Check Your handbrake

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:09 pm

Well it happened to me today, parked the green hornet in the pub car park in Wrexham, applied the handbrake, went inside with Artic Steel, one hour later suitably fed and watered we came outside, I had that sick feeling when I saw it was gone!,

We found her 20 foot away in a different parking space resting neatly against the kerb, thankfully I had left the wheels straight. No damage was done and the space it now occupied was empty due to a quite deep puddle even though the carpark was very busy.

bexxy · Post by **bexxy** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:16 pm

The same thing happened to a work mate but his car was on his drive which was on an uphill slope, he was watching tv when he heard a bang got up and his car had rolled off the drive across the road and ended up in the side of a fiesta, since then he and i do myself with manuel cars is also leave it in gear which would hold the car if the handbrake failed.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:20 pm

The handbrake didnt fail but as well all know on BXs if the discs are hot (it had just done a 100 mile trip) as they cool it can reduce the grip. Im leaving it gear from now on!

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:22 pm

The BX handbrake is actually very powerful, but suffers from problems when used directly after the brakes have been used in anger, and hence are hot. You apply the handbrake, but the discs and pads then cool down, and contract, and hence the handbrake no longer holds.

Fix for the problem? Either ensure that the brakes are cold before using the handbrake, or just pull the handbrake on harder.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:34 pm

Ah yes, happened to me and my BX twatted a Toyota in the carpark

jonathan_dyane · Post by **jonathan_dyane** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:44 pm

Reminds me of an exciting incident that occurred quite a few years ago with a BX with a useless handbrake:

Car is parked on a hill, and the family piles in. Due to the fact that the thing hasn't been started for ages there is no pressure in the accumulator, so as soon as the clutch is dipped and the engine started car rolls away, cue frantic pulling of handbrake and brake pedal pushing to no avail, the end result being the bumper getting smashed off the (rotten) chassis of my fathers MK2 Transit which was parked in front of it

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:51 pm

cavmad wrote:Ah yes, happened to me and my BX twatted a Toyota in the carpark

Well they say the car in front is a toyota!

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:55 pm

I always leave cars in gear, so have never suffered from this problem, i guess i wont say that when i forget to put it in gear that one time

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:02 pm

I never leave cars in gear, and have never had this problem. After all, if you leave a BX in gear, and the handbrake does fail, as Jonathan discovered, you've got a bit of a problem getting the car started again.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:05 pm

Solution

Never use the handbrake

jonathan_dyane · Post by **jonathan_dyane** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:02 pm

MULLEY wrote:Solution Never use the handbrake

For this approach, a block of wood on a string would be a useful thing to have

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:29 am

First time I ever encountered this problem was way back in 1989 when I first got a BX and yes it was after parking up after braking heavily on a hill.

Ever since then the routine is put it in gear and if forced to park on a hill turn the wheel towards the kerb. Ironic though I dont hardly other with the handbrake now days despite living in a hilly country.

Funnier story being winter you can relate to is up on our ski field Car Parks they have a bit of a slope on a couple! Of course when its icey people leave there cars and as the tyres cool the cars go for a little trip handbrake on and in gear. Now that is interesting watching a perfect parked line end up all over the place.

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:26 pm

DavidRutherford wrote:...just pull the handbrake on harder.

I have been accused of pulling the handbrake on too hard...

Having owned several cars with truly appalling handbrakes, I tend not to trust them completely. If the parking space is flat I don't worry too much, but otherwise there's always the option to leave it in gear, or point the front wheels towards the kerb.

Didn't Xantias suffer a similar problem, to the extent that they ended up featuring on Watchdog?

And didn't this happen to mnde once?

Post by **Tim Leech** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:08 pm

After much pumping of the brakes and pulling of the handbrake its adjusted up nicely so hopefully it wont happen again!

Post by **docchevron** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:22 am

stuart_hedges wrote:Didn't Xantias suffer a similar problem, to the extent that they ended up featuring on Watchdog?

You are quite correct sir, I remember it well.

IIRC Citroen modified the handbrake ratchet by removing the first few teeth of the ratchet, thereby ensuring you had to pull the lever back a fair way before it would latch, ensuring the pads were well attached to the disc.

Roverman wrote:After much pumping of the brakes and pulling of the handbrake its adjusted up nicely so hopefully it wont happen again!

Erm, that wont make much if any difference at all mate.
The issue is with the discs and pads contracting after getting warm, and then cooling, so it can still happen even if the auto adjuster has taken up any slack in the caliper itself.