Handbrake adjustment, has anyone done this?

[superdavelotus]

Hi all,

 

 

I am just looking at parts diagram at the handbrake and am wondering if adjustment is carried out inside car or underneath?

Has anyone managed this themselves?

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

David Walters

[series_one]

Hand it adjusted at Hoffmans and at the factory. Neither made any difference after a day. Its weird, I don't understand it; much like the random rear wheel clicking.

[Bibs]

My first long term test Evora did the wheel clicking thing. The press garage took the wheel off, cleaned up the faces where the wheel/hub meet and it went away

[superdavelotus]

My lever is way too high. If I don't have it on the very top click then the car rolls!

I've worked out now that the adjustment must be inside caliper as I've just spent the last few hours stripping down my interior only to find no adjustment at handbrake end.

I however discover that my rear seat bench frame has rusted due to contact with the aluminium body. So I've sanded down the rust and wrapped the wire frame in PVC tape to stop this from happening again. You should check yours!

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

David Walters

[Bibs]

Duralac stops that sort of corrosion where metal meets different metal. ACF50 stops ali corrosion too. 

[series_one]

top click is the Evora norm it seems 

[EvoraG]

My lever was also to the top and car would have rolled on a slope. I took off the rear diffuser and engine undertray. If you trace the hand brake cable you will see where it splits off in a Y shape to the rear calipers. There is adjustment for each side by way of a screw and locknut, will be apparent if you look. My handbrake is much better and now locks on with a couple of clicks on the lever. I did notice that the N/S wheel was still not locking properly with the handbrake on but been advised that you can also adjust within the hub, so need to investigate.

[CaptainSlow]

I bought the service notes from Lotus the other day. Section JL page 9-12 describes adjustment of handbrake. Check out vsic.lotuscars.com. 1 day subscrption costs £26 and give you plenty of time to download the lot. Pitty though that neither engine nor transmission strip down and repair is included. Has to be ordered on CD from your dealer. But the rest is most useful.

[softlips]

The handbrake doesn't seem very good on any I've driven. You seem to have to pull it slightly higher than you expect. TBH I always leave mine in gear too.

[superdavelotus]

Hi Graham,

 

 

Thanks for the tip, I will have a look at mine either today or tomorrow and report back. If I get chance I'll take some pictures.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

David Walters

PS. I am glad it's not just me and others are experiencing the same.

[superdavelotus]

Hi all,

 

I've just adjusted my handbrake. It takes between 1-2 hours and is rear diffuser, rear undertray and both back wheels off. It's yet another job the dealer didn't do during it's service as the undertray bolts were seized on. I took my time, cleaned all bolts up and copper slipped them. Hub and discs, including wheel bolts were bone dry and starting to rust, so I used a wire brush wheel on a drill and cleaned all these up too, then copper slip.

At first I wasn't getting the adjustment, so to be sure, I removed the LH disc to check the condition of the handbrake shoes. I wanted to be sure they weren't worn out but I was glad as there's plenty of meat left on them. To do this the calliper has to come off too but it's on a flexi hose so only a 5 min job.

I was planning on taking some photos but I only had a slot between 5-7PM this evening and the job just grew with all the seized bolts and cleaning things up and copper slipping them.

Now my handbrake is brilliant and not through the roof. I also checked it wasn't dragging too.

One weekend, I'll take my diffuser and undertrays off again and give them a good clean. I wish I had time this evening but the time just flew by!

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

David Walters

[EvoraG]

Hi Dave

Did you adjust anything within the hub, is there adjustment in there?

[superdavelotus]

Hi Graham,

 

Yes, most of the adjustment is done at hub, this is how I did it:-

 

 

1. With handbrake off and front wheels checked, jack car up and remove back wheels.

2. Remove rear diffuser. There's 5No. 10mm hex head bolts into rear undertray, 2No.small 4mm Allen headed bolts each side connecting to black plastic bumper trim, 1No.posi drive screw to each side to same trim, 1No.larger 5mm Allen headed bolt rear of diffuser to bracket outer edge, 2No.small 4mm headed Allen bolts to rear of diffuser to centre bracket.

3. Remove rear undertray, approx. 10No. 10mm hex head bolts.

4. Locate the Y section of handbrake cable and see adjusters either side. Slacken the left side as much as possible.

5. On the wheel disc, you will see a large hole, rotate this so it's at the 12 O'clock position. Looking in with a light, you will see the toothed adjuster wheel. Rotate this downwards to open shoes outwards (your flat bladed screwdriver will be going in a upwards motion). Adjust this wheel whilst checking the disc (rotating from 11 to 1 O'clock) until you begin to feel it binding. Once you have done this, back off the adjuster screw so the disc is just about free to rotate freely.

6. Now whilst checking your handbrake level (this may take two people or one getting in the car and back underneath), tighten the left hand adjuster cable. I did 4No. flats of the adjuster nut first followed by another 2No. Check to make sure that when releasing handbrake, discs can still freely rotate. Another tip, when operating the handbrake lever, don't be tempted to just lean into car and try and operate it. Sit in the car, just as you would when driving, as this will give you a more accurate feel for the adjustment. It also doesn't cause stress on the lever by the operator not lifting in a diagonal fashion, if leaning into the car to pull the handbrake.

7. Refit the undertray, rear diffuser in the reverse order. I took time and cleaned up my old bolts and applied copper slip.

8. Refit rear wheels. I also applied copper slip to the hub areas of the disc and also the wheel bolts.

 

Make sure you test your handbrake first before driving at normal speeds. I rolled my car backwards and forwards then I did the same driving at low speeds.

 

I hope this helps,

 

 

 

David

[EvoraG]

Hi Dave

Thanks for your efforts with the very comprehensive guide, I will give this a go over the next couple of weekends

Cheers

G

[Lynx]

Hand Brake adjustment,  I have been reading all this about taking the engine undershield ect off.     All I did was jack up one side take the wheel off, then there are the 5 holes where the wheel studs were, then their is a 6th hole, nearer the edge. put this hole at 12 o'clock position. look in this hole and there is the adjuster, like a cog.  use a screw driver to turn this cog UPWARDS. till  the brake shoes bind on the drum then back of 2 clicks.    repeat otherside.    before doing this my handbrake came all the way to the top and did nothing. so it was 3 clicks on this  adjuster and the hand brake  comes up 3 to 4 notches.   very easy job. 30 mins.     Lynx

[superdavelotus]

The reason for taking the undertray off is to slack off the handbrake cable where they join. I spoke to Lotus main dealer before carrying out this. Whilst it might work by simply turning the wheel on each drum, the dealer said it wasn't the correct way.

[silverfrost]

On 2016/3/11 at 04:03, superdavelotus said:

The reason for taking the undertray off is to slack off the handbrake cable where they join. I spoke to Lotus main dealer before carrying out this. Whilst it might work by simply turning the wheel on each drum, the dealer said it wasn't the correct way.

yes completely right,  at the hub through the adjustment hole is brake adjustment and underneath i.e under tray removal is cable adjustment  both completely different things.

[series_one]

It will still be crap again soon after 

 

 

But it does hold on the last click