Handbrake VERY weak!

[Pulse]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice.

My Micra is a 99 model, and the handbrake pulls up 4 notches (but seems to barely move - a few cms maybe!). It's useless. I can easily REVERSE with the handbrake fully on, and have left it somewhere before and it has rolled away!

Can anyone help on what I need to do? Does it need replacing, or can it just be adjusted? If so, can anyone give me an idea on how to do it, or should I just get it booked into the garage? If garage, then how much is this likely to cost? Obviously it doesn't feel safe, and it's basically like I have NO handbrake!

Oh, I'm in Swindon, if anyone knows any good garages.

 

[ollyc98]

To stop it rolling away leave it in gear, just don't forget when you start the car. Obviously this is just temporary til you fix it. You can tighten the handbrake, I think this is done at the equalizer bar. Although it might be your brakes that need replacing.

Here is a K10 one, K11 should be similar, adjuster is circled in red:

 

[andy]

on the k11 the handbreak adjuster can be found under your handbreak from inside your car. the spec says 6-8 clicks.maybe your cable is stretched if it aint holding it on 4 clicks also check your rear shoes and inside your drums

 

[Pulse]

Wow, ok, so it's not 'easy' just by looking... Hmm, I'll just have to get it booked in then, as the brakes themselves are crap aswell, so could be something else needs looking at I suppose.

 

[andy]

hanbrake cable and rear brakes are easy mate just get ya self a book and read it doing it ya self saves loads of money just follow the book and ya wont go far wrong

 

[Zephyr]

sounds like the hand brake has been adjusted up via the actual hand brake cable rather than from the rear wheels hence y the effienicy is low

i doubt what andy has said bout slacking the adjuster to give more clicks would make it better but worse

adjustin up rear brakes ur hand brake its long winded but
u need ur drum off if u not got air gun big nut is a ###### to take off by hand
hammer n pry bar n once drum off take look to see if the shoes are ok
then adjust up the shoes with a decent screw driver on the adjuster
then on to the drum itself if theres a big lip on drum grind it off n
also u prob need to slack off the hand brake adjuster a fair bit if its been tightened up from there
once shoes adjusted n drum lip grinded
put drum back on wheel on n
then repeat other side

 

[andy]

i did not say slackening the adjuster to make more clicks would fix the problem because it wont. ( k11s have self adjusting rear brakes) so if it was my car it would get new rear shoes and handbrake cable. sorry if any 1 read my post wrong what i did say was (on the k11 the handbreak adjuster can be found under your handbreak from inside your car. the spec says 6-8 clicks.maybe your cable is stretched if it aint holding it on 4 clicks also check your rear shoes and inside your drums )

 

[andy]

was there an outcome to this problem ? oh and btw my handbrake as 3 clicks on it now