MOT failure on Sticky Caliper and Handbrake

moremeba · Post by **moremeba** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:05 pm

All, can anyone advise on how to cure the above....the mot man said that my front passenger side caliper is sticking and my handbrake has too much play in it.
I have 10 days to sort it and get a free re-test, is this possible to fix these probs in this amopunt of time for a diyer?

Any help/tips greatfully appreciated.

Cheers
Barry

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:31 pm

On the back of the caliper theres a rubber boot held on with a spring clip, have a peer in there, I suggest lubrication behind the boot and at the base of the handbrake lever and a damned good wiggle of the handbrake lever on top of the caliper, while the roadwheel is off examine the handbrake cable for damage, especially where it bends around the strut, once satisfied all is free here follow the routine for handbrake adjustment (start engine, press brake pedal, operate handbrake lever a number of times) on top of the caliper you will see a slack adjuster for the handbrake cable, it is okay to tighten the cable here but only to take out slack, ther lever on top of the caliper must be right at the forward end of its travel, sometimes its a good idea to replace the pads if they are past halfway down as this can wake up the auto adjusters too.
Stewart

moremeba · Post by **moremeba** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 8:06 am

Thanks for the advice oily! I changed the handbrake cables as they were both perished and now the handbrake works fine and doesnt stick on, however i also got new pads to fit in too, but couldnt depress the caliper piston in far enough to make room for the new pads. Is there a secret to doing this as i have changed pads before on other makes and i simply remove the top of the brake resivoir to relase the pressure and the piston moves. I have to take it back for a re-test this week so i want to make sure the brakes are working ok.
Any thoughts?

Cheers

Barry

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 8:39 am

The caliper piston screws in. The slots in it are supposed to fit a square shafted screwdriver.

The correct setting is with the slot with the groove adjacent engaged with the pip on the pad. The other pad does not have the pip.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:04 am

I had enormous trouble screwing one piston in last time I changed the pads. Loosening off the bleed bolt cured that. If you do loosen it, use a socket, not a spanner, and be very gentle- or you'll snap it, and need new calipers.

You should also get hold of a 17mm spanner, some threadlock, some copper slip and some driveshaft grease.

Take off the bolts holding the caliper to the hub with the spanner, lube up the cylindrical sliders with copperslip, apply threadlock to the bolt threads and refit the callipers. If the rubber bellows at the end of the bolts has perished, smear generous globs of axle grease around - this will stop muck getting into the sliders.