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[vauxsull]

Well I spent almost an entire day changing the rear discs pads and hanbrake shoes... what a bloody job that was... think they must have been the original parts.... knuckles and fingers scratched to buggery.... handbrake cabe had snapped too but couldnt be arsed doing that so have no handbrake at all.... think i'll let a garage do that...

[feeutfo]

Had trouble with those poxy adjusters too. For some reason the hand brake shoes had worn  groves in the drum, and had been adjusted up to take out the slack so the shoes sat in the groove, meaning the discs wouldn't come off.

Could I remember which way to turn the adjusters? Could I even see the adjusters? Could I get a screw driver on the star wheel to turn it even? No, no, and no!

I was there for bloody ages... "Come on you've done these loads of times before"  I kept saying... dunno, must be getting old.   

Managed it in the end, but with a frown!

[Lazydocker]

I must admit, I hate the "shoes in disc" setup on the Omega most Vauxhall's and it is one job I really hate doing

Why couldn't they have the Handbrake operate the calliper like most other marques

[aaronjb]

Why couldn't they have the Handbrake operate the calliper like most other marques

Because this way you get a handbrake that works (ok, most of the time ) - every car I've had that shares the rear callipers with hydraulic and cable actuation has had an abysmal handbrake, while every car I've had with shoe-in-drum setup (the Nissan is the same) has a great handbrake.. I don't think it's a total coincidence 

[Andy B]

Why couldn't they have the Handbrake operate the calliper like most other marques

Because this way you get a handbrake that works (ok, most of the time ) - every car I've had that shares the rear callipers with hydraulic and cable actuation has had an abysmal handbrake, while every car I've had with shoe-in-drum setup (the Nissan is the same) has a great handbrake.. I don't think it's a total coincidence 

Peugeot or Citreon had this problem with one of their cars, apply the handbrake when brakes were hot 7 it worked. As they all cooled down the car rolled off down the road. 

[Marks DTM Calib]

I must admit, I hate the "shoes in disc" setup on the Omega most Vauxhall's and it is one job I really hate doing

Why couldn't they have the Handbrake operate the calliper like most other marques

Lol, a VERY common setup for cars of that era and seen on loads including Volvos and Mercs.

I am not such a fan of cable operated calipers as I am sure most Ford owners who ahd the early setup wern't either!

[feeutfo]

Why couldn't they have the Handbrake operate the calliper like most other marques

Because this way you get a handbrake that works (ok, most of the time ) - every car I've had that shares the rear callipers with hydraulic and cable actuation has had an abysmal handbrake, while every car I've had with shoe-in-drum setup (the Nissan is the same) has a great handbrake.. I don't think it's a total coincidence 

Peugeot or Citreon had this problem with one of their cars, apply the handbrake when brakes were hot 7 it worked. As they all cooled down the car rolled off down the road. 

Now you mention it, yes that seems to be common. Can think of a Honda civic and one other that have rolled off down a slop into another car.

[Lazydocker]

I must admit, I hate the "shoes in disc" setup on the Omega most Vauxhall's and it is one job I really hate doing

Why couldn't they have the Handbrake operate the calliper like most other marques

Lol, a VERY common setup for cars of that era and seen on loads including Volvos and Mercs.

I am not such a fan of cable operated calipers as I am sure most Ford owners who ahd the early setup wern't either!

TBH, I only like the cable operated caliper setup for ease of maintenance, not the performance

I must admit, the shoes in drum is a much better performer... Just not as easy to work on

[Andy B]

....
TBH, I only like the cable operated caliper setup for ease of maintenance, not the performance
 .....

SWMBO used to have a Hyundai with cable operated pads for the handbrake, they were a b'stard  for working on. 

[albitz]

I had an advisory on my MOT a few weeks ago about my handbrake, so I will find out what all the fuss is about sometime in the coming months.

[Andy B]

I had an advisory on my MOT a few weeks ago about my handbrake, so I will find out what all the fuss is about sometime in the coming months.

So did I last MOT (a verbal, not written  ) about missing reurn springs on my handbrake. I've not looked yet, but looking at EPC there doesn't appear to be any fitted anyway ........ I think Mr MOT Man is confusing the set-up with A N Other car 

[aaronjb]

Why couldn't they have the Handbrake operate the calliper like most other marques

Because this way you get a handbrake that works (ok, most of the time ) - every car I've had that shares the rear callipers with hydraulic and cable actuation has had an abysmal handbrake, while every car I've had with shoe-in-drum setup (the Nissan is the same) has a great handbrake.. I don't think it's a total coincidence 

Peugeot or Citreon had this problem with one of their cars, apply the handbrake when brakes were hot 7 it worked. As they all cooled down the car rolled off down the road. 

Ditto Toyota - I had to (literally) catch my MR2 once as it started it's gradual roll down a hill toward the front of someone else's MR2.. nearly a very embarrassing incident, luckily someone saw it starting to move and shouted "Whose is the blue one rolling away!?" 

The handbrake on my old Renault 19 16v was pitiful all the time, though .. I mean, I couldn't even lock the rear wheels at speed to initiate, um, manoeuvres. (I was young! )

[Martin_1962]

I must admit, I hate the "shoes in disc" setup on the Omega most Vauxhall's and it is one job I really hate doing

Why couldn't they have the Handbrake operate the calliper like most other marques

Those are horrid things

Better off with mini-drums

[Carfix]

Like chrisgixer I always forget which way to turn the adjuster wheel even though I have done that job several times in the past. (I think it's old age) 

So last time I had the drums off I took a photo of each handbrake assembly, printed each off and annotated on the print which way was on and off. I then pasted the prints into my Haynes manual for future refernce.

Sorted!!

As a note. I have started to take a lot more pictures of various car assemblies when I do a job on the cars. I guess it's the advent of decent mobile phone cameras, digital cameras and printers. It certainly takes the guess work out when re-assembling.

[henryd]

Why couldn't they have the Handbrake operate the calliper like most other marques

Because this way you get a handbrake that works (ok, most of the time ) - every car I've had that shares the rear callipers with hydraulic and cable actuation has had an abysmal handbrake, while every car I've had with shoe-in-drum setup (the Nissan is the same) has a great handbrake.. I don't think it's a total coincidence 

Peugeot or Citreon had this problem with one of their cars, apply the handbrake when brakes were hot 7 it worked. As they all cooled down the car rolled off down the road. 

Both the BX and the Xantia suffered this problem and both were subject to recalls to have the lower teeth of the handbrake pawl ground off so that the brake had to be pulled on harder