handbrake problem

[nick]

hi
my car is alfa romeo 155 Q4.
i have a problem about handbrake system.
handbrake cables and rear disks and pads are new.
but the car slides on the slope i mean the handbrake dont works on the slope roads.
without slope roads handbrake works.
help me?
thank you

[Steve Webb]

Hi Nick,

how far up does your handbrake come up? and when the new handbrake cable was fitted, did you adjust it using the adjuster under the handbrake lever?

It could be that the cable is not tight enough, or the handbrake mechanism might not be working correctly.

Have you had a look at the manuals on the main website?

Oh and welcome to the forum.

[nick]

hi steve
handbrake cables are original-oem part
and i adjusted under the handbrake lever..
but this problem is about slope roads , not normal roads
i try to find this problem for 5 weeks but it doesnt
i am getting crazy!

[wrinx]

Welcome...it wasn't set up properly at the caliper end.

1. Put the car in gear or block the wheels
2. Undo the handbrake at the lever end, in the cabin.
3. Press the brake pedal once or twice.
4. Tighten the handbrake cable and adjust as necessary.

That should sort it...

If not, you need to strip the brakes down again and check the handbrake lever is moving the piston out a little.

wrinx

[Xti]

Hi, Nick! Welcome to the forum.

Does your rear brakes work properly? Have you checked on a brake stand? The rear brake bias might be stucked and doesn't allow the brake fluid to pass as it should so you don't have enough pressure in the calliper.

Cheers,
Cristian.

[wrinx]

Handbrake is mechanical, not hydraulic.

wrinx

[nick]

hi
We set to say today. An interesting thing happened.
Downhill, the brakes worked.
But it did not work uphill.
I could not find any sense in this situation.
Does anyone have an idea?

[Steve Webb]

Hi Nick, do you know for sure that your rear brakes work normally with the pedal? It might be that the rear brakes are faulty, but as most of the braking is done by the front wheels you only notice when you are using the handbrake.

[nick]

hi steve
rear calipers and pads are new..calipers are budweg and pads are ate.
if there is faulty rear calipers , why dont work on the uphill?
i cant understand really.one more thing to do.i am gonna try old calipers

[Xti]

Handbrake is mechanical, not hydraulic.

wrinx

Yes, you're right.
But I still wonder...could it be a relation between a stucked rear brake regulator and a faulty handbrake? The handbrake cable had been adjusted as they say in the manual!

I will make that regulator work again and then see if the handbrake works fine...

[wrinx]

XTi - Did you test to see if the handbrake lever at the caliper moves the piston? It may be the caliper is broken...

The regulator (as you know) only affects brake balance...not the handbrake :?

Nick...if the calipers are new I would suggest the problem is definitely with the cables or set up of the caliper...odd that it works one way though!

Try pressing the brakes firmly then putting the handbrake on, that could be the difference between up and downhill.

wrinx

[Xti]

XTi - Did you test to see if the handbrake lever at the caliper moves the piston? It may be the caliper is broken...

The regulator (as you know) only affects brake balance...not the handbrake :?

wrinx

Not yet but will do it tomorrow, thanks for suggestion.

Cheers,
C.

[nick]

hi guys
it s ok, handbrake is ok:)
my new calipers (budweg) is not completely work
it worked when uses old calipers
thank you everbody in here:)

[Steve Webb]

I was once told by a certain south London garage, that the handbrake mechanism on the rear callipers was on the fragile side and could be easily damaged.