740 handbrake problem

[ernie]

Hi, strange one this.
My 740 estate failed the MOT due to "poor handbrake performance". I went to adjust the handbrake cable to find it was already adjusted as far as it would go. My next move was to check the shoes, they have around 3mm of material left on them which I think should be adequate, I cleaned & greased things while I had the drums/disks off. It was then I decided to replace the handbrake cables. Congratulations must go to "Parts for Volvo Online" for their excellent service as the 2 cables arrived less than 24hrs after I ordered them - good service. Replaced the cables & stripped, cleaned & greased the pivot/equaliser mechanism to the left of the axle - there was very little, if any wear in any of the linkage, then the problems began. I adjusted the cable, and adjusted, and adjusted until, would you believe it, the new cable was at the end of it's adjustment just like the old one was! Just to top it all the handbrake is no better than beforehand! Before I fitted the new cables I double checked them with the old ones to make sure they were the correct ones, same length etc, which they were. (Although the new ones were obviously slighty shorter due to no stretch. What I want to know now is whether I should consider new disks/drums + new shoes? I believe there is enough friction material on the shoes but I cannot find any specifications on what the internal diameter of the drums should be? Maybe they are more worn than I think, they are quite rusty inside although I have cleaned them up the best I can?
Any advice would be appreciated as I am rapidly running out of ideas.

[Mike B]

Hi
Shoes are very cheap on Ebay.
Also you can by cable tightners which clamp on to the cables and adjust them up.
most good motor shop sell them .
used to be used on the old Minis.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Mike B

[BlueBrickSte]

Have just had a look in my 940 manual and the mechanism is similar to the 240 I had had problems with. For some reason the previous owner had fitted the pivot which attaches to the cables at the hub end the wrong way round. Thats the little part which fits inside the other. After I had rectified this and also filed the burrs off the inside of the large part I could then adjust the handbrake properly.HTH

[ernie]

Thanks for the advice guys - much appreciated.
I have bitten the bullet today & fitted new rear disks/drums + new shoes & pads. Everything is perfect now. I discovered that the handbrake drums were much more worn than I first thought, in fact the diameter was 4.5mm greater than the new ones I put on. I think the combination of the worn drums + the partially worn shoes were enough to take up all the slack in the new cables. I now have the white adjuster nut about 2.5cm up the thread on the new cable so there's plenty more adjustment left for many years to come hopefully.

Thanks again everyone for your help, my handbrake is as good as new now + I now have a new MOT!