Vectra C Parking brake imbalance

[Castiel]

Right.

Chocks in front of front wheels, car jacked, rear wheels off, handbrake cable disconnected on both sides.

Centre console out, plunger/spring pushed in, clip pushed down to keep in place.

Cable reattached on N/S (piece of cake), cable reattached on O/S (harder to do, took some effort but nothing monumental).

Both cables are now the same distance from the cable retaining lug on the caliper lever (the ring the cable goes through) to the lock point on the handbrake lever (on the caliper). IOW same length on both sides which was not there before as the N/S had far more slack than the drivers (O/S)

Got back into car and released adjuster spring/plunger. Pumped the brake pedal about 5 times slowly then worked the handbrake. Went from one click and stiff to about 3 maybe four clicks with a lot of effort. Holding each time and both sides are "resetting" after I release the hadnbrake which only the nearside done according to MOT guy.

Handy tip at this point, remove the chocks from the front wheels so you don't think the handbrake/brakes are locked

Drove the car forward and there is some binding as though the handbrake is ever so slightly on, but its minimal. The car drives but when I clutch it'll come to a stop on its own (max 10mph in driveway) after about 20 or so feet. You know its the brake/handbrake as the car gives a slight rock when it fully stops as though I applied the brakes.

I'm assuming this will settle after some driving or should I repeat the procedure and try push the plunger in even more to give more slack to the cable? I got it to within an inch and a half/quarter but there might have been room for more if I can get a better push on the spring/plunger.

[Dog_Book]

Something is grabbing which it shouldn’t be isn’t it? You don’t have to follow the whole procedure resetting the cable but it sounds more like one of the calipers isn’t releasing fully.

[Castiel]

After the MOT failure I checked the drivers (O/S) brake. The handbrake cable had the lever pulled to its maximum, iow the handbrake on the O/S was constantly on. With the handbrake lever completely off/released this remained the same on the O/S. I initially thought the caliper was faulty as these are only brand new calipers ordered and fitted about 4 weeks ago. What are the chances of receving two fault sets? They're OEM / GM ones btw.

After doing the "reset" the handbrake lever on both sides is now almost fully at the rest position with the handbrake off. When I pull the handbrake there is some movement of the lever to engage the handbrake (equally on both sides) but it seems to take very little to get good purchase of the handbrake/pads. When I release the handbrake lever, both calipers release. Its just the movement is small for both on and off.

As said there are new calipers and brake pads fitted about 4 or so weeks ago.

Suppose one way to look at it is the severe O/S binding has been replaced with slight binding from both sides. Not a good thing to have at all but there are just over three weeks until the retest so I'll drive it for a while to see how things progress and if it gets no better I'll have to consider repeating the procedure. I'm not dismissing the calipers but as said the chances of getting a second aulty set are very slim and when I got the cable length/binding issue sorted both sides are working properly (if you discount the slight binding)

I'm completely open to suggestions, checks or fixes btw.

[Dog_Book]

When you say GM OEM you mean they are the ATE calipers?

Take a good picture of the caliper any side and take one from looking down so you can see where the handbrake cable slots into the caliper body.

IMG_7607.jpg

[Castiel]

Wonder would a quick bleed of the brakes help? I intended to to this regardless of the MOT results as the pedal feels slightly softer than I'm used to since the caliper/pad change. They passed with flying colours, but might give them a quick bled just to be sure. IOW cannot do any harm.

[Dog_Book]

Wonder would a quick bleed of the brakes help? I intended to to this regardless of the MOT results as the pedal feels slightly softer than I'm used to since the caliper/pad change. They passed with flying colours, but might give them a quick bled just to be sure. IOW cannot do any harm.

I need to see what you set up looks like, if you have put new pads/discs on then they wont work right until bedded in. My stupid sized 6 pot AP's were no good until bedded.

[Castiel]

When you say GM OEM you mean they are the ATE calipers?

Thats them. Mine are blue (painted), but that is them.

Take a good picture of the caliper any side and take one from looking down so you can see where the handbrake cable slots into the caliper body.

Too lazy to take a wheel off again so took ones around the wheel and through the spokes. If you want better I'll take the wheel off. Nearside (1).jpgNearside (2).jpgNearside (3).jpgOffside (1).jpgOffside (2).jpgOffside (3).jpgBrand.jpg

[Castiel]

Should explain, spring on the left is nearside, spring on the right is offside.

[Castiel]

You'll see both cables are pulled, equally, the same small amount from complete rest position. When I checked, after the MOT and before today, the offside was compeltely engaged even with the handbrake off while the nearside was working perfectly. Engaged with the handbrake on, and completely at rest position when the handbrake was off.

TBH its as though the handbrake cable is short, just marginally. Even when I was refitting the cables today one side would go on with fingertips, while the other side took some pulling with mole grips. Doesn't matter which side s if you do one first the other is tight.

The odd thing is whichever side I do last, the tight side, is the one that I usually get the trouble from.

Might take her for a sping down the road and see what happens.

[Castiel]

I need to see what you set up looks like, if you have put new pads/discs on then they wont work right until bedded in. My stupid sized 6 pot AP's were no good until bedded.

The discs were done over a year ago, maybe more, but they're well bedded in.

The calipers i replaced last year, then found out they were faulty and replaced them again 4 weeks ago or so. When fitting the new calipers I fitted new brakes pads too. Ferado I believe.

I've dismissed the caliper(s) as a fault because once I took off the handbrake cable the lever (on the caliper which works the handbrake) went back to the reset/rest position. With my old calipers, from 4 weeks ago, this did not happen and even tapping it back with a hammer only got so much, hence the reason I replaced them. Well that and the piston was seized so it stands to reason the handbrake would also go belly up.

I still have the old cable here so If nothing works, the binding continues, once I'm stripping the underside of the car to do the subframe I'll rip out the "new" cable and replace it with the old one. I've said this a few times but I'm confident the old cable is fine because I found the faulty calipers AFTER replacing the cable. Its [the old one] not rusted or damaged and I've had oil sprayed into it since I took it off.