Handbrake sticking

[Dollywobbler]

So, I backed off the piston in the RH caliper. Result. That wheel no longer seems to bind. Car off jacks, gave it a push. Stuck solid. Hmmm.

Lift the other side and the wheel is jammed. Wheel off and I can see that the handbrake is not releasing. Give the arm a tug but it won't move. So, I back off the adjuster at the wheel end. Success. Or is it?

Handbrake on/off and its not releasing. I can now pull the lever off, but obviously that's not much use. I tried it a few times and every time was the same. Borked handbrake cable?

The RH caliper looks like it might have been binding slightly for a while as there's more pad meat on the LH side. That suggests the LH side hasn't been binding until very recently, which did make me wonder whether anything else could be causing this sudden failure of the handbrake to release. I do check the wheelnuts for heat every now and then and the LH side has always been fine.

[Oilyspanner]

The outer cable seems to break where it passes through the loop on the front strut, that often causes them to stick, I have probably got handbrake cbles and the odd front caliper if needed, I often find that a good emergency stop seems to have a beneficial effect when it comes to loosening things up at the front.

[Dollywobbler]

This seems to be the opposite. A good emergency stop has made a right mess of things! Thanks for the offer on bits. Probably makes sense to bite the bullet and fit new cables. I've no idea how old they are, but they're clearly not recently fitted.

[Oilyspanner]

Are the cables overadjusted ? I set them up with no slack, but the handbrake arm must be in its at rest position or else the adjusters get upset.

[citronut]

i would say cables also,

the outters crack at the point were they flex around the strut which is were Oilyspanner says they fail,

then water, muck and grit gets in,

regards malcolm

[Oilyspanner]

I have one used but serviceable handbrake cable if you need it.