Handbrake Adjustment (200Tdi)

The handbrake on the wifes '93 110 is in need of adjustment, the lever goes all the way up.

I've only got a Disco Haynes to hand, but assume the set up is the same? I can't see anything about cable adjustment, is the adjustment all in the shoes?

If you look on the back of the drum (towards the front of the vehicle facing the rear) you will see a square adjuster hole. It fits a 1/2 inch ratchet, ratchet it up until the desired number of clicks is achieved on the handbrake itself. If this doesn't work then you can look at adjusting the cable itself. If it still sucks then time to take it apart I'm afraid

It's easier if you remove the centre seat panel.

First let the hand brake fully off, and then adjust the square headed screw until it locks, and then back it off half a turn.

The cable is adjusted by the nut on the bracket.

Slacken off the lock nut and adjust the cable with the nut on the other side of the bracket.

Tighten up the lock nut and the job is done.

Cheers guys! Hopefully I'll get a chance to have a crack at it tonight.

Worth checking the state of the cable - mine was down to a few strands and the adjuster at the handbrake lever end was rusted up solid. Definitely recommend taking out panel under middle seat to get to top end of cable, if you need to adjust that end, although you might find that adjusting the drum is enough so I'd do that enf first.

I found that adjusting the drum didn't alter the hand brake lever very much, which is why I tend to concentrate more on the cable adjustment.

job for tomorrow, sounds easy enough, no more leaving it in gear so it doesnt roll away. thanks lads

If there's too many notches then you need to adjust your cable first, not your drum!

allways adjust drum first then cable

jamesmartin said:

allways adjust drum first then cable

Click to expand...

+1, need to get the basic mechanical adjustments done first.

Let the hand brake right off take the split pin and pin out from the end of the handbrake cable where it joins the rod coming out of the hand brake back plate,ajust the the hand brake at the drum with the 1/2" adjuster till it locks the drum then back it off one click,now ajust the han d brake cable until the hole in the end of the cable lines up with the hole in the rod coming out of the back plate tighten the hand brake cable lock nuts job done.

Thanks guys. The cable is at the end of its adjustment, so I'll order another one. But I've got it to 3 clicks of the handbrake using the drum adjuster, and didn't even need to crawl about on the wet ground (I always forget about the hatch).