how many notches on hand brake?

Pat · Post by **Pat** » 23 Feb 2005, 22:43

It's me again whining on about the h.b. cable.
I took a look at it today and in the B.O.L. it said between 6 and 12 notches is the acceptable range.
My question is the gARAGE SAYS THERE IS TOO MUCH FREE PLAY IN THE LEVER, BUT THE RATCHET DOESN'T START CLICKING UNTIL THE LEVER IS AT LEAST HALF WAY UP.tHEN WITH ABOUT 6 OR 7 CLICKS IT FULL ON !!!!
IT HOLDS THE CAR WELL ON A SLOPE.
cAN ANYONE VERIFY THAT THERE XANTAI IS THE SAME A S MINE IN REGARDS TP H.B. LEVER TRAVEL?
CAR IS A 97 SERIES 1 ACTIVA
WHO'S KIDDING WHO?

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 23 Feb 2005, 22:51

I believe an amendment to the test was made for BXs a number of years ago allowing more clicks, prior to that it was routine to replace brake pads before the test, unsure about the activa though, surely that part is same as regular Xantias.
Stewart

np · Post by np » 23 Feb 2005, 22:52

Just checked mine.My lever comes up a bit like yours,then i get 5 clicks from it,6 at a push.Anymore than that,i`d proberly snap the cables!

VLL · Post by **VLL** » 23 Feb 2005, 23:29

Seem to remember a recall being done on the Xantia not long after they were released on the handbrake. Something to do with the suspension dropping causing the handbrake cables to loosen and releasing the brakes.
The fix was to remove the first few notches on the handbrake so people would have to pull the handbrake on fully, which would make the free play your mechanic is on about normal.
Someone else on here will probably know more about this.

np · Post by np » 23 Feb 2005, 23:37

Yes,i can remember watching it on bbc`s Watchdog.They had a habit of rolling down hills.
Not much different to now!I allways park it in gear "just in case".

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 23 Feb 2005, 23:57

Pat -
It is very simple to adjust (take up slack) :
Have engine idle, do not apply handbrake.
You can feel the brake pedal would come to a hard point. From this pooint it is possible to press it further down with hard pressure. Pump it here a few times. Then the adjustable cam's inside the front caliper pistons will adjust the handbrake.

Post by **RichardW** » 24 Feb 2005, 00:05

My previous Xantia's handbrake came on at the first click after the intial movement. My new one comes in after about 5 or 6 even after adjusting the handbrake using the foot brake - passed an MOT no problems. If they complain it's too much, then adjust the hand brake with the foot brake, than pull it onto the first click and adjust the cables at the calipers (if they're not totally rusted up [:o)]) so they just pull the operating levers into contact with the internal mechanism.

PowerLee · Post by **PowerLee** » 24 Feb 2005, 01:41

As with any car, You should ALWAYS leave it in gear when parked!

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 24 Feb 2005, 03:55

The handbrake needs to be on and holding (brakes cold) at the first notch really, because the ratchet quadrant had the first eight notches removed during the recall.
If the handbrake had been applied with too little effort when the front brakes were hot, the car could (and did) run away as the brakes cooled down and contracted, the fix was to remove the first eight notches of the quadrant to force the driver to apply sufficient pressure to the hot brakes.
So the first notch you reach when you pull the lever up now, would have been the nineth notch in old money[:)]
Dave

Richard Gallagher · Post by **Richard Gallagher** » 24 Feb 2005, 04:21

One thing that has always puzzled me about Xantia handbrakes is that I owned three 95/97 models without any handbrake problems. I then bought a 94L and boy oh boy, did that have handbrake problems.
The car had had the recall done, no clicks in the early part of the quadrant, but even after just a short run with absolutely minimal use of the brakes, leave the car for half an hour then come back and the handbrake may well have not been applied.
I had the car run away across the car park at work, luckily it didn't hit anything, but before moving it I checked the handbrake and yes it was fully applied, difficult to pull up any further.
This caused me to look closely at the handbrake and every time I left the car even after the shortest of runs within 30 MPH, where the brakes had barely been used, leave the car for just a short period of time and every time when I returned I could push the car back/forward just by leaning my knee against the bumper.
Since then I have owned another four Xantias (97/98) and no problems whatsoever.
As far as I can see there is definately more to this problem than removing the first few clicks on the quadrant. Come on Citroen own up. (Forever the optimist)

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 24 Feb 2005, 17:33

I speak as someone who had a BX run away quite harmlessly thank goodness with me sitting in it.
The BX handbrake (unmodified) is extremely powerful and indeed I've seen roadtests where it would easily pass the requirement for a footbrake (0.5G if anyone is interested - good footbrakes usually can manage 0.95G or more)
Bacause of its power and very fine ratchet it is very easy to use in normal driving and will generally hold with a very light pull This is fine when driving but means that you get in the habit of pulling it gently and it seems to hold without any problems. (Try doing that on a ZX!)
As dave has pointed out this is Ok but of course discs get hot in use and expand - so you park up, apply your brakes delicately and leave your car. The discs contract as they cool - and yes thats right - release the handbrake!
Cure - make you pull it on really hard by removing the first 9 teeeth of the ratchet! Crude but effective if the thing is working nicely. The problem is that in the real world this doesn't happen. Mine goes from a tight 5 clicks to about 12 or more quite rapidly and when its ready goes back to 5 again with adjustment via the footbrake.
Yes if you've got the modified one then it must be really tight. I still don't trust mine and it and our ZX the only car I've had that after handbrake repairs I always leave it in gear if they are on any incline at all.
jeremy

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 24 Feb 2005, 17:52

If you're in the habit of pulling your handbrake on with the button depressed, you don't hear any clicks. You have to judge how well the handbrake is on by the effort it takes to pull the lever which means that you'll generally get the handbrake on hard enough.
If pull the handbrake on and judge how well it is on by the clicks (how many of us do this?) you're probably more likely to run into problems.
I'm probably a click listener except when I park my car on a slope I automatically (without thinking about it) put the handbrake on more tightly because of experience with hill starts. I've not had a Xantia roll away when parked (or any car for that matter) in 5 years and 60k miles.

john alexander · Post by **john alexander** » 25 Feb 2005, 02:49

Check to make sure your car wasn't made for the south american market,the handbrake on these has more clicks,as everyone knows its bonus notches for mexicans.!!!

Richard Gallagher · Post by **Richard Gallagher** » 25 Feb 2005, 05:00

Very good John!!

davethewheel · Post by **davethewheel** » 25 Feb 2005, 05:56

i've had my xantia run away with the handbrake one, my fault as i didn't pull it on far enough and forgot to leave it in gear, luckily for me went down the street and slid up against a fence and stopped it, always double check handbrake and make sure it's in gear now.