Unsolved handbrake issue.

[DrEntropy]

Last eve ran the Alfa to Sarasota and back, about 100 miles in all. Pulled into the neighborhood gas station a few blocks from th' hovel to gas up before parking for the day. As I made entry into the station the beast suddenly acted as if the rear brakes had partially locked. grrr. Fueled up, pulled away from the pump and the car felt like it had lead tied to the bumper. FORCED it the few blocks at REALLY low speed and as I got it into the driveway the resistance disappeared. Hot brake material smell but no blistering hot wheels/hubs. No smoke either. Something seems to have activated the handbrake spontaneously but I never touched the brake lever.

Too late yesterday eve to do any prelim, now it's raining gatos y perros... no hope of diagnosis until it quits. rats.

I *hate* CARS!!!

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Never a dull moment...

 

[DrEntropy]

My immediate solution may be to call the insurance company and put the MGB on the active duty list! :laugh:

...but if I check with 'mom' first that may not work in my favor.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

You know the drill: "If Mom ain't happy..." :wink:

 

[DrEntropy]

Okay, bro. I'll jus' go out an' jack up th' Alfa an' lie down on th' cold, wet concrete inna pishin' rain to fix MY car... pro'lly contract pee-neumonia an' DIE!!

Hope that pleases Her.

*harumph*

so there.

:smirk:

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Pity-party time!

 

[DrEntropy]

I just knew I could count on YOU fer sympathy.

....thanks fer th' support...


:hammer:

 

[jessebogan]

Stand back Doc... Bad Alfa!! BAD!!!!( I am sternly shaking my finger here..) Should be good to go...

 

[AngliaGT]

You didn't park it by any of your other cars,did you?
I believe that there's a "car virus" - when something goes on
one car,it will happen to at least one other car .

- Doug

 

[DrEntropy]

SHUSH Doug!!!

Diesela is th' only other car to park nearby.

...I don't need Benz brake issues ATM.

 

[DrEntropy]

Here's the rest of the story:

When I first got this sled it had been well neglected. Owned by a college kid with no mechanical ability and less money. I drove it for about 18 months locally, then decided it could stay. Rebuilt a 1750cc engine I had lyin' around and did a one day swap out. Got a new set of Ansa pipes for it, went thru the brakes soup-to-nuts (including a new handbrake cable),new Robbins top...

Took it on a Miami run for one of "The Semi-annual Obligatory In-laws Visit" trips. On the way home we encountered an unavoidable chunk of retred from an 18-wheeler. It snagged on the $50 brake cable and spontaneously applied the handbrake shoes. Fair bit o' pedal stabbin' and driver input to get to the side of the Interstate safely and untangle the mess. It had kinked the cable sheath in a couple places so I bent it all back as straight as I could and we pressed on. Over the few years since that incident the kinks have allowed water into the sheath, and from what I can tell it rusted the cable/sheath internally, causing resistance at one of the kinked areas. Since we're mostly in th' flatlands I'm disinclined to spend $50-plus-shipping for a new one, as just filling the gastank now doubles the value of this shoat pig.

E-brake is now dysfunctional. :smirk:

 

[DrEntropy]

So is the hydraulic system. Took it out this AM to th' local Quik-Rip and it seemed fine. Drove it to a meeting in town ('bout ten miles) and it started dragging again. Let it sit an hour or so and it's fine... drove home not using the brakes. Rear wheels were cucumber cool on arrival.

The bloody flex-hose to the rear calipers!!! :madder:

 

[JPSmit]

The bloody flex-hose to the rear calipers!!! :madder:

I wondered - sure sounded like in your initial post

 

[DrEntropy]

My conclusion jumping was based on the prior e-brake cable trauma. Shoulda used a more thorough thought process. It was a forest/trees issue.

...'specially since if the same description had been posted here, I'd have said the same thing: flex hose! :wink:

Tony and I would usually be the ones to go there first.

 

[JPSmit]

My conclusion jumping was based on the prior e-brake cable trauma. Shoulda used a more thorough thought process. It was a forest/trees issue.

...'specially since if the same description had been posted here, I'd have said the same thing: flex hose! :wink:

Tony and I would usually be the ones to go there first.

It is reassuring to know that even the masters miss the obvious from time to time (and I'm not being silly when I say that)

 

[Mickey Richaud]

My conclusion jumping was based on the prior e-brake cable trauma. Shoulda used a more thorough thought process. It was a forest/trees issue.

...'specially since if the same description had been posted here, I'd have said the same thing: flex hose! :wink:

Tony and I would usually be the ones to go there first.

It is reassuring to know that even the masters miss the obvious from time to time (and I'm not being silly when I say that)

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[DrEntropy]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]
It is reassuring to know that even the masters miss the obvious from time to time (and I'm not being silly when I say that) [/QUOTE]

I've chased my own tail plenty of times, JP. One incident with what turned out to be a bent throttle shaft in a DCOE Weber led me Ol' Fella to declare my having a PhD in staving off entropy... :wink:

 

[Banjo]

SHUSH Doug!!!

Diesela is th' only other car to park nearby.

...I don't need Benz brake issues ATM.

Hey! I don't have any brake issues! What you talkin' bout?!

 

[DrEntropy]

meh. Ya hard o' listenin' boy?!?! :smirk:

 

[Banjo]

Wha?.....
hehehehehe
Too many years using air tools..