Hand brake

[knobbly]

After the one time that the car was not in gear with the handbrake on, it jumped down a few teeth and ran backwards into a wall.  Material damage only, no people, so on that level I was lucky.  I have heard and seen it happen a few times since, so it was not a one off.  My question is......has anyone come across this before and can you see wear on the teeth, or could it be dirt.  The car has only done 35k, although there may be many short journeys?
They are cheap enough on ebay, but I want to make sure the problem is solved and want to make sure the new(er) one does suffer in the same way.
Also the sound of the central locking changes between the first and second attempts to lock the car. A click, the a clunk!!!!  Any ideas?

Thank you
Nigel

[culzean]

After the one time that the car was not in gear with the handbrake on, it jumped down a few teeth and ran backwards into a wall.  Material damage only, no people, so on that level I was lucky.  I have heard and seen it happen a few times since, so it was not a one off.  My question is......has anyone come across this before and can you see wear on the teeth, or could it be dirt.  The car has only done 35k, although there may be many short journeys?
They are cheap enough on ebay, but I want to make sure the problem is solved and want to make sure the new(er) one does suffer in the same way.
Also the sound of the central locking changes between the first and second attempts to lock the car. A click, the a clunk!!!!  Any ideas?

Thank you
Nigel

The first clunk is normal locking, the second locking clunk is 'superlocking' whcih means the car cannot even be opened by door handles inside the car ( a second solenoid / motor in the lock has slid an extra blocker across ).

Never hold the button in when putting handbrake on,  when you release the button the pawl can be balanced on top of a tooth and slip off.  Modern handbrake ratchets are hard wearing - and if you hear a click when you finish pulling the lever up you  know the pawl is engaged with a tooth properly,  also press foot brake pedal down and it makes handbrake easier to apply properly...

[Lord Voltermore]

When I learned to drive we were taught to press the button. To save wear on the teeth and pawl, and keep lubricated parts moving freely. .  It was seen as sloppy and lazy  not to.

But for the reasons given by Culzean  manufacturers now recommend pulling up without pressing the button. Metal parts are better quality and bearings are often lube free nylon.    I must admit I still do it the old way on a conventional car .  But I always park in gear.   All change again with the mk4 and its electric handbrake.

[Jocko]

The manual for the car does not mention holding the button in when applying the parking brake. I normally do a bit of both. I hold the button in until I almost reach the top of the parking brake movement then I release it for the last few clicks. I never apply the parking brake without my foot hard on the footbrake and I never leave the car parked without first putting it in gear.

[degzi]

I pull the handbrake up with button pressed then en extra little tug without the button pressed. But I was also taught to always leave car in gear too, and add a few turns of steering if you are on a hill.

If you get in the habit you soon do it automatically, same with shoulder checking before you get out of the car etc. I also do it for my passengers.

[TnTkr]

I had to think really hard to find out how I apply the parking brake, but most likely I do just like Jocko and degzi: Keep the button pressed most of the travel and then release it for last few clicks. That is when using it for parking. When using it for manoeuvring on snow and ice it is of course essential to hold the button all the time to be able to release it just on the right moment.

[culzean]

I had to think really hard to find out how I apply the parking brake, but most likely I do just like Jocko and degzi: Keep the button pressed most of the travel and then release it for last few clicks. That is when using it for parking. When using it for manoeuvring on snow and ice it is of course essential to hold the button all the time to be able to release it just on the right moment.

The reason handbrake ratchets used to fail is because they were made out of cheese,  any car built in last 40 years + will have proper hardened teeth..  The handbrake ratchet life  is the last thing you need to worry about on a vehicle, 'don't sweat the small stuff.'....  The main thing is to leave car in 'park' or first gear when parked, as well as the handbrake, and press the footbrake pedal down when applying handbrake.  If parked on a steep hill turn the front wheels so that if the car does start to move the wheel will go towards the kerb.

I really miss the effectiveness of the drum handbrake on my first Civic, I could lock up rear wheels while moving with it,  If I apply handbrake while car is moving on the disc brake cars I have had I can hardly feel the vehicle slowing down...

[Jocko]

I had a FIAT 126 with drums front and rear. One MOT the inspector commented that the rear brakes were more effective than the front - not that there was anything wrong with the front. Needless to say, the handbrake was great.