Lude Generation

Hi folks,

I've replaced the O/S rear brake calliper and handbrake cable. And now I can't get the handbrake to work I've tried adjusting it by the service manual's instructions but I can still turn the disc by hand with the handbrake lever up... The cable is moving and the lever on the calliper is turning as the handbrake is pulled, but the piston isn't travelling far enough to contact the back of the pad I can move the calliper in and out by about 5mm by hand. I've bled the brakes and if you use the foot brake then brake does engage and can't be shifted, even if you take a breaker bar to the disc.

So I'm a little bit lost as to why I can't get the handbrake to work The only thing I can think of is that I re-used my old pads, as they weren't too low (from memory at least, it was a while since I had them out). The piston was wound all the way in when I fitted the calliper, but should I have wound it out to account for the wear on the pads? The service manual does say the brakes are self adjusting though To be fair a set of rear pads is so cheap that I'll probably grab a set anyway before the car goes back on the road.

At any rate any advice would be appreciated, I'm obviously doing something stupid here

once youve fitted everything on you should pump the brake pedal 5 or 6 times and this should get the handbrake lever on the caliper in place. your meant to slacken off the handbrake adjuster before fitting the new caliper - im presuming you have done that

I would've wound the piston out to compensate the wear on the pads. My civic I replaced both rear caliper, new pads and new discs, wound the piston out enough to contact the pads and adjusted the cable adjuster thing and it still took a few weeks before the handbrake was functioning properly.

vanzep wrote:once youve fitted everything on you should pump the brake pedal 5 or 6 times and this should get the handbrake lever on the caliper in place. your meant to slacken off the handbrake adjuster before fitting the new caliper - im presuming you have done that

The new caliper went on prior to the handbrake cable being fitted, and was originally bled without the cable being attached. So I'd have thought it would have adjusted the piston then if it was going to? The cable was slack when I fitted it today and I gave the brake a good few pumps prior to tightening the adjuster.

must be something to do with the cam lever on the caliper

vanzep wrote:must be something to do with the cam lever on the caliper

Oh dear. Before I adjusted the cable it was resting on its stop, and it goes through a fair bit of its travel as the handbrake is pulled once adjusted. If new pads don't sort it then perhaps it is new caliper time (again)

only other thing i can think of is the actual handbrake cable itself - there were two different ones for the 4th gen and you have to make sure you get the correct one by using you vin number.
i had my handbrake properly adjusted for the first time and i seem to remember the mechanic saying something about engaging the lever which is attached to a worm gear by pumping the pedal firmly five or six times after fitting the handbrake cable then check the lever is on the stop and then go through the handbrake adjustment as shown in the manual

I've drokked up setting up the handbrake properly on a 4g a few times jj, it's quite easy to do tbh.
Make sure you follow the service manual instructions exactly and you should be ok. I'd be surprised if the caliper is dead (you say 'again' - when was it last replaced then? )

The previous/original one was seized up, so I bought a refurbed one a few months back and fitted it along with new sliders. The piston and sliders move freely, it's just the piston doesn't remain extended far enough to constantly engage the back of the pad. The car hasn't been used since i swapped the caliper. I'll give it another go tonight, I can't remember if the shims were fitted off the top of my head so I need to check for them, I've ordered some new pads too as it's daft not to change them whilst I'm dicking about with the rear brakes.

Fitted brand new rear pads today, and wound the piston back again. All is well now, the hub turns freely when the brakes are released, but with the handbrake on I can't turn the hub at all. I think previously I should have wound the piston out to account for pad wear, but tbh changing the pads was the most sensible solution. The brake pedal is rock solid now as well, it was spongy before even though I'd repeatedly bled it. Happy days.