[NatashaLee]

Im not technical with cars at all, thought i should start with that. But do you think i may have damaged my handbrake?

The car park i use for uni is on a hill, and i was always worried my handbrake wouldn't hold out because i though i might not have put it on high enough. (Im only little, and not very strong, weird i know but i honestly felt the need to put it on higher) So the first time i did it, when i went to drive home (i use my handbrake if im at traffic lights on a hill) the handbrake wasn't holding at all, but the next day it was totally fine and was what i would consider to be back to normal.

Again the over day i parked in a space where i felt i needed to put it on a tad higher, because the only spots were near the canal. When i put it on it did make a strange noise i don't recall it ever making before, and again on the way home it wouldn't hold on a hill. But the next time i went out a few days after it wasn't working properly. If i stopped on a hill and put my handbrake on then let go of my handbrake it would roll back a tad, but if i reapplied my foot brake at the same time and then remove it slowly it would hold.

Have i done something to it? As i say im not good with cars, but i realise that its probably not going to get better on it's own, i though it had the first time, but it probably didn't.

Possible problems? expensive?

Not sure if it helps but i have a Corsa C
Thank you

 

[Vegas]

Sounds like it may be getting stuck (the cable) runs along the rear beam, and through a little bracket. Sometimes this bracket gets filled with road grime etc and stops
Cable moving freely.

May also be down to the rear brakes (Corsa uses brake shoes) wearing which means less friction is occurring. Or stretched or damaged handbrake cable.

I think as its inconsistent it may be a case of the first option

 

[CorsaEdi]

How many clicks did you pull it up? Also if your worried about the handbrake you can adjust it and also leave car in gear when parked up

 

[NatashaLee]

Thank you for the posts,

Sounds like it may be getting stuck (the cable) runs along the rear beam, and through a little bracket. Sometimes this bracket gets filled with road grime etc and stops
Cable moving freely.

May also be down to the rear brakes (Corsa uses brake shoes) wearing which means less friction is occurring. Or stretched or damaged handbrake cable.

I think as its inconsistent it may be a case of the first option

Oh i see, may be the first option then.
See i haven't really driven it much, done about 100 miles, and had it since mid feb. Before then i think it was out of use for a while because it had no engine, but im not sure for how long it wasn't used. But my journey does have a few hills, Should i probably take it to a garage?

How many clicks did you pull it up? Also if your worried about the handbrake you can adjust it and also leave car in gear when parked up

Im actually not sure, i don't really recall it making much of a noise when i apply it (apart from the time i mentioned in my first post) however, it isn't high (i know that probably means nothing to you, if it wasn't so snowy i'd go give it a try lol) But the times i put it on higher i think it could of only possible be 1 higher. Definitely going to start leaving it in gear instead.

 

[CorsaEdi]

Leave it in gear ASWELL not instead lol

 

[NatashaLee]

Leave it in gear ASWELL not instead lol

Oh gosh, see I'm going end up with my car in the canal at this rate haha,
But yeah i mean more of instead of putting the handbrake on higher.

 

[CorsaEdi]

Yeah, also if your facing downhill put it in reverse and if your facing uphill put it in 1st and if there is a kerb then park with your front wheels turned into the kerb (if facing downhill)

 

[NatashaLee]

Yeah, also if your facing downhill put it in reverse and if your facing uphill put it in 1st and if there is a kerb then park with your front wheels turned into the kerb (if facing downhill)

Thanks, i shall remember that, better write myself a note reminding me it's in gear before i start it haha

 

[williamt73]

As said previously, the cable runs through some brackets/sliders these may be getting stuck .... or .....

the handbrake cable feeds through the backing plate into each drum to operate the brake shoes. Inside the backing plate, the outer cable is held by a small and thin "horseshoe" clip. These can corrode and break. It has happened to me. If this happens then you will lose tension of the brake cable to that wheel. To check you will need to look at where the cable feeds into the drum. You don't need to take the wheels off, but will probably have to jack up the car or have it on some ramps. If the clip on one side has broken you will see the outer has come away from the brake backing plate.

To repair you will need to remove the wheel and the brake drum. pick out the pieces of broken clip - probably hanging loose inside the brake drum, then simply secure the cable with a new clip.

Not expensive.

 

[taurus]

If you aren't technical with car and are at uni then you probably don't have many tools available.

You could take it to a good independent tyre/brake/exhaust place and ask them to check it for you. Avoid the big chains as they are on too many sales incentives and you'll come away with a new engine as well.

 

[NatashaLee]

As said previously, the cable runs through some brackets/sliders these may be getting stuck .... or .....

the handbrake cable feeds through the backing plate into each drum to operate the brake shoes. Inside the backing plate, the outer cable is held by a small and thin "horseshoe" clip. These can corrode and break. It has happened to me. If this happens then you will lose tension of the brake cable to that wheel. To check you will need to look at where the cable feeds into the drum. You don't need to take the wheels off, but will probably have to jack up the car or have it on some ramps. If the clip on one side has broken you will see the outer has come away from the brake backing plate.

To repair you will need to remove the wheel and the brake drum. pick out the pieces of broken clip - probably hanging loose inside the brake drum, then simply secure the cable with a new clip.

Not expensive.

Thanks for the information, it's nice to know how things work because as i already pointed out i don't know too much about cars. I'll get it checked out

If you aren't technical with car and are at uni then you probably don't have many tools available.

You could take it to a good independent tyre/brake/exhaust place and ask them to check it for you. Avoid the big chains as they are on too many sales incentives and you'll come away with a new engine as well.

Well im still staying at home, and my step-dad runs his own garage (mainly specializing in new engines though) don't think he deals too much with handbrakes but he knows a lot of people, so i think he'll know someone who can have a look for me. He's currently away at the moment though. If i have to find one myself though i won't use a big chain, I'm pretty sure i'd be a easy target for anyone to tell me all sorts needs doing, but my step dad put a new engine in it before i was given it, so at least that shouldn't need sorting haha. Thanks for posting

 

[NatashaLee]

Just an update, finally got it sorted, went out about 2 weeks ago and on a hill it wouldn't hold at all, so my step-dad came and took it Saturday, think he adjusted the cable or something? i was parking it while he was talking to my mum, but yeah it's much tighter now.

My steering seems to feel light, I'm not sure if that's just because i haven't driven in 2 weeks and it's just always been like that, because it's literally been parked for 2 weeks, or if i've done something? I didn't even drive it to/from the garage, just noticed it about 8 miles into my journey today, but he did ask how many curbs i'd been hitting, which i actually haven't done since i went on a test drive with him in the car -.- I'm not sure if he was relating this to the handbrake tho, not sure it would make sense, but hey i don't know much. Just hope it's been being paranoid otherwise i guess he'll have to have another look at it -.-

 

[Walksall]

Have you blown the tyres up recently?
Low tyre pressure CAN make the steering feel 'heavy', so putting it back to normal, may have returned it to its original glory.

If this is not the case, do you notice the problem whilst driving straight ahead or when cornering? If it is the latter, do you notice it more on one lock than the other?
Sorry for more questions than answers!!!

Regards.

 

[toffo123]

They have pumped the tyres too high a pressure?

 

[NatashaLee]

Have you blown the tyres up recently?
Low tyre pressure CAN make the steering feel 'heavy', so putting it back to normal, may have returned it to its original glory.

If this is not the case, do you notice the problem whilst driving straight ahead or when cornering? If it is the latter, do you notice it more on one lock than the other?
Sorry for more questions than answers!!!

Regards.

Thanks for the post, and i suppose more questions get more answers and a better understanding so no worries

But, i haven't pumped up the tyres since i've had it (since mid feb this year) Im pretty sure my step-dad didn't pump them up when he did the handbrake either, today when driving i didn't notice it as much, I'm thinking it possibly me with not driving it in 2 weeks, when i did notice it the first time though it was on a straight road i was just moving in and out really because on this particular roads theres quite a few parked cars either side so seem to obviously always adjusting the steering more. I'm going out again tomorrow so i'll have a feel then. But i didn't notice it on corners or anything, just the straight road

They have pumped the tyres too high a pressure?

I don't believe they have, but my step-dad should be over soon so i'll ask him just to check

 

[taurus]

If you haven't checked the tyres since February then it's worth doing so. Not only do the tyre pressures affect the handling and safety of the car, they can also dramatically affect fuel economy and tyre wear. Plus whilst checking your tyre pressures you can check the tyres for tread wear and damage.

Bear in mind that the feds can pull you for incorrect tyre pressures - and if (heaven forbid) you have an accident then incorrect tyre pressures can be used against you.

 

[NatashaLee]

If you haven't checked the tyres since February then it's worth doing so. Not only do the tyre pressures affect the handling and safety of the car, they can also dramatically affect fuel economy and tyre wear. Plus whilst checking your tyre pressures you can check the tyres for tread wear and damage.

Bear in mind that the feds can pull you for incorrect tyre pressures - and if (heaven forbid) you have an accident then incorrect tyre pressures can be used against you.

I better do it then, am i right in thinking that i can do this at a garage? I'm still new to this driving thing, and having my own car so I'm still learning lots really, thanks for posting