[johncc]

My rear brakes are not quite right. When I changed the pads, the adjuster didn't seem to be working on one wheel - rather than winding out to the limit, it just turned and turned.

When I put it back together, it obviously managed to bite, as I completed the adjustment procedure.

I have re-adjusted a few times, but I'm not sure if my symptoms are just the automatic adjustment not working, or if they point to other problems.

The current symptoms are:

* Handbrake cable tension is intermittent. Sometimes it seems quite tight, other times quite loose.

* Although one wheel bites after 3 or 4 clicks (enough to hold the car) you can keep pulling (feels like stretching a spring) all the way to the limit of the handbrake travel.

* If you apply the handbrake on gravel, only one wheel stops.

* The disc on the wheel which doesn't stop has a dull and corroded face, unlike the other one which is nice and bright.

Any clues as to what is going on here? Does the handbrake adjustment affect normal braking, or are the two independant?

 

[dave225]

The dull disc suggests even the footbrake might not be working - might be best to check that first. Does the bad wheel lock in the gravel test?

If you jack it up and remove the bad wheel, you can work the handbrake lever on the caliper by hand and you should be able to see whether the pads grip the disc.

The allen screw adjuster should screw in and jam the pads against the disc if it's working properly.

 

[tomrothwell]

Previous posting sounds good, but also check what happened to me. Someone must have worked on the system and lost the locking 'tab', a plastic part stopping the adjusting nuts at the handbrake lever end, coming undone. Mine came undone on one side and the adjusting nut had fallen off.

 

[mark e]

John, I'm afraid that the short answer is your caliper has had it. Get a new one; they're about £60 on exchange basis IIRC.