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just had MOT, just one problem with the handbrake! vr6 golf


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just had the MOT on the vr6 and one problem with the handbrake which i knew it wasn't right before the MOT after tightening it as much as i could.

passenger side reads 160 which is normal, drivers side reads 50, both the rear calipers are brand new so its just the handbrake cable i guess that needs changing??

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When the calipers were fitted, were the pistons wound out so they were tight onto pads? Or were they fitted and then the slack taken up on the adjuster by handbrake? It might be that the lever on the one side cant pull on any more if that calipers aren't adjusted evenly.

If I were you, get the ash tray out the back and wind off the adjuster nut off until its right on the end of the thread and completely slack. Then before doing anything, make sure the levers on the back of the calipers are both firmly back on their stops. If they are, its got a good chance your cables are OK. Now if you undo the bolts for caliper, see if the caliper is loose on the pads and if so take the rear calipers off and wind the piston out until the calipers are tight on the pads, but make sure you can still turn the wheel. You can check the adjustment by pushing the lever by hand and you should only be able to move it a slight bit before it goes hard and pulls on the handbrake.

Once its tight and the same both sides then take up the adjustment on the cables until it feels about 3 - 5 clicks. Then when its adjusted and the handbrake feels nice, make sure the wheels spin freely with the brake off, then pull it on 1 click and see if both the rear wheels lock up so you cant spin by hand.

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When the calipers were fitted' date=' were the pistons wound out so they were tight onto pads? Or were they fitted and then the slack taken up on the adjuster by handbrake? It might be that the lever on the one side cant pull on any more if that calipers aren't adjusted evenly.

If I were you, get the ash tray out the back and wind off the adjuster nut off until its right on the end of the thread and completely slack. Then before doing anything, make sure the levers on the back of the calipers are both firmly back on their stops. If they are, its got a good chance your cables are OK. Now if you undo the bolts for caliper, see if the caliper is loose on the pads and if so take the rear calipers off and wind the piston out until the calipers are tight on the pads, but make sure you can still turn the wheel. You can check the adjustment by pushing the lever by hand and you should only be able to move it a slight bit before it goes hard and pulls on the handbrake.

Once its tight and the same both sides then take up the adjustment on the cables until it feels about 3 - 5 clicks. Then when its adjusted and the handbrake feels nice, make sure the wheels spin freely with the brake off, then pull it on 1 click and see if both the rear wheels lock up so you cant spin by hand.

[/quote']

i didnt wind this new caliper out so it was tight on the pads! good point i should of thought of that! going outside tomorrow to see it!

when i take the ashtray off and unwind the nuts, the handbrake has to be off doesn't it?

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Yes make sure you chock the front wheels and leave it gear, handbrake off, then wind the nuts off as far as you can without them falling off. Then feel the handbrake and it should be completely slack, and if you look at cables through ash tray, they should be completely floppy. If you take a pic of how far the nuts are wound on before you loosen them, then the nuts should be no where near that after its all adjusted up.

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Yes make sure you chock the front wheels and leave it gear' date=' handbrake off, then wind the nuts off as far as you can without them falling off. Then feel the handbrake and it should be completely slack, and if you look at cables through ash tray, they should be completely floppy. If you take a pic of how far the nuts are wound on before you loosen them, then the nuts should be no where near that after its all adjusted up.

[/quote']

the nuts are in the middle of the thread roughly!

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ive looked at the handbrake and wound the pistons out ever so slightly, now if the car is on my drive after about 5 clicks i cant push it back where as i used to be able to (my drive is a very slight hill)

if its up on the jack after one click with some force as im a strong git who does weights i can spin the wheel slightly, the 10mm locking nuts on the ashtray are about halfway down the handbrake cable thread and not at the top of the thread, also when driving at a slow speed, i pull the handbrake up the back wheels wont lock? both rear calipers are new recon units.

rear brakes were perfect on the MOT giving 150 on each side.

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