My ZX passed its MOT, but !!

sooty · Post by **sooty** » 21 Sep 2005, 00:51

My ZX passed its MOT today without any problems having renewed a Handbrake cable and the rear Silencer.
But from the Advisories Note :- the Handbrake(Park Brake)just passed its test at 19%.
Yet the shoes were fully adjusted with the brake cables slack, then the cables were adjusted on the first click of the handbrake till the drums started to drag. Then when released the drums are free. The shoes were renewed some two months ago, so the levers are not seized as they were checked when doing the cables with the hubs off.
So why is the Handbrake useless. The only thing I can put it down to is that the shoe lining must be of a hard material.
Unless you know different?? [:)]

j_roc · Post by **j_roc** » 21 Sep 2005, 00:56

Could be glazing on the shoes and drums, reducing the effect of the handbrake on the rolling road, as you never apply the handbrake when the car is in motion right (unless you like pulling handbrake turns!)?. Try cleaning the shoes and drums with some emery cloth, and then re-adjusting the handbrake. Hope this helps - Alex.

sooty · Post by **sooty** » 21 Sep 2005, 01:08

Thanks Alex,
But done it, before the test as they was'nt that clever before I changed the cable. Theres not much chance of a handbrake turn with 19%. [:)]

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 21 Sep 2005, 06:05

I think this must have something to do with the material of the friction linings:
My current 405 suffers from an appaling handbrake, and only just managed to get through the MOT last time on both handbrake, and rear barkes.
The 405 I had before this one, however, had perfectly good rear brakes, and would pull a handbrake turn if you wanted it to.
Same model of car, same brake system, completely different results. The only thing that could possibly have been different is the lining material.

sooty · Post by **sooty** » 21 Sep 2005, 11:11

Thanks Dave,
I tend to agree, the last set of shoes I got from a local Motor Factor for convience rather costs. They were made by "Apex" and think from memory the set before were "Powertrain".
Any tips from anyone, which Manufacture you'd recommend from your experience's.

ItDontGo · Post by **ItDontGo** » 21 Sep 2005, 13:47

You might not have them adjusted properly. By that I dont mean how tight the handbrake is I mean the position of the self-adjusters when you fitted them.
I remember doing some AX brakes all wrong and it took the MOT man to poitn out my mistake before I realised why they were poor. You can get better leverage depending on how you fit them. I cant remember the details but if you pull the drums off you might see what I am on about. I know this post isn't so helpful but just make sure all the play isn't taken up by the handbrake cable and that the adjusting mechanism sees that the brakes are held wide at the top too.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 21 Sep 2005, 20:43

Sounds to me like an assembly/adjustment problem. Most linings are OK when cold - its when they get hot that interesting things start happening.
How far does the lever come up? Some MOT inspectors have a fetish about excessive travel and maybe he's pulled it on say 5 clicks and then tested it. If it passes at 5 clicks Ok - if not - excessive travel.
I had similar brakes on a Renault 21 and always had handbrake trouble with it. I overhauled the adjuster on one side but did not know if I should grease the adjuster/wheel arrangement - so I left it dry so it wouldn't collect dirt. it didn't work - but when greased lightly was fine. (It was thoroughly cleaned on an electric wire brush first time - so no crud in threads etc.)
The handbrake must NOT drag. If it does the cylinder will overheat and boil the fluid especially if its old. This happened to me on the Renault and I came of a motorway and had the pedal sink as one circuit collapsed. The brakes are diagonally split on the ZX and so if both back brakes boil - you've got no brakes!
Jeremy

sooty · Post by **sooty** » 22 Sep 2005, 04:01

Thanks for your replies Mike and Jeremy, but will you read my first and second quotes again.
The brake shoes were adjusted while the cables were loose and the cables adjusted accordingly. I travel approx 40mile round trip per day and the drums stay cold as I checked them in a laybye with having not used the Brakes. If the drums are removed the lever is against the rear shoe on its ledge.
The MOT test states the hanbrake must be applied to attain the required effeciency also noting the amount of travel. In my case the travel is approx 4/7 clicks depending how strong you are, like "how long is a piece of string".
As I said before, I strongly believe the lining is too hard and its a non-abestos type.

Brian Oblivion · Post by **Brian Oblivion** » 23 Sep 2005, 20:19

My handbrake on my ZX 1.9TD Aura is useless. The handbrake lever has to be pointing at 45 degrees before it will stop rolling down the slightest incline. It has been adjusted at the last two services but it only lasts about 2/3 weeks before resuming its normal limp self. I've got used to leaving it in gear all the time.

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 23 Sep 2005, 20:39

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">As I said before, I strongly believe the lining is too hard and its a non-abestos type.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
You would be hard pushed to get any asbestos lined shoes these days!!!
Its very unlikely to be anything to do with the lining material-were that the case then I would have thought that you would also have got a warning for rear wheel service brake inneficiency as well as for handbrake, but you don't mention there being any problem with that part of the test.
I would have another go at readjusting the cables-they may need replacement: the ones on my BX are pretty old and when adjusted for the mot it passed but only just and It only took a few more applications of the handbrake before it again before I needed to adjust them again-I bought new cables and it fixed the problem.

sooty · Post by **sooty** » 24 Sep 2005, 00:28

One new cable was fitted for the MOT and the other was replaced 6mths ago because the plastic covering was cracking/rusting. If the cables or the shoes are adjusted any more they will start to drag, then I'll have heated drums to worry about.
As far as the rear wheel footbrake eff. goes unless it was very near the lower limit as the parking brake they won't report it. But then overall eff. of back and front brakes must have been good enough to pass without any worry.
AGAIN, THE SHOES WERE ADJUSTED FIRST, THEN THE CABLES. TILL EITHER STARTED TO DRAG THE DRUM. I don't think I can any better than that.

citroenbx · Post by **citroenbx** » 24 Sep 2005, 02:30

Had same problem on a Vauxhall.Motor factor Pads glaze when hot and never seem to clear themselves sounding very noisy in the wet.
Recommend switching to a brand name pad/shoe like Mintex.
Hope this helps.Cheers