VX II Hand Brake Anomaly

[PeterVX2]

This is the second VX II I have owned with this handbrake problem.

I have adjusted the handbrake shoes in the read hubs for a close fit, that is I can just slide the drum back on.

The hand brake works very well in a forward motion, but park on a slight slope ( backwards ) and the hand brake will not hold. Locking the gearbox in PARK is the only thing stopping the car rolling backwards.

The handbrake shoes look OK and the car has only done 115,000 Klm.

This is even dangerous, but it just passed registration in NSW.

I would appreciate any ideas on this problem.



Cheers All

[])R@G()N]

Did you adjust the hand brake cable also...? If not tighten that up a bit

[GM GEN3]

How are the pad's if there worn it will do this i change my cos it did this never happened again so far so good

[graham7773]

The adjustment on the hand brake shoes is to be done through the 2 holes in the brake hub/disc. Here's how
1. Using a floor jack under centre of differential carrier, jack up and support rear of vehicle on safety stands under rear trailing arms. (so hand brake cables do not bear weight)
2. Remove rear wheel covers (steel wheels) or centre caps (alloy wheels).
3. Mark relationship of wheels to mounting flanges.
4. Remove road wheel attaching nuts and remove wheels.
5. Release park brake and ensure that park brake actuator arms have fully retracted.
If necessary, loosen the front park brake cable adjustment nut With a deep socket, to ensure slack in the park brake rear cable.
6. Remove the access hole plug. Using a suitable lever such as a screwdriver, tighten the park brake shoe screw adjuster, until the disc is locked.
Access to the screw adjuster is through either one of two holes provided in the disc
7. Loosen the adjuster 3 - 5 clicks, then check that the disc is free and does not drag. Replace the access hole plug when the adjustment procedure has been completed.

Replace road wheels etc.
Now you can adjust the hand brake cable under the hand brake rubber boot.
If you have new rear discs, you can adjust with discs off but if your discs are older there will be a lip on the outer drum area and brake adjustment can't work well with the disc off method. Hope this is not too confusing and helps

[PeterVX2]

The adjustment on the hand brake shoes is to be done through the 2 holes in the brake hub/disc. Here's how
1. Using a floor jack under centre of differential carrier, jack up and support rear of vehicle on safety stands under rear trailing arms. (so hand brake cables do not bear weight)
2. Remove rear wheel covers (steel wheels) or centre caps (alloy wheels).
3. Mark relationship of wheels to mounting flanges.
4. Remove road wheel attaching nuts and remove wheels.
5. Release park brake and ensure that park brake actuator arms have fully retracted.
If necessary, loosen the front park brake cable adjustment nut With a deep socket, to ensure slack in the park brake rear cable.
6. Remove the access hole plug. Using a suitable lever such as a screwdriver, tighten the park brake shoe screw adjuster, until the disc is locked.
Access to the screw adjuster is through either one of two holes provided in the disc
7. Loosen the adjuster 3 - 5 clicks, then check that the disc is free and does not drag. Replace the access hole plug when the adjustment procedure has been completed.

Replace road wheels etc.
Now you can adjust the hand brake cable under the hand brake rubber boot.
If you have new rear discs, you can adjust with discs off but if your discs are older there will be a lip on the outer drum area and brake adjustment can't work well with the disc off method. Hope this is not too confusing and helps

Thanks for all the replies,

I have adjusted the hand brake next to the drivers seat so that it really stops the car with a small amount of pull.

I have tried finly adjusting the hand brake adjuster with screw drivers so that it grabs the drum and then I back it off probably only 3 clicks.

When I first did this, the car locked the handbrake on while I was driving at about 80 KLM per hour. It really frightened me. I managed to get it home by driving slow. The handbrake pads must have been just touching the drum, heated up, expanded and then grabbed on one wheel.

So I backed the adjustment off a few more clicks.

To adjust the handbrakes at the rear, I just jack up each rear wheel with the standard Holden jacking rig.

By doing this I am reasonably sure that there is no tension put on the cable. However I will check this again.

It is still a mystery why the handbrake feels so good for forward motion, but provides bugger all braking for a reverse situation.

The handbrake pads look OK to me. Appear to have about 3mm of material on them. Perhaps I should see what new ones have on them.


Cheers

[Sabbath']

Before you adjust the handbrake at the rear shoes you should wind the nut out ALL the way on the handbrake lever. Then, go to your rear shoes and adjust the shoes to specification (128.6 i believe)

Then tighten up the nut in the cabin until you get 7 solid clicks on the cable. Going any tighter is unnecessary and could possibly stretch the cable.

[PeterVX2]

Before you adjust the handbrake at the rear shoes you should wind the nut out ALL the way on the handbrake lever. Then, go to your rear shoes and adjust the shoes to specification (128.6 i believe)

Then tighten up the nut in the cabin until you get 7 solid clicks on the cable. Going any tighter is unnecessary and could possibly stretch the cable.

Thanks for the reply,

I should have mentioned that I do back off the handbrake adjustment in the cabin before I start the adjustment at the shoes.

I will find out what specification (128.6 i ) is. Actually, with the struggle I have had I really should check in the Holden manual as you suggest. I will also try the 7 solid cliks as well.

I do feel however that the problem is more than just fine adjustment.


Cheers

[monkey75]

Thanks for the reply,

I should have mentioned that I do back off the handbrake adjustment in the cabin before I start the adjustment at the shoes.

I will find out what specification (128.6 i ) is. Actually, with the struggle I have had I really should check in the Holden manual as you suggest. I will also try the 7 solid cliks as well.

I do feel however that the problem is more than just fine adjustment.


Cheers

Gday I've got the identical problem... Did you end up fixing and how?

Thanks
Monks