TR2/3/3A Handbrake adjustment

[GTP1960]

My handbrake does not hold adequately .
I must be misunderstanding the workshop manual, or at least overlooking something.
It reads :
"on no account should alteration be made to the handbrake cable for this purpose."

Surly there is a way to adjust and tighten the handbrake.

any help appreciated.

thanks and best regards,

Guy

 

[TR3driver]

What they are saying is that you don't adjust the handbrake cable to compensate for wear in the rear brakes. Or in other words, make sure the brake shoes are adjusted properly first, and only then deal with any handbrake issues.

Normally, once installed, the handbrake does not require periodic adjustment. My experience has been that, if it seems to work loose over time, one of the cables is failing and should be replaced. But normal wear in the shoes shows up first at the handbrake lever, so again make sure to adjust the shoes first.

See page R3 for handbrake adjustment (or 393 in the Bentley).

 

[pdplot]

Your cable may have stretched.

 

[Geo Hahn]

There is a purpose-made tool for adjusting the rear brakes, though an 8-point socket will work fine too.

Since you seem unfamiliar with the adjustment procedure and because I do not know how detailed it is I will mention: The adjustment occurs in increments of 90° - that is, each adjustment of the screw requires a 90° movement to shift into the next position, whether in or out. In between those positions the brakes will be tight so no point it stopping until it is in the next position.

I usually adjust until it drags, then back it off a quarter turn.

Hopefully this will all be clear when you read the manual.

 

[TR3driver]

There is a purpose-made tool for adjusting the rear brakes, though an 8-point socket will work fine too.

The tool never seems to fit very well for me, it's so tight on the square that it's hard to get on and off. Maybe the later ones are a bit smaller or something. So I actually prefer the 8 point socket and a 1/4" ratchet.

 

[Andrew Mace]

My favorite tool has long been the Snap On or Blue Point B1351A "Bendix Brake Adjust Wrench":

 

[GTP1960]

Thanks guys.

got them adjusted. The hand brake is working properly.

my confusion was differentiating if I had early brakes that are adjusted from the front (slot screw driver, thru a hole in the drum) or later models adjusted from the back plate.

mine are later models , adj. from the back.
however the manual refers to turning the sqr. Bolt in "clicks". I didn't get any clicks.

Geo mentioned 90 degree increments, but mine didn't seem to be limited to 90 degree turns.
The adj. bolt seemed to offer a smooth transition and fully variable.

took it out for a test ride using brakes a lot. The drums remained cool to the touch.


thanks again.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Lockheed adjusters would be more of a click. Girling adjusters would be more of a "small arc of less resistance" but not so much a click per se.

 

[TR3driver]

Only the front Lockheed brakes adjusted through the drum. Both types of rear brake had the square peg sticking out through the backplate for adjustment.

Andy is right of course, but I think you should be able to clearly feel the "small arc of less resistance". If it just turned smoothly, I'd be looking for what is wrong.

The drums are supposed to get hot when you use the brakes hard. They work by converting kinetic energy to heat and the heat has to go somewhere. If they stayed cool, they weren't doing anything.

 

[GTP1960]

The drums are supposed to get hot when you use the brakes hard. They work by converting kinetic energy to heat and the heat has to go somewhere. If they stayed cool, they weren't doing anything.

maybe I under adjusted them. Though I didn't touch the drum immediately. Thought to do that after about 45min.
the handbrake was engaging well. Is that an indicator the rear brakes are working?

looks like I need to recruit a volunteer to test the brakes while it's on the stands.

 

[TR3driver]

In that case, it's probably all fine. It's really hard to judge brake performance with the car on stands, just no way to turn the wheels hard enough without risking knocking the car off the stands. To really find out if they are working, find a road with no traffic and do a panic stop from 40 mph or so. You should be able to lock all 4 wheels if you try, and they should lock at about the same time. If the fronts lock first and it takes a lot more pedal pressure to lock the rears (or you can't lock them at all), they aren't doing their job.

IMO this is a worthwhile test to try every year or so, to be sure nothing has happened like a fluid or oil seepage contaminating the linings. When that big SUV pulls out in front of you is a bad time to discover you've got a brake problem.

Also worthwhile checking brake lights every once in awhile. I went on a club run today and saw 3 different TRs with no brake lights (although one of them was intermittent, they would flash on sometimes). Those hydraulic switches seem to frequently fail gradually, where at first you just won't get lights for a gentle stop, but it keeps taking more and more pressure to make them come on until finally they don't work at all.

 

[Don Elliott]

After adjusting my rear brakes, I test the number of clicks I get when I pull up the lever arm on the passenger's side footwell. If I can pull it up 5 clicks of the pawl and the rear brakes are locked ((up on jack stands - engine off) I know the handbrake is set OK. It I can pull it up all 7 clicks, I know I have to get down under the rear axle to tighten up the cables.