10/11mm nuts holding cover plate (in engine bay on firewall), then unclip the cable below drivers seat, and also the clip holding outer cable in chassis. Remove cable and handle through inside the car. Pretty straight forward to remove the cable from the handle assembly once out of the car, and replace with new cable, installation is the reverse.

Hope that helps.

mcflux · 20-07-2005, 07:22 PM

Our handbrakes aren't THAT bad! Just think of Torana "hand" brakes...

Dezza · 20-07-2005, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghia5L

Our handbrakes aren't THAT bad! Just think of Torana "hand" brakes...

What are they like?

I certainly prefer our handbrakes over the one in dad's 89' Rodeo. The button works a lot better than the old "twist and turn" style. Add to the fact that in the rodeo, the handbrake hardly holds it on a hill, and the fact the handbrake light is always on, even when the handbrake is off! Gee, that ute is a POS

Fairlane · 20-07-2005, 07:51 PM

Consider yourselves lucky. Umbrella style handbrakes absolutley flog the the foot handbrake i've got in the Avalon.

Not only do i forget it 3/4 of the time, it also only works when pushed to the final 2 notches, it gets in the way of the footrest when parked, useless for hill starts and the like. But most importantly it destroys any hope of doing a handbrake turn.

ilsautomotive · 20-07-2005, 08:11 PM

The umbrella is not the best, and I think the extra long travel of the cable contributes to its awkward operation. I've used a foot operated park brake once on a Merc and it definitely is weird. Audi have taken the concept further with the new A6 and a complex button operated electronic park brake that deactives when the car is put in drive.

sphell · 20-07-2005, 08:36 PM

yeah the new landrovers have a button on the center console that you press to engage and release the handbrake. It's all automated. It's gay.

damo03 · 20-07-2005, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WeirdEL

"because umbrellas don't go very fast"

Well not usually but... I pulled into a coles carpark about 9 months ago and reefed the umbrella out and it kept going till it hit the stopper at the end. DAMN! The cable was only held on by about 3 strands and a big pull (on the umbrella that is :p)was all that was needed to break those last few strands.

They are quite easy to replace and i have no trouble getting them to hold on hills. But damn, i miss the lack of handbrakies in wet weather / gravel.

I have a mate with a bench seat AU with a foot operated hand brake and he says it works a treat apart from he has to be careful not to rest his foot on it or pretend its a clutch!

The MaDDeSTMaN · 20-07-2005, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ea_silver_ghia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghia5L

Our handbrakes aren't THAT bad! Just think of Torana "hand" brakes...

What are they like?

Good point, my brother has a LH Torana (which he plans on soon replacing with an EA Fairmont), and that has got to be the most stupid 'hand'brake system I've ever seen.

For those of you who have never seen it, it's basically another pedal on the floor, slightly more towards the trans tunnel then the clutch pedal would be. That engages the "handbrake", then there is release on the dash next to the choke. Weird indeed!

Dezza · 20-07-2005, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The MaDDeSTMaN

Good point, my brother has a LH Torana (which he plans on soon replacing with an EA Fairmont), and that has got to be the most stupid 'hand'brake system I've ever seen.

For those of you who have never seen it, it's basically another pedal on the floor, slightly more towards the trans tunnel then the clutch pedal would be. That engages the "handbrake", then there is release on the dash next to the choke. Weird indeed!

Sounds bizarre.

One thing I do like about the umbrella style handbrake is when sometimes I have had tools in the car try to rip on the handbrake while I was driving. They reach down for the seat before realising, the handbrake isn't there! By that time I'm ready for them so if they try to rip on the umbrella handbrake, I can stop them before they get their hand to it.

ilsautomotive · 21-07-2005, 09:41 AM

The Torana one sounds the same as the Avalon/Lexus/Merc/etc one. They call them foot operated park brakes.

The MaDDeSTMaN · 21-07-2005, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trouty

The Torana one sounds the same as the Avalon/Lexus/Merc/etc one. They call them foot operated park brakes.

Yep, I call them something else. Cr@p. Even the umbrella handbrakes are better.

FordFan86 · 21-07-2005, 06:26 PM

As of 5 minutes ago:

Quote:

<neb> dont thrash your handbrake cable selekta
<Selekta> not my fault
<Selekta> i swear i didn't pull a handbrakie
<neb> lol dont worry
<neb> im just laughing at niko
<neb> hes always talking about thrashing stuff
<Selekta> ok i did try and do a handbrakie
<Selekta> but it didn't work
<Selekta> don't tell anyone
<Selekta> now the handbrake is stuck in

neb · 21-07-2005, 06:26 PM

I have a question... has anyone ever done a handbrakie with an umbrella style handbrake in e-series... is it possible to get it to work good enough to do it?

needturbo6 · 22-07-2005, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghia5L

Our handbrakes aren't THAT bad! Just think of Torana "hand" brakes...

or old holden hq-wb handbrakes

i had a HZ (please dont tease me), but the handbrakes in them are the normal style (yes good) on the drivers right hand side, but when you pull it up it stays on, until you let it go back down a bit and then reapply it.
This made it very hard to do handbrakeys, i forgot one day and as it just stayed on, i couldnt release it in time and hit a kerb, it was wet too... pretty funny thinkin back to that moment of panic."yeh gonna do a sik handbrakey, skid AHHHHHH what to do BANG grrrrrrr

Key · 23-07-2005, 11:40 AM

The cables do break, EA's are getting older you know
But $30 at the wreckers for the whole assembly, including the handle assembly and about half an hours work and it's fixed. no big deal

When you get the assembly from a wrecker it sort of explains itself as to how it fits.
Clean it and grease it before you put the new one in and it'll last longer
The only thing is you'll have to jack the car up to swap the cable underneath

LUXO_8 · 23-07-2005, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Key

The cables do break, EA's are getting older you know
But $30 at the wreckers for the whole assembly, including the handle assembly and about half an hours work and it's fixed. no big deal

i personally wouldnt chance going a handbrake cable from a wrecker....
there is no way of knowing how long it will last before snapping again

Damo · 23-07-2005, 01:59 PM

yeah i think a new cable is less than $30 anyway, why would you need a whole new (old) assembly.

Have you fixed it yet slection ?

Paris Hilton · 23-07-2005, 02:24 PM

Nah, i'm going to sydney in a few days to get some parts off an EA Ghia, i'll grab the handbrake off that