Very Poor Handbrake - Please Help!

[Rosco191]

Hi folks, really hoping someone can help with an ongoing problem! My wife has a 2007 Relay van which has been converted to a horsebox which has covered 120k.

 

Failed mot on poor handbrake so stripped off rear discs (handbrake seems to operate shoes inside the drum on our model) and have fitted new shoes (pattern parts as Citroen wanted £185 for shoes!) new fitting kit and first part of cable is new also (fitted at last years mot). Also cleaned up and greased the toothed adjusters. So only part of system that isn't new is the rear cables.

 

When jacked up, wheels spin freely albeit with a little resistance...then apply the handbrake and wheels locked however when on the ground and driving it, handbrake is very poor and almost non existent.

 

At present the handbrake comes up 7 or 8 clicks which is far too high so need to look at adjustment but any pointers/advice would be much appreciated!

 

Cheers

[paul.h]

Welcome to the forum.

 

The following is from the Citroen service box procedures for the Relay 3 but it looks as if the handbrake shoes are adjusted through a hole in the wheel hub:

Untighten the wheel bolts (rear).

Raise and support the vehicle, with the rear wheels hanging free.

Remove the rear wheels.

Depress the brake pedal several times.

Pull the handbrake lever firmly 4 to 5 times.

Slacken the parking brake .

 

 

Slacken the nut (1) under the van where the middle handbrake cable joins the 2 rear ones, in order to release the tension of the handbrake cable.

 

 

Position the hole "a" in the hub opposite the toothed wheel (2) of the adjustment mechanism of the brake shoes.

Turn the toothed wheel (2) to the left, to lock the rotation of the brake disc.

Unlock the disc by turning the toothed wheel (2) 5 ± 1 teeth in the other direction.

N.B. : The variation in the diameter of the shoes for 1 tooth is 0,035 mm. The clearance between the jaws and the brake drum should be 0,2 ± 0,04 mm.

 

 

Slacken the locknut (3b) - this is on the front cable just before it is hooked on to the equaliser lever under the van.

Screw the nut (3a) released by undoing the lock nut, until the lever (4) lifts slightly off its stop (5).

Tighten the locknut (3b).

ESSENTIAL : Respect the tightening torque for the nut (1).

Tighten :

• The handbrake to the 6th notch
• The nut (1) to 25 Nm

Pull the handbrake lever firmly 4 to 5 times.

Position the handbrake to the 6th notch.

Tighten the nut (1) to 25 Nm.

Check that the rear brakes are applied.

With the handbrake released, check that the wheels can be turned freely by hand.

Refit the rear wheels.

Return the vehicle to its wheels and tighten the wheel bolts.

 

[Rosco191]

Paul,

 

Your reply is very much appreciated - will try this tonight and see how I get on!

 

Many thanks