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dodgy handbrake!

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Old May 31, 2006 | 05:50 PM
  #1  
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Default dodgy handbrake!

I had a neighbour at my door this afternoon with the alarming news that my car was in the middle of the road!
When I got outside it was indeed in the road and yet the handbrake lever was up but when I got in, the lever felt as though there was no tension on it.
Luckily I live in a quiet culdesac so the car didn't get hit.
The odd thing is though that when I release the handbrake lever and pull it up again there is tension and the brakes are firmly on, anyone else have this happen and perhaps know the andwer.I have looked at the lever mechanism and can't find anything obvious, so for now the car is parked in reverse gear and handbrake on.
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Old May 31, 2006 | 06:52 PM
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Handbrake cable probably needs adjustment, or adjustments need to be made at the brake itself at the rear end.
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Old May 31, 2006 | 10:44 PM
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Good thing you found out about it now. I always put my car in gear in addition to the p-brake.

davered00ss already said it. You need to buy a Chilton's manual for 98+f bodies in Auto Zone. It shows you how to adjust the parking brakes.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 02:36 AM
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I have a Haynes which to be honest isn't that great but it is enough, but does an adjustment explain why the handbrake works 99% of the time and only intermittently comes away?
Thanks for the response guys/gals.
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 11:51 AM
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yea my handbrake is **** too... i still cant find the manual that tells you how to adjust it though
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Old Jun 4, 2006 | 05:31 AM
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I was actually wondering if it is the adjuster mechanism on the lever itself as I notice in the book you can rotate it to loosen the tension on the cable so you can replace it, so perhaps mine is slipping from it's normal position and letting off the tension hence the brakes.
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Old Jun 4, 2006 | 09:17 PM
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My dad had that happen to his talon once.

I always just use the E-brake, but today I forgot and left it in gear and started it and popped the clutch out as usual, to put my seat belt on, and rocked forward and stalled it, ******* pissed me off so much..
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Old Jun 15, 2006 | 02:48 AM
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i need to know how to adjust mine too, my handbrake is a **** *** piece of ****
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Old Jun 15, 2006 | 01:11 PM
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I have checked the handbrake at the lever and appears well so now I have to check the handbrake shoe mechanism.
Anyone have any issues with the shoe adjusters before?
BTW 1sick'98ws6 isn't the handbrake self adjusting at the lever end?
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Old Jun 15, 2006 | 07:29 PM
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If I pull up my handbrake up too hard and usually without pushing the button in, itll snap up and not grab. Anyone know what thats about? I know something is popping off,but what part of the e-brake lever is letting go? Could it be from there being too much tension and pulling too hard causes it to go?

When it does it its a loud snap and the sound of a spring if that helps.
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Old Jul 13, 2006 | 09:52 PM
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I have the same problem as fbodyperformer, makes a loud pop and then sounds like a spring... whats going on???
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Old Jul 14, 2006 | 08:13 AM
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Originally Posted by FBodyPerformer
If I pull up my handbrake up too hard and usually without pushing the button in, itll snap up and not grab. Anyone know what thats about? I know something is popping off,but what part of the e-brake lever is letting go? Could it be from there being too much tension and pulling too hard causes it to go?

When it does it its a loud snap and the sound of a spring if that helps.

Imagine that, Same thing here... I don't care as long as it ends up working. First time it happened though it scared the holy **** out of me!!!
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Old Jul 14, 2006 | 10:24 AM
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mine is acting up too. went to set it and it pulled all the way back with no tension on it. released it and reset it and it was fine. so now i'll have to fix it. i always put mine in gear as well. you just never know.
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