It come off in me hand........

[Mr B]

Actually, I found it like this, the broken bit was dangling from the hand brake-



No idea how it broke, I found it this morning when I was changing a drive shaft and a drop link. A quick zap with the MIG and all was well.



Can't think how something that thick could just snap

Anyway, the other jobs done today-

O/S drive shaft replaced with a good second hand turbo unit.
O/S drop link replaced with a S/H one, it didn't stop the knock so I replaced the N/S one with the original one from the O/S, all quiet now
N/S hand brake cable replaced as the original was a cheap nasty one with short adjuster threads and was split.
3 out of 4 callipers bled to put fresh LHM in the lines, O/S rear didn't want to play and a curry needed making so left that for another day

A nice day in the sun tinkering with a BX and a couple of . Bliss

[AlanS]

Actually, I found it like this, the broken bit was dangling from the hand brake-
No idea how it broke, I found it this morning when I was changing a drive shaft and a drop link. A quick zap with the MIG and all was well.

Can't think how something that thick could just snap

A nice day in the sun tinkering with a BX and a couple of . Bliss

On my 16V these were busted, I think due to vibration. They are a weak spot on them for several reasons not the least of which is that they also support the co-ax for the ABS sensors and when they break it puts stress on the sensor lead and causes it to break internally just above the actual sensor head.
You may want to revisit your repair as it I get the impression that this is caused by stress due to constant vibration working on the one spot and causing a weakening in that one spot. We found the only successful way was to sleeve the metal rod with a bit of pipe with a similar internal diameter and thereby spread the load a bit.

Alan S

[Mr B]

We found the only successful way was to sleeve the metal rod with a bit of pipe with a similar internal diameter and thereby spread the load a bit.

Thanks Alan, I'll see how long the weld lasts then I'll sleeve if it fails again.

[jeremy]

Interesting one this - on my 16 valve (58,000 miles) both the handbrake support brackets have failed. On my BX TD (with ABS) the offside one had failed when I got the car (163,000 miles) and the nearside one is still unbroken! at 199,000 miles.

I welded a splint alongside the broken one on my TD and its still there some 35,000 miles later.

Jeremy

[Geoffrey Gould]

Hi yep have had the same thing 3 times on the offside in quick sucession. The only thing that had changed were the handbrake cables, the old ones had split in the usual place and the M O T threatened. Found out that they ( the guides ) were no longer available from Citroen, no suprise really then, so if anyone is scrapping a BX then grab them before it goes. Made a 3/16" thick plate that was welded to the plate that fixed to the strut and bent it to follow the wire bracket almost to the loop. Tacked the plate to the wire. Hope that made some kind of sense.
The handbrake cables were the reason it broke, the protective sleeve, on the caliper end was black, thick and very very stiff, I know you should not move the steering perhaps with the handbrake applied but that and the normal flex of suspension was enough to break the wire loop, in a matter of days. Changed the cables to "proper" ones with a blue sleeve, much more flexable and no more trouble, been OK now for 18 months. The cables were supplied by a well known supplier I'm not blaming them, they don't make them and I think the sleeve was an attempt to cure the wear and break problem that happens. So see what your handbrake cables are like.
Cheers
Geoff.