Hi All,

Hope someone can help me today. I have a Freelander 2.0DI 5 door 1999 model. The handbrake has been causing me problems for some time now and I want to sort it out today if possible (before it rains again as I am working outside!!).

See the photo for the problem. As you can see the "yoke" that pulls both cables is actually skewed one way, making the n/s cable appear longer than the o/s one. So the o/s wheel locks great, the n/s one just can just be "rocked" back and forth a little, until it hits a stop in either direction, almost like the car is in gear, if you understand what I mean.

About 18 moths ago a local garage fitted a new n/s cable, and then around 12 months ago I fitted a new cable on the other side.

I seems to recall that these cables are different lengths, am I right?

Maybe the problem could be one or the other cable is the wrong length for the side where it is fitted.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this as early as possible so I don't have to fix it in the rain!!

Regards,
Howard

Looking at your picture, I'd say the left hand cable is broken, also you state that the N/S wheel doesn't lock on, the reason it hits a "stop" is because of the 4 wheel drive, if only one wheel is jacked up, you can't turn it.

Cables are the same length side to side but the brackets are on the other way round so its impossible to get them on the wrong way.

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Oh Jany me thinks you may have paid over the odds I got my TD4 ESX with 78K on it about the same time as yours and paid 7995 and it woz almost mint.Anyway back to business My handbrake woz crap wouldn't lock the wheels and it turned out that theres two different cable lengths and I'd got one of each on, fitted another so both were the same works a treat now. Check under the arm rest consol where the cables connect to the compensating arm of the handbrake lever the arm should sit at almost right angles to the threaded bar if it's at an accute angle then either one cables brok or like me youve got 2 different cable lengths fitted.

Sounds possible that one is fer a 3 door and one fer the 5 door LWB.

hi there the same thing happened to my td4 it was caused by the linkage from the hand break cable to the break shoes seizing on one side no end of adjusting sorted it out .i striped the shoes out freed of the linkages re assembled and all was well

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the replies, they were all appreciated.

I have now done the job. As suggested the nearside cable outer was broken at around the mid-point. Although when the handbrake is off the "yoke" that pulls the two cables still looks a little skewed as in my previous photograph. However when the handbrake is pulled on the yoke now becomes level as would be expected.

I do have one question as a result of dismantling the brake assembly on the nearside and re-assembling using coppaslip at appropriate points.

I would have thought that the adjusting ratchet mechanism that sits at the top near the brake cylinder would be accessible through a hole in the brake backplate. In my experience this access would usually be used to try and back off the shoes when attempting to easily remove the drum. Actually it's typically more difficult to do this than it sounds as it often has to be done by feel from the front of the drum since sight of the actual mechanism through the hole is normally difficult to acheive.

Anyway my question is why on my car the access hole I describe (covered by a removable oblong shaped rubber grommet) is actually nowhere near the mechanism itself. It is at a position of apprximately twenty or fifteen minutes to the hour when looking at the nearside backplate. So what's the point of that? Am I missing something important here?

Great forum, best wishes to you all!

Howard

My access to the rear brake adjusters are spot on, sounds weird that they aren't.

I also have my Wife's Freelander with an unequal length at the equaliser, though having had both drums off and tested the cable both operated correctly.

Could one cable be from a pre-2001 and the other 2001-2006?

One brake shoe had been stopping the Freelander from rolling when in neutral, though I was about to investigate more thoroughly the lack of handbrake performance.

Cheers, Alastair.

I have a TD4 51 Reg, bought Oct09 just in time for the snow She is my first 4x4 and I love her. She had done 99,998 when I drove her off the forecourt from a well known High Peak, Derbyshire family dealership. Had plenty small niggles for first few weeks all fixed without demur and under 3 month warranty. Came to MOT this Oct,went to shop with 25quid offer, had done 115,000 by then, 15,000 in a year without service! only failed on one tyre on back to front. She came with 5 new tyres and the failure was the spare which I had once changed...not a great problem, dealer fixed no charge. Had advice ticket stating track rod ends, front tyres near legal limit and wishbones on way out from MOT so booked in for service and work needed after getting 5 estimates. MOT place was cheapest by far with £34 ph labour where I had been paying £50ph at a garage I had used 20 years. After service again have lots of niggles. Driving in deep snow after caravanning on farm (not towing as c/van snowed in) following tractor, offside rear wheel locked resulting in broadsiding across field, when trying to get on road both rear wheels locked so she kept stalling, was only able to gain momentum by driving several yards downhill in reverse, rear wheels then loosened allowing me to traverse hill and find somewhere to turn around. Have since fitted 2 new front tyres Michelin, all terrain, very noisy though! Lasst week had new handbrake cables fitted. Thought price OK at £87.00 (saw post from guy in Spain E903). Now however getting lots of squeeking from rear and also when I go over speed humps at anything over 5mph a horrible clunk comes from front nearside. Also one cold morning battery dead (no green light) and had to get jump start from wifes car. Hopefully that was a one off just more care with use of electrics. The Landy (Always dreamed of owning a new Defender) needs to do me another 5 - 10 years. I was only able to buy her as my dad passed on leaving me £6500 and I paid £5950 for her. Also I do like her a lot but I have lost a bit of the confidence in her that developed last winter. I bought her mainly because we needed extra power towing a 2 berth caravan. I am hoping she is not going to start costing money I cannot afford so I am hoping this forum can guide me through being a landy owner and lover!
OH yes can I also ask what you would expect to get from the front tyres? I thought 15,000 to 17,000 very poor which is why I replaced with Michelin. I am 56 so more of a gear shift driver than on the brakes and I don't do harsh cornering etc, left that all behind with my MK2 Cortina at 26. Only other thing is unexpected rust perforation at bottom corner of drivers door.

when did you fit the new front tyres? you should always fit four of the same make.and never put new ones on front only,if you only fitting two fit to the rear and put rears on front,if you do a search on here you will see why

here he is again ?????????????/ put some netbooks on your rims that will cure it . DICK !