V50 Brakes : Rear caliper handbrake

[jbyev50]

My 04 V50 Failed it’s mot today on slack handbrake and no handbrake grip at all on the rear offside. Had a quick look and can instantly see the handbrake lever on top of the caliper is hard up against Its stop (therefore cannot be tightened), to me this points to the mechanism inside the caliper is broken/worn. Has anyone come across this before? Is it common? The caliper still brakes as it should, no performance is lost during braking. Many thanks

[iainmd]

Not seen the mechanism fail but I have had issues with the cables corroding inside their sheath meaning they didn't apply or release correctly. It's quite a common issue.

If the mechanism really is done for then a new caliper might be in order.

[IainG]

Hi
On mine the cable had been tightened too much, probably to try and improve the handbrake. However as it was too tight it stopped the auto adjusters working. The auto adjusters need the lever on the calliper to return to the stop in order to work. I slackened the cable, auto adjuster started working, I then retightened the cable correctly. The cable has to be slack enough for the hand brake lever on the calliper to return to and touch the stop. If the cable is too tight the lever won't return to the stop, in the off position and the auto adjuster won't work.

Iain

[jbyev50]

I found that out yesterday, went to change to caliper so slackened off the adjuster to remove the cable and found the lever on the caliper had moved round to its normal position and then proceeded to work correctly, thanks for clarifying I’m not just thinking this was a fluke

[x DTR x]

Am i right in thinking the adjuster is the nut by the handbrake lever itself as seem to be having the same problem? I keep tightening it up and its ok for while, then the lever after a while starts to pull up very high again!

[jbyev50]

Yes that’s the one, you’ll need to jack the rear completely to set the correct adjustment, I’ve found the handbrake lever doesn’t tend to feel tighter the more you tighten it

[x DTR x]

Ok so should i slacken it right off, jack up the car and re tighten it?

[IainG]

Hi
Slacken off adjuster,
Check spring levers are touching on the stops on rear callipers.
Tighten cable until the rear levers are still "just"touching the stops when the hand brake is off.
So when handbrake is off the cable is "just"slack and the levers on the callipers are still touching the stops

Iain

[NI_Volvo_Nut]

Mondeo's are famous for this. Usually the calliper seizes and doesn't release when you let the cable off, so the pad wears and gradually the lever comes "on fully" and doesn't release. you can work with it with WD40 and free the calliper too.
With the handbrake off put grips on the lever on the calliper and work it back and forth. Plenty of WD40 too. Then check the piston and slides are free.