hand break problem

[mitch86]

hey

i have a 94 vitara. the hand break doesnt work. and everyime i ring up the mechanic to book it in they say cant do it atm because hard for parts. so i started checking it out myself.

*Hand break has tension but no effect ( i can push car with one hand with hand break on)

*ive tightend the break cable nut inside the car.

*i jacked both rear wheels up. spun rear wheels and rear breaks was apllied well.

*took off the wheels and checked the shoe and it seems good.

i was told about a reversing and hand breaking trick but did nothing. :(

any help would be appreciated.

[Flat_Matt]

Hey buddy, I got the same prob in my sierra...I can push the car aswell...I always just keep it in gear if parkin on a hill or etc

[diffbreaker]

I had years of frustration with my Sierra, buying new cables and rear brake linings and when all were fitted and adjusted, it didn't seem that much better several weeks later until I read on a zook forum somewhere on what to do.
Like I said, the following procedure works on my Sierra so I cant see why it shouldn't work equally as well on your Vitara.
So here's the go.
Park you zook on level ground (don't yank on the hand brake though, leave it OFF).
Chock the wheels.
Crawl underneath and back your handbrake cable right off.
Unchock your wheels and take your car for a spin around the block. applying the brakes firmly 10 or so times both in forward and reverse gears.
When you feel you've made a real dick of yourself and all the neighbours wonder what the hell you're doing, get that zook of yours back up the driveway and park it again with the hand braks still OFF and chock your wheels.
Crawl undeneath and adjust your handbrake up real tight (keep checking it in the cab to get it to be fully on after 3-4 notches.
JOB DONE
Hope it works in your case as it does for me.
If it does work,, tell that mechanic of yours to get stuffed.
Cheers
John

[PJ.zook]

Ill have to try that too John, my handbrake is shithouse also

[mitch86]

thanks heaps hey. its been really frustrating me.

il give that a go and let you know how it wents.

[mitch86]

when you say loosen off the break cable underneath - where abouts underneath is it?

having a few problems locating where you loosen / tighten.

i can see the screw for it in the wheels. and i know where the notches are inside the car at the hand break.

[derelict_frog]

On the sierra is this a driveshaft or brake hand brake as they came with both?

Mine is on the drive shaft and barley works.. ie just..

[nicbeer]

What is better? Handbrake on the rear drums or the transferbrake?

I have a choice to use.

cheers

[PJ.zook]

Dunno which is better but if i had a choice i would choose handbrake on drums.
Saying that i do wish mine had handbrake on transfer case, as im adding discs onto rear, therefore getting rid of drum handbrake.