Handbrake half stuck

[UFO]

When I park the van, 2009 Fiat Ducato, at home I leave the handbrake off, van in reverse gear and over the years the wheels have made indentations in the tarmac - so it is not going anywhere.

Came back from 3 months in Australia, moved the van from in front of the garage to get the car out, handbrake was on but only for a few minutes, all ok.

Today I moved the van down the drive to do some work on it, so the handbrake was on for a couple of hours. On moving it back to its usual place the brakes were half on, it will move but it is obvious the brakes are partially on. The lever moves freely so it looks like a sticky cable or mechanism.

It’s going in for a MOT and service on Tuesday so they can grease it, or whatever it needs. But I need to drive it there. So before I get underneath and have a look and advice?

 

[trevskoda]

When I park the van, 2009 Fiat Ducato, at home I leave the handbrake off, van in reverse gear and over the years the wheels have made indentations in the tarmac - so it is not going anywhere.

Came back from 3 months in Australia, moved the van from in front of the garage to get the car out, handbrake was on but only for a few minutes, all ok.

Today I moved the van down the drive to do some work on it, so the handbrake was on for a couple of hours. On moving it back to its usual place the brakes were half on, it will move but it is obvious the brakes are partially on. The lever moves freely so it looks like a sticky cable or mechanism.

It’s going in for a MOT and service on Tuesday so they can grease it, or whatever it needs. But I need to drive it there. So before I get underneath and have a look and advice?

Hubs of and auto shoe adjusters greased and reset, common these days, my car does it if left a few days untill i stripped and lubed with a teflon base grease on ajuster threads.

 

[yeoblade]

When you get underneath you'll see the single handbrake cable goes to a threaded rod adjuster, the other end connects to two cables that go off to each rear wheel, check all this is moving freely before pulling the drums off. The rears are discs with internal drums for the H/brake only, quite a bit to take apart IIRC.

 

[st3v3]

Liberally spray everything with wd40



Maybe just the mechanism, while someone puts the handbrake on and off.

 

[r4dent]

Chock the wheels before playing with the handbrake.

 

[colinm]

A slight aside, the x250/290 handbrakes don't do a lot, so when travelling to MOT ease the handbrake on and off several times to get them working. T'other week when I took ours for MOT, first time I put on handbrake the van carried on with very little slowing down, as I had about 10miles of back roads to MOT station I reapplied handbrake numerous times before I was satisfied it would pass.

 

[maingate]

If the pads are stuck on just reverse backwards a couple of inches and they will free themselves.

 

[trevskoda]

Liberally spray everything with wd40



Maybe just the mechanism, while someone puts the handbrake on and off.

Teflon spray better.

 

[mistericeman]

A slight aside, the x250/290 handbrakes don't do a lot, so when travelling to MOT ease the handbrake on and off several times to get them working. T'other week when I took ours for MOT, first time I put on handbrake the van carried on with very little slowing down, as I had about 10miles of back roads to MOT station I reapplied handbrake numerous times before I was satisfied it would pass.

New shoes bedded in after a seized wheel cylinder ...
Almost had the testers rollers out of the ground ...
He couldn't believe the effort they managed ...

As usually they do so little as you say
they just lock up and sit there .

 

[UFO]

Thanks all. When it stops raining I will have a look in the next couple of days.

 

[Canalsman]

Liberally spray everything with wd40



Maybe just the mechanism, while someone puts the handbrake on and off.

WD40 is not a lubricant. This is a common misconception. The WD stands for 'water displacement' and that's exactly what it's intended to do.

Confusingly there are other products labelled WD40 which are lubricants. But the original is not.

 

[st3v3]

WD40 is not a lubricant.

It's the penetrating aspect that is useful in this instance.

 

[1 Cup]

Binding brake shoes !

Mite just need a few miles under it's belt = rusty drum. All my vehicles are left in gear no hand brake . Quick check is look at front discs are they rusty. ? If so do all wheels turn (mark a line on tyres ) to check just drive it heat them up and click hand brake at a slow speed like on then off. Don't tug at it . Handbrake.
So self freeing.

 

[JQB]

When I park the van, 2009 Fiat Ducato, at home I leave the handbrake off, van in reverse gear and over the years the wheels have made indentations in the tarmac - so it is not going anywhere.

Came back from 3 months in Australia, moved the van from in front of the garage to get the car out, handbrake was on but only for a few minutes, all ok.

Today I moved the van down the drive to do some work on it, so the handbrake was on for a couple of hours. On moving it back to its usual place the brakes were half on, it will move but it is obvious the brakes are partially on. The lever moves freely so it looks like a sticky cable or mechanism.

It’s going in for a MOT and service on Tuesday so they can grease it, or whatever it needs. But I need to drive it there. So before I get underneath and have a look and advice?

Always thought our ducato handbrake was rather feeble even from new, even with a murder tight pull on the handbrake. Don't trust on steep slopes, but it just passed the mot. I carry a wheelchock

 

[UFO]

Moved the van today and all OK, no sticking brakes.

Fits with the philosophy 'if something is not working properly leave it for a day or so and see if it fixes itself'!

I'll make sure the mechanic on Tuesday gives the brakes a thorough overhaul.

 

[trevskoda]

Never pussyfoot brakes, use them or lose them.