Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: less on 07 February 2010, 11:37:44
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Morning all. Picked up an advisory for the handbrake from mot the other day. Handbrake works ok and does lock up but handle is nudging the centre console.
I nipped in to see Tony Bones yesterday to have my alignment fine tuned (and of course the inevitable couple of tyres >:(). He is well and extrmely busy at the moment thanks to the plague of potholes around this area after the recent bouts of snow. He sends his best to the guys on the forum.
Whilst the limo was up on the ramp I had a gander at the handbrake cable adjuster. Could they have made it harder to get at? Looks like both exhaust heat shields have to come off to get at the adjuster. I think I'll give it a couple of months to warm up before I grovel under there.
Does anybody know if there is any adjustment at the handbrake lever?
oops! must remember to check which board I'm reading before posting - sorry guys :-[
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.....
Whilst the limo was up on the ramp .....
You didn't go in the Omega then ::) ::) ::)
;) ;)
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Morning all. Picked up an advisory for the handbrake from mot the other day. Handbrake works ok and does lock up but handle is nudging the centre console.
I nipped in to see Tony Bones yesterday to have my alignment fine tuned (and of course the inevitable couple of tyres >:(). He is well and extrmely busy at the moment thanks to the plague of potholes around this area after the recent bouts of snow. He sends his best to the guys on the forum.
Whilst the limo was up on the ramp I had a gander at the handbrake cable adjuster. Could they have made it harder to get at? Looks like both exhaust heat shields have to come off to get at the adjuster. I think I'll give it a couple of months to warm up before I grovel under there.
Does anybody know if there is any adjustment at the handbrake lever?
oops! must remember to check which board I'm reading before posting - sorry guys :-[
Another brilliant GM design, just like the feking sodding V6 stat >:(
Guide here for the handbrake:
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1152564750
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Morning all. Picked up an advisory for the handbrake from mot the other day. Handbrake works ok and does lock up but handle is nudging the centre console.
I nipped in to see Tony Bones yesterday to have my alignment fine tuned (and of course the inevitable couple of tyres >:(). He is well and extrmely busy at the moment thanks to the plague of potholes around this area after the recent bouts of snow. He sends his best to the guys on the forum.
Whilst the limo was up on the ramp I had a gander at the handbrake cable adjuster. Could they have made it harder to get at? Looks like both exhaust heat shields have to come off to get at the adjuster. I think I'll give it a couple of months to warm up before I grovel under there.
Does anybody know if there is any adjustment at the handbrake lever?
oops! must remember to check which board I'm reading before posting - sorry guys :-[
No! Use a couple of long extensions and a deep 13mm, you can adjust it from the end without taking off the heat shields. Do the rear brake clean/adjust first though before you adjust the cable.
No adjustment near the handbrake :(
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It is an absolute b*stard to get at the nut, when I was doing mine I sheared the stud, which meant a new lever, having said that, when I saw how bad the stud had twisted, it was ever likely it sheared...
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rachet spanners make it dead easy.
Worth soaking the headsheild nuts in penetrating fluid overnight before undoing them.
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rachet spanners make it dead easy.Worth soaking the headsheild nuts in penetrating fluid overnight before undoing them.
:y Yep, much easier, but what heatshield ? Not had one on either of my Migs :-?
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check the cable at the back and also make sure where the cable latches on to the backl levers,that the cable has not started to go through the clamps for the cable near the rear wheels,mine did this and had to tighten the clamps with some large pliers,there is a flang that sit's just out side the clamps and if slips in can raise hand brake :y :y :yalso would have disc's of and check shoe's for whare and adjust them from back first :y :y :y :y
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It is an absolute b*stard to get at the nut, when I was doing mine I sheared the stud, which meant a new lever, having said that, when I saw how bad the stud had twisted, it was ever likely it sheared...
are we talking about the same thing? Its a pain taking the heatshields off but not that difficult. Which stud sheared..? :-/
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Thanks for your input Guys. I will check at the brakes first before adjusting the cable. Some penetrating oil liberally applied on studs seems to be a must too.
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Hi, got the same problem with mine. Turns out the cables are seizing so new ones required. :'( The adjustment nut is seized also so centre console has to come out to be able to warm up ! the rod. Oh well, save up and pay the man, much easier! :-?
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Hi, got the same problem with mine. Turns out the cables are seizing so new ones required. :'( The adjustment nut is seized also so centre console has to come out to be able to warm up ! the rod. Oh well, save up and pay the man, much easier! :-?
Welcome to the forum Bixy :y
Are you sure the nut is really seized? A good spray with Plusgas may help. I've never heard of having to remove centre console for this.
less - you need to slacken off the central adjuster or at least make sure the cable is slack before adjusting at the wheels or you are wasting your time.
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Thank you.
Yes, my vauxhall chappie knows what he's doing, besides I've had the car for two weeks and I found one of the old mot's. It failed on the handbrake last time and was probably cobbled together to get through the test. :'( The chappie wants to use a torch to warm up the rod and is afraid of setting the carpet alight hence seat and console removal to fire-watch. Better safe than burnt!!!!! ;D
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No heatsheild on mine, the stud which sheared was the one connected directly to the base of the lever. It had been twisted and would neither allow the nut to be tightened or removed. unfortunately, it sheared when I tried to remove the nut to get a new hb cable on... The only thing I could use to turn the nut was my impact wrench, so ever likely it sheared really... lol...
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Thank you.
Yes, my vauxhall chappie knows what he's doing, besides I've had the car for two weeks and I found one of the old mot's. It failed on the handbrake last time and was probably cobbled together to get through the test. :'( The chappie wants to use a torch to warm up the rod and is afraid of setting the carpet alight hence seat and console removal to fire-watch. Better safe than burnt!!!!! ;D
I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but, you can get at the rod/stud from the inside of the car, it is directly on the end of the handbrake lever, riveted in place... I know on the Vectra there was an adjustment nut, but it isn't on the Omega...
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Don't know! :'( Not been underneath yet, too cold and wet!
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Key points here.
DONT EVER JUST DIVE IN AND MESS WITH THE CABLE!
There, got that off my chest, much better.
Auto users, handbrakes need to be used even if you do have a (flimsy) parking pawl in the auto box. Use it or loose it (well watch it seize up and fail!)
To do ANY handbrake correctly, you must service the rear brake setup, this is true of ANY make of car. This needs to be done with a slack cable and the mechanism cleaned and setup on the rear hubs correctly.
Only then can you adjust the handbrake cable and note, 5-6 clicks is about right for an Omega handbrake.
Because the Omega handbrake operates via a dedicated set of shoes, its worth applying it lightly for 100m or so every month or 2 just to keep the inner drum surface nice and clean.
Follow the maintenance guide and you wotn go far wrong.
As for needing to heat the handbrake rod....a good squirt of a good penetrating fluid (and noteWD40 is NOT a good penetrating fluid) will sort....I am yet to find one (and I have done FAR to many) that is truely seized.
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I had same problem on mine, had to jack the car up, remember health and safety when doing this.
Take heat shields off and above prop shaft is a nut and one cable leads to hand brake and the other two to the rear brakes, you will have to keep checking the handbrake for the number of clicks, when turning the nut, once the handbrake operates to the right position, all should be ok.
:y :y :y :y :y :D :D :D :D :D
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The only reason I messed with the cable was purely due to the fact mine had snapped... I had already replaced the hand brake pads and ensured the full funtionality of the mechanism.
The nut on the hand brake lever stud/threaded bar, was only moving 4 - 5 mm due to the stud being warped, this was due to work carried out by the previous owner and I suspect heat was used on the bar to replace the cable at some point in the past.
I have never been able to consider the handbrake on my Omega as brilliant and I certainly do not trust it to hold my car on a steep hill, It has rolled back on me far too many times to count, so I always leave it in gear when I leave the car...
The great thing is that being part of this forum, puts all of us in contact with people who have a wealth of Omega knowledge, and if there is something that any of us need to know, help is usually very close and quick to hand and advice that is very much worthwhile following and in many cases will save money and time...
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It really is a time consuming job,drive front wheels onto ramps then jack the rear up onto stands.
Remove heatshields then suggest rachet spanner,had to replace cable on mine,check that it fits snuggly onto the rear wheel guide,they do slip through.
Got to adjust mine again when it gets warmer.
Alfie.