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TR2/3/3A The "compensator bar" on the Handbrake...#53 in Moss diagram

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mmmm...it is not tight in the axle, but is allowed to pivot on the threads slightly to balance the 3 cables connected to it. That is why there is a grease fitting and felt seal on the back of the threads.
 
A lot of work to see this compensator bar, personally I don't look at it, the brake pad are the same on both wheels, one of the cables is not suddenly become longer and the adjustment at the wheel is almost the same. Of course I looked at it when I restored my car but when I adjust the handbrake I let it have a peaceful life and if necessary it will compensate a little, that the reason it was born. IMO
 
The reason I'm asking is that there seems to be an inordinate amount of side to side movement in the bar itself which affects the cable lengths. If the bar was locked so it would not move the cables would function better would they not?
 
Nope. It moves to compensate for the lengths of the cables. In other words, the compensator will always center itself between the cables, so that they will always engage at the same time. If it were locked in place, then if one cable was slightly shorter in adjustment, that brake would engage first. In an extreme mis-adjustment, only one brake would ever engage. Thus the name "compensator"...and the reason for the grease fitting. Inordinate amount of movement is a good thing!
 
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