Handbrake

[overider]

I had trouble with my handbrake it was quite high before it worked and I noticed I could not lock the back wheels. I adjusted the handbrake cables up which seemed to do the trick. However when I took the car out on a road test I pulled on the hand brake and I couldn’t get the wheel to lock up.
So I thought the shoes must be hardened, I bought some new Mintex brake shoes and proceeded to fit them,(back and front) and they seemed to be ok, but again on the road test I still could not get the back wheels to lock up. I’m not a small man and can pull a fair bit of pressure on the leaver so I know it’s not a matter of not enough force. The overall braking seems to be ok just the hand brake.
I remember it locking the back wheels in the past I'm sure???

[MarkyB]

The cables should only be adjusted after the rear brakes.
Unless you are planning some rally driving or it fails the MOT I wouldn't worry about it.

[bmcecosse]

Probably the rear wheel cylinders are stuck - that's where i would start looking. When fitting new shoes you should slacken off the handbrake cables - then adjust up the drums (and check the connection of cable to cylinder lever is free to swivel) - and then nip up the cables to put the lever where you like it. The rear wheel locking should happen with a heft pull at ~ 20 mph on a dry road. Should also be able to lock all four wheels with the foot brake at the same speed.

[overider]

Probably the rear wheel cylinders are stuck - that's where i would start looking. When fitting new shoes you should slacken off the handbrake cables - then adjust up the drums (and check the connection of cable to cylinder lever is free to swivel) - and then nip up the cables to put the lever where you like it. The rear wheel locking should happen with a heft pull at ~ 20 mph on a dry road. Should also be able to lock all four wheels with the foot brake at the same speed.

Done that. It could be the cylinders arn't working. But the handbrake is a separate thing. I slackened the cables, changed the shoes, adjusted them up, then adjusted the cables. Can't understand why is it not locking up the back wheels

[bmcecosse]

Did you check for SURE that the cylinders aren't stuck? The handbrake uses (part) of the wheel cylinder.....

[MarkyB]

Try jacking the car up under the diff so both back wheels are off the ground, pull the handbrake up till there is some resistance then try turning the back wheels.
If one is easier than the other adjust the cable until they both have equal resistance.
If you can't turn them try a notch less.

This is good enough to get the rear balance right for an MOT on rollers and may reveal something about your handbrake.

Once you have done this I'd take a close look at how the cable adjustments compare and the angle of the levers too.
They should both be very similar.

[bmcecosse]

If you want a REALLY good handbrake - fit the larger 8" rear drums from a Wolseley 1500 Or - you can extend the lever which sprouts from the rear cylinder - which will increase the leverage ratio on the shoes - but of course at the expense of a longer handbrake lever travel.

[beero]

If you have put new shoes in old drums I think you may have to do a few miles to bed them in before getting full efficiency.

[overider]

If you have put new shoes in old drums I think you may have to do a few miles to bed them in before getting full efficiency.

Yes they are new shoes in old drums. i might have to take it on a run and try bed them before mot... if i get time before it runs out...