Disco 2 Handbrake - a few questions

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Intestinalworm

Intestinalworm

Well-Known Member
Posts
712
Location
Australia
It's not on my new to-do list, but starting to think I should have a look at the handbrake. Since I bought the Disco 2 Td5 new in 2003 the handbrake cable has been adjusted once (by a mechanic). I notice that when I park on a slight incline and put the handbrake on with the car in park, it rolls a couple of inches downhill. Is this a sign that the handbrake is not holding the vehicle and instead it is being held by the transfer box and/or auto gearbox?
  • I assume the handbrake cable can be relatively easily adjusted?
  • How important is the handbrake on a Disco 2 Td5?
  • Should I open it up and look at installing a new brake shoe kit?
 
yes a 17mm socket is needed to adjust on bottom of hand brake back plate, cable can be then adjusted if needed at the lever end
important parking on unlevel ground
is it worn
 
the couple of inches movement can come from the slack in the drive line, do you apply the hand brake with your foot still on the service brakes? Try stopping and putting the auto box in neutral and applying the hand brake with your feet off the service brakes to see if the hand brake holds.

If you want to adjust the shoes then there is an adjuster on the back plate that moves the toe of the shoes further out and allows the shoes to bite better across their whole surface.
 
jamesmartin said:
yes a 17mm socket is needed to adjust on bottom of hand brake back plate, cable can be then adjusted if needed at the lever end
important parking on unlevel ground
is it worn
Click to expand...

It's the original handbrake/brake shoes/cable - so 14-15 years old now! Hard for me to to tell if it's badly worn though, but I presumed that once you applied the handbrake and then took your foot off the foot brake that the vehicle shouldn't move - vehicle rolls a few inches and then something bites! Is there movement because that is the nature of having a handbrake on the propeller shaft (bit of play to be taken up?) or do you think I am putting too much strain on the auto box/transfer box and the handbrake is really just doing nothing?
 
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dieseldog69 said:
Yes and no all at the same time, on an auto I honestly don't know anyone who actually does anything more than put them in park, modern ones automatically apply the H-brake of course.
Click to expand...

When I used to sometimes take the vehicle to a L/R mechanic he said not to bother about the handbrake as it doesn't work like a normal handbrake. If it's not important as he implied then what is it there for? Sounds like an appendix?!
 
Intestinalworm said:
It's the original handbrake/brake shoes/cable - so 14-15 years old now! Hard for me to to tell if it's badly worn though, but I presumed that once you applied the handbrake and then took your foot off the foot brake that the vehicle shouldn't move - vehicle rolls a few inches and then something bites! Is there movement because that is the nature of having a handbrake on the propeller shaft (bit of play to be taken up?) or do you think am I putting too much strain on the auto box/transfer box and the handbrake is doing nothing?
Click to expand...
its a transmission brake so if you apply whilst holding the vehicle on the foot brake ,when you release foot brake vehicle will move a little till slack is taken up, youve got no worries
 
jamesmartin said:
its a transmission brake so if you apply whilst holding the vehicle on the foot brake ,when you release foot brake vehicle will move a little till slack is taken up, youve got no worries
Click to expand...

Okay, so that movement of a few inches post putting handbrake on IS NORMAL? Can understand having to adjust cable over time due to stretching, but can't imagine big sales of handbrake brake shoes - they would hardly ever wear would they?

Okay, I'll now put this down the bottom of the to-do list and start on the EGR bypass now.
 
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Intestinalworm said:
Okay, so that movement of a few inches post putting handbrake on IS NORMAL? Can understand having to adjust cable over time due to stretching, but can't imagine big sales of handbrake brake shoes - they would hardly ever wear would they?

Okay, I'll now put this down the bottom of the list and start on the EGR bypass now.
Click to expand...
if lever travel is getting too great allways adjust shoes first then cable,movement is perfectly normal as free play is taken up if you apply hand brake when vehicle is still just rolling vehicle will rock which shows brake strength
 
dieseldog69 said:
the couple of inches movement can come from the slack in the drive line, do you apply the hand brake with your foot still on the service brakes? Try stopping and putting the auto box in neutral and applying the hand brake with your feet off the service brakes to see if the hand brake holds.

If you want to adjust the shoes then there is an adjuster on the back plate that moves the toe of the shoes further out and allows the shoes to bite better across their whole surface.
Click to expand...

Good advice - will try this. Thanks!
 
if you want to adjust it here you go

handbrake adjustment.jpg
 
Beaten to it by Fery. There should be three clicks on the handbrake, and some movement after you release the footbrake, after applying the hand brake is normal. As said the brake is on the transmission, not the rear wheels as is usual, therefore there will always be movement (slack) in the drive train. Quite normal with all Land Rovers, (except the much newer ones)...
 
Hellastony said:
Beaten to it by Fery. There should be three clicks on the handbrake, and some movement after you release the footbrake, after applying the hand brake is normal. As said the brake is on the transmission, not the rear wheels as is usual, therefore there will always be movement (slack) in the drive train. Quite normal with all Land Rovers, (except the much newer ones)...
Click to expand...
You mean movement of the vehicle, not more movement of the lever?
 
Yes, movement of the vehicle. Because the brake is on the transmission, once you have applied the handbrake, and let off the footbrake, the drive train (transmission) will take up any slack in itself, gearbox, transfer box, UJ's, diffs etc, all have some slack in them, and this is the movement you get as the vehicle moves slightly. Adjustment of the handbrake will not stop this. It is normal on Land Rovers. This is why LR supply wheel chocks as standard equipment with the jack etc.
 
Hellastony said:
Yes, movement of the vehicle. Because the brake is on the transmission, once you have applied the handbrake, and let off the footbrake, the drive train (transmission) will take up any slack in itself, gearbox, transfer box, UJ's, diffs etc, all have some slack in them, and this is the movement you get as the vehicle moves slightly. Adjustment of the handbrake will not stop this. It is normal on Land Rovers. This is why LR supply wheel chocks as standard equipment with the jack etc.
Click to expand...
Good, just thought maybe the op needed that clarifying as when I first read it I thought you were suggesting there should be another click in the lever, like Some normal cars.
 
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