Author Topic: Handbrake problem solved?  (Read 9962 times)

guest809

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Handbrake problem solved?
« on: January 14, 2010, 07:25:22 PM »
Like many contributors, we had been struggling with the handbrake on our 2005 Jazz. In fact it had got so bad that the handbrake literally would not hold the car on a hill at traffic lights no matter how hard you pulled the lever up.

Having previously adjusted by "taking up the slack" on the cable by tightening the nut at the lever end my little brain was asking what happens when you run out of thread?

So, only half remembering advice Culzean had posted in a previous thread, I set about adjusting again but this time I SLACKENED the nut and therefore the cables. I then placed my foot on the footbrake and pulled the handbrake lever up a couple of dozen times.

I did NOT then re-tighten the nut but left it in its new position which is about a third of the way up the thread.

The lever now comes up about 7 clicks which feels very uncomfortable and is a lot more than before BUT the handbrake is working perfectly. I did all this about ten days ago and there has been no deterioration since. I am not a qualified mechanic so can't explain why it has worked but so far it definitely has.

Please shout if I have done anything stupid but if not it might work for others?

JazzyB

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Re: Handbrake problem solved?
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2010, 07:33:08 PM »
According to VOSA the Honda jazz has a recall concerning the handbrake. It only affects models of a certain age.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/searches/expand.asp?uniqueID=31C3634E54DCDFA7802574F00055803B&freeText=Blank&tx=

JOCK55

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Re: Handbrake problem solved?
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2010, 07:07:27 AM »
I cannot speak for GD model, but the hand brake on the my GE is so pathetic I have to carry a brick around with me to chock the wheels as I cannot trust the brake alone to hold.

I believe Honda need to have a fundamental rethink about the design of this item.

Jock  >:(
My other car is a 2015 Range Rover Sport....
No, seriously, it is!!!

Geoffers

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Re: Handbrake problem solved?
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2010, 10:18:51 AM »
I cannot speak for GD model, but the hand brake on the my GE is so pathetic I have to carry a brick around with me to chock the wheels as I cannot trust the brake alone to hold.

I believe Honda need to have a fundamental rethink about the design of this item.

Jock  >:(


Hmmmm! Funny that, mine's fine. As was the handbrake on my GD! ???
But I agree, with such diverse experiences, there must be an undocumented design feature somewhere?

culzean

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Re: Handbrake problem solved?
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2010, 12:22:13 PM »
As far as I am aware my advice about 'completely slackening the cables adjusting nut and pumping the brake pedal' to get the 'self-adjusting' brake adjusters to ratchet up properly only works with drum brakes. 

These self-adjusters are supposed to ratchet round one click and turn a threaded adjuster whenever the brake shoes push out past their previous furthest position and thereby hold the shoes close to the drum surface. This means that the brake cylinder pistons are not pushed back into their cylinders as far and the brake-pedal free movement is reduced.  The ratchet adjusters don't seem to work too well as long as there is pressure on the handbrake cable though, and what seems to happen is that the position of the brakeshoes relative to the drum is only being taken up by the handbrake cable mechanism. Slackening off the cable and pumping the brake pedal seems to allow the shoes to move properly and ratchet up properly on the adjusters - the effect of this is to give less movement on the handbrake lever, a more even brakeshoe contact and more thread available for adjustment of the cable.
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

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