Handbrake failure - possible causes

[T100SS]

Firstly apologies as no trawling through topics has found any answer or correct place to post. If I had the ability I'd go through this entire site and get everything in order - there;s some great advice but finding it is a nightmare - which you don't need when you're already living a bad dream trying to fix the unfixable…

Anyway, I have fitted new shoes, springs, drums, cylinders, cables and pipes to all my brakes. The only things I didn't replace were back plates, as all the fittings and movement where required seemed OK. I've also fitted a servo.

But prior and subsequent to fitting the assist, I have had persistent hand brake problems, especially the nearside. I have this morning checked the action of the cable & lubricated it for good measure. It dragged but it eased eventually and it now moves freely.

I checked the adjustment inside the drum (by locking it and dropping back one click). No handbrake that side. I tried shving hard on the footpedal and simultaeneously applying the handbrake. Nowt.

The cylinder seems to move ok on the backplate, there are signs of operation from the footbrake (dust, shiny shoes) so I don't get it. There is no contamination and never has been. Suggestions gratefully received because this has been the MOST troublesome car I've ever known.

[simmitc]

Although the cylinder body is moving on the backplate, is the piston moving freely within the cylinder?

[bmcecosse]

Try this - release the cable adjustments at the lever - wind them right to the end. . Then - push the cylinders fully closed (the shoe springs should do this - if they don't - the cylinders are seized...) and then adjust up the rear brakes on the click adjusters - so they are dragging slightly - and only now, adjust up the cables to put the lever where you want it. This all assumes the following - backplates on correct sides (actually - don't see how they could be wrong sides - when i think about it...) /cylinders working as they should and sliding in the backplates - and decent quality shoes fitted. There are some poor shoes out there.... The handbrake will lock the rear wheels at 20 mph on a dry road - when it's right.

[kennatt]

I've just done a search on handbrake adjustment and get 61 matches more than enough in there to sort out most handbrake problems.