Topic

My handbrake light has always flashed on and off, apparently due to the lever not going down correctly.

Also the ABS light sometimes stays on if the car hasn't been used recently but normally clears fter the second time of starting.

As the MOT is due soon I need to sort this.

What is the most likly cause, sticking cable or caliper?

The car sat for 5 years until being sprung back into life late last year.

The rear calipers are really prone to sticking, more so on the handbrake pull arm

If it isnt that then the cables are on there way out,its less likely though

Try the calipers first as the cables are a real pain to change,

With it being stood the abs ring around the drive shaft might have rust round it, just give it a quick wire brush an see how it goes

If your caliper handbrake mechanism is siezed, have a go using Davids guide -
Click
It worked when I tried it on my MGF:)

Cheers peeps - having looked at the guide, although I'm sure I could do it, given the time and space, I think I'll invest in a pair of new rear calipers for a start, there are some new ones on eBay for throw away money at the moment.

I watched my son and his ex stepdad change the handbrake cable on my sons metro, I can only imagine the cable on the F is similar but even more inacessable.

working on either end of the cables is quite easy, the problem comes were the cables enter the rear bulk head, the plate is right between the bulkhead and rear subframe bottom bar, it holds 4 cables in total, the two rear brake ones and two gear cables, the small bolts that hold it on are normally in a bad way which doesn't help

Well after driving through the tunnels of Newcastle with the unpleasant smell of burning brake pads, looks like I need to strip one of the rear callipers again. It's definitely the handbrake lever binding slightly.

I bought a new rear caliper as a spare on ebay the other day £17 bargin

How much?

Errr no i LIED ...lol

I just checked

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180570745969&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

£17.51

the exact same that are on a buy now for £75

rough luck wrote: wrote:

Errr no i LIED ...lol

I just checked

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180570745969&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

£17.51

the exact same that are on a buy now for £75

I feel slightly better now. I need the nearside!

Today, I will be mainly taking off my rear n/s brake calliper!

When I removed the nearside rear wheel, I could see that the handbrake lever wasn't returning fully.

It wasn't a lot, but enough to prevent the pads from releasing fully from the disc. Hence the nasty burny smell!

I realised that I could carry out most of this without taking the calliper off the car.

I dismantled the handbrake lever and disconnected the cable as in the how-to. I then unbolted the calliper from the carrier, so that it was only attached by the brake hose.

I noticed that the rear pad was also binding in the carrier. I filed the edges of both pads until they moved freely in the carrier.

I sprayed white lithium grease passed the seal and manipulated the lever until it became free again.

I cleaned up any overspray, and then rebuilt the lever mechanism. Reconnected the cable and refitted the calliper to the carrier.

Job done, Road tested the car and brakes/handbrake working well and no burning smell!