Does anyone have a design for a longer brake lever to help the handbrake work better?
Considering the complication of fabricating a longer cable, in addition to the handbrake lever itself, you might consider having it adjusted. It shouldn't be that difficult to operate. I've heard that the handbrake design itself isn't necessarily the best, but it depends on the kind of problem you're having. Are you not strong enough to pull it to its limit, or is it poorly adjusted, or ...? I see you have a late model 308, with the handbrake in the middle, on the console. I have a 328 but I've read that the earlier design wasn't as effective. True, or ??? Cheers, Rich
Completely true. The 328 design is the design that virtually every auto manufacturer uses today (a separate drum brake system for the emergency brake). The 308 design has a mechanical mechanism built into the rear caliper so the same pads used for normal braking are also used for the emergency brake. IME, the 308 emergency brake system works OKish immediately after rear caliper manual adjustment, but goes "weak" after just a little while/use (i.e., the self adjustment aspect of the 308 system doesn't really keep things as "tight" as they need to be to keep working well as the pad material wears).
I know most have weak handbrake but my 84 QV handbrake has always been working great, this is maybe because I always use it. It's either you use it all the time and exercise it or don't use it at all.
"Brian Harper" and I have bantered a little bit off-line about improving the 308 handbrake. There are probably simpler ways to adding leverage, such as remounting the pull cable closer to the pivot point on the handlever by drilling another mounting hole or by adding length to the lever arm at the central pivot point behind the engine. I can't help but wonder how much it might help to just add slack to the cable so that the handbrake handle rises substantially more when pulled thereby improving the effective lever arm. It is unclear how much extra stress the system could take before stuff starts to bend. Mine doesn't really work that bad either. It really helped to clean it up and blowing some teflon lubricant up the tube toward the console using compressed air. It still doesn't work well enough for me to trust it without leaving the car parked in gear.
Possibly a difference between USA and European cars as almost all modern European cars use the system as on the 308. The 328 drum system has fallen out of favour as it adds extra weight/cost. The 308 issues are likely insufficient leverage, too much binding or maybe not a fine-enough auto adjustment. The adjustment will stop working completely if there is too much binding.
My 84 passed its MOT in the UK today but the handbrake which works fine just! and is used daily , and fellow member Chris Morse mentioned in his writeup in the super performance brake issue using a longer lever to make it more efficient, anyone done this? Chris?
I don't doubt you as the operation of the system is singificantly dependent on the tolerances of the internal metal screw parts -- so I'd guess a lot of variability car to car (but it's been a very common reported complaint here).
FWIW I had my rear calipers rebuilt and when I reinstalled everything, was very careful to adjust everything to spec. Two years later and my handbrake still works well, and I use it all the time. I wouldn't depend on it solely, especially on a hill, but it does work.
There seems to be a huge difference based on how the pads are adjusted. If you go by the book and use a feeler gauge you'll probably not be satisfied with the hand brake. The old school method seems to work much better.
Mine won't work in a stiff breeze. My E-Brake is "Reverse" on the shifter when parking or "one click counter clockwise" on the ignition key if things are really going to hell.
