Handbrake Adjustment

[adamdunford86]

Hi all

Have a 2002 VY commodore and over the past few weeks the handbrake has to be pulled right up before it holds the car. Im quite handy so would like to know how i can tighten it up myself, can anyone help on here?

Thanks

Adam

[db_notso]

there is a ten mm bolt beside the lever under the boot this can tighten it a little but if this isnt enough
or it latches unevenly at the back you have to adjust it at the rear brake rotor (inside it) throgh it i should say...
by uneven i mean go at 2 km/hr lift handbrake slow and one side of the car will pull down rarther than both at the same time

[Benboy]

ADJUSTMENT OF HANDBRAKE

1. Place the transmission in NEUTRAL.
2. Jack the rear of the vehicle and place on safety (jack) stands.
DO NOT START ENGINE.
3. Place safety blocks (wheel chocks) both sides of front wheels.
4. Ensure that the handbrake handle is NOT pulled up.
5. Remove rear wheels, make alignment marks with wheel to disc, disc to axle.
6. Remove handbrake adjustment access hole plug.
7. Tighten adjuster screw until wheel is locked.
8. Loosen adjuster screw 3-5 clicks, check that wheel will rotate freely.
9. Adjust handbrake cable if required.
10. Install wheels, remove safety stands and lower vehicle to ground.

TO ADJUST HANDBRAKE CABLE

1. Place the transmission in NEUTRAL.
2. Jack the rear of the vehicle and place on safety (jack) stands.
DO NOT START ENGINE.
3. Place safety blocks (wheel chocks) both sides of front wheels.
4. Pull the handbrake lever up until there is sufficient resistance that the handbrake should be fully functional (this should be approximately 4-6 clicks from fully down).
5. Check the back wheels for resistance. There should be enough resistance that the wheels are impossible to turn by hand.
6. If the rear wheels can be turned by hand, tighten the adjustment nut at the handbrake handle (pull rubber handbrake protector cover to adjust nut) to 2Nm, check rear wheels (rotation), tighten the adjuster nut further if required.
7. Release handbrake lever and check back wheels for resistance. There should not be any reistance.

Road test for correct functioning.

[Calaber]

My VY Series 2 does not have adjusters in each rear wheel. The brake shoes are a one-piece design which expands and contracts as the cable is pulled on and released. I've never seent his set up before but others must have the same design. Whilst the adjuster wheel is fitted, there is no thread for it to adjust the gap between the ends of the shoes.

[GenReaper]

My VY Series 2 does not have adjusters in each rear wheel. The brake shoes are a one-piece design which expands and contracts as the cable is pulled on and released. I've never seent his set up before but others must have the same design. Whilst the adjuster wheel is fitted, there is no thread for it to adjust the gap between the ends of the shoes.

My Series 2 has adjustment inside the Rotor on the shoes, i know this cause i fitted new rotors not long back and adjusted them propperly inside the rotor and not on the handbrake.

[db_notso]

when adhusting AT the rear rotors
you should loosen hand brake ten mm bolt first till very loose almost undone completely
the adjusting wheel is at the BOTTOM of the shoe inside the rotor
you should also put two wheel nuts onto the wheel studs before adjusting it through the rotor

if you do that and what that guy said up there ^^^ same as i would do it at rear

[adamdunford86]

Thanks for all the replies Guys, will do it this weekend

Merry christmas all

[VYMAD]

ADJUSTMENT OF HANDBRAKE

1. Place the transmission in NEUTRAL.
2. Jack the rear of the vehicle and place on safety (jack) stands.
DO NOT START ENGINE.
3. Place safety blocks (wheel chocks) both sides of front wheels.
4. Ensure that the handbrake handle is NOT pulled up.
5. Remove rear wheels, make alignment marks with wheel to disc, disc to axle.
6. Remove handbrake adjustment access hole plug.
7. Tighten adjuster screw until wheel is locked.
8. Loosen adjuster screw 3-5 clicks, check that wheel will rotate freely.
9. Adjust handbrake cable if required.
10. Install wheels, remove safety stands and lower vehicle to ground.

TO ADJUST HANDBRAKE CABLE

1. Place the transmission in NEUTRAL.
2. Jack the rear of the vehicle and place on safety (jack) stands.
DO NOT START ENGINE.
3. Place safety blocks (wheel chocks) both sides of front wheels.
4. Pull the handbrake lever up until there is sufficient resistance that the handbrake should be fully functional (this should be approximately 4-6 clicks from fully down).
5. Check the back wheels for resistance. There should be enough resistance that the wheels are impossible to turn by hand.
6. If the rear wheels can be turned by hand, tighten the adjustment nut at the handbrake handle (pull rubber handbrake protector cover to adjust nut) to 2Nm, check rear wheels (rotation), tighten the adjuster nut further if required.
7. Release handbrake lever and check back wheels for resistance. There should not be any reistance.

Road test for correct functioning.

Why are the align marks required?

[RiCeY]

Why are the align marks required?

They arent...

As stated loosed handbrake cable before adjusting at rear wheels, then tighten it afterwards.

Dont overtighten at the wheels either or the pads will drag, personally 3-5 clicks arent enough.

[VYMAD]

They arent...

As stated loosed handbrake cable before adjusting at rear wheels, then tighten it afterwards.

Dont overtighten at the wheels either or the pads will drag, personally 3-5 clicks arent enough.

Cheers....

[whitey66]

You should put alignment marks on them in case they were indexed to the hub (which they should be).
You should know this Ricey if you are a Holden Technician.
Basically indexing is aligning the most amount of run-out in the disc,with the least amount of run-out of the hub or vice versa.
You use a dial guage to check the combined run-out,it should be 0.05mm or less.
Disc run-out causes DTV (disc thickness variation) which causes brake shudder.

[RiCeY]

Nobody bothers with it as the runout changes as soon as you skim the rotor which is often with Commodore rotors.

THe only time we remove rotors is to skim them hence marking being pointless.

[VYMAD]

Nobody bothers with it as the runout changes as soon as you skim the rotor which is often with Commodore rotors.

THe only time we remove rotors is to skim them hence marking being pointless.

Well I adjusted the handbrake shoes as per the How-to a couple of days ago, and didn't put alignment marks on. Anyway it's all good, didn't have to touch the cable, and the handbrake is applying sufficient pressure at around 4-5 clicks up on the handle. No drag at the back wheels when rotated either so should be good. Cheers.

[whitey66]

Nobody bothers with it as the runout changes as soon as you skim the rotor which is often with Commodore rotors.

THe only time we remove rotors is to skim them hence marking being pointless.

You should remove the rear discs to do the park brake correctly.
Part of the job involves lubricating all the metal to metal park shoe contact surfaces (not lining surfaces of course) with special brake grease, this allows the park brake shoes to move freely on the backing plate so they center themselves correctly after releasing the handbrake.If you don't grease them they can bind on slightly and this is what causes them to wear out.
Next time you pull off a disc try to move the shoe around on the backing plate,then lube it and check it again you will be very surprised at the difference.

[NonStick Squid]

hmmm gonna do this tomorrow