Help Needed - Attaching Handbrake Cable

[Zilli]

Hi All,

I was working on painting my rear calipers, as such i had done the following to give myself access to all the areas required;

1) Removed both bolts holding the caliper together to remove the front brake pad
2) Dissasembled the where the actual end of the handbrake cables meets with the caliper (held in by a pin)
3) Dissasembled the handbrake assembly from the hug (one 17mm bolt)

No im reassembling, ive got the pad and calipre bolts together, but am having trouble getting point 2 reassembled... It's as if the cable has gotten shorter. In an effort to bring the caliper mount which pivots on a sprint around to meet the end of the cable, ive been using the large nut holding the sprint in place as leverage, but cannot get it to turn enough.

ive plaed with the two nuts on either side of the rubber boot at the end of the handbrake cable, under the impression that this will shorten or extend the hdnabrake cable but cannot seem to work it out.

Im thinking there must be a way to make the cable longer so i can get the extra 5 mm of room i need to slide the pin back in the hole...

Am i doing it the right way guys? any tips or pointers? Ive only dissasembled the left side at this stage just for this reason (not being able to put back). Worst comes to worst, if i leave it disconnected, will my right wheel still hold as a handbrake? until i can get it to someone?

Cheers boys

[mocchi]

how about you loosen them up from the cabin handbrake side?

[aaronng]

^^ Agreed. Slacken the handbrake cable at the actual handbrake itself to give you that 5mm.

[Zilli]

Hmmmmm unsure how to do that. Any thoughts? Its going for a service this week. If I leave it disconnected for my guy to attach, will it effect the normal brake functionality? The right side (which I haven't touched yet) will still act normally as a handbrake correct?

[mocchi]

Hmmmmm unsure how to do that.

take off your handbrake cover, and you'll know what to do.
turning the adjuster screw counter clockwise to loosen as usual.

hope that makes sense.

[Zilli]

sweet mate, thanks very much for the quick response....

im going to give it a go when i can, but just as a worst case scenario, if i dont have the time to do it before the car goes in for service this thursday, can i leave it detached, and rely on the right hand side to grab as the handbrake? will this effect anything?

[aaronng]

sweet mate, thanks very much for the quick response....

im going to give it a go when i can, but just as a worst case scenario, if i dont have the time to do it before the car goes in for service this thursday, can i leave it detached, and rely on the right hand side to grab as the handbrake? will this effect anything?

With only the right side, you lose 1/2 your parking brake which on some cars will mean rolling down the hill if you don't leave the car in gear when parked.

[Zilli]

itll be in the garage until thursday morning then parked in the shop.... no hills....

thanks Aaronng.... will keep you all posted

[aaronng]

itll be in the garage until thursday morning then parked in the shop.... no hills....

thanks Aaronng.... will keep you all posted

Also make sure you secure the cable on the left side. Don't want it jamming into the hub/rotor/rims when you drive it to the mechanic.

Personally, I wouldn't use the handbrake at all until you get the left side reattached. That's what bricks are for.

[Zilli]

LOL... good point, the overhang is very small so not much chance of it jamming anywhere... bricks aplenty in my garage at the moment!

[vinnY]

can't just take off the caliper, hook it back up then see whether you can pull it over the pads?

[Zilli]

i could, would rather not... i dont have a clamp for the brake line, and only two hands... if i have time i will try to loosen the cable from the handle... otherwise will leave as is for my mechanic to put on