Bradders59 Posted July 1, 2022 Report Share Posted July 1, 2022 (edited) Last year was my first year with the Boxster and although it passed the MOT It had quite a few advisories. I addressed these as Ive had time apart from the rear discs being past their best, which I plan to do in the near future. Took it for the MOT yesterday reasonably confident it would pass with only an advisory on rear discs. It only went and failed on handbrake very weak on the offside. No advisories apart from the expected one on rear discs worn / pitted. The handbrake felt ok to me, and holds the car fine on my sloping driveway, but the machine it said no. Ive dismantled the o/s rear brakes this morning to try and find out why with limited success. Linkage seemed a bit stiff so cleaned it up and applied a little copper grease to pivots. adjusted the shoe adjuster, cleaned up the shoes, adjusted the cable a bit more inside the car, but still not a lot of handbrake effect on that side. I can only imagine the cable is stretched so Ive ordered a new cable along with a new set of shoes, as I might as well changed them while Im in there. Hopefully they will arrive, get fitted and solve the problem in time for me to get it rested without having to pay out another £50 test fee just for the sake of a weak handbrake. Can anyone think of anything I might have missed when trying to solve this ? Tia. Bradders. Edited July 1, 2022 by Bradders59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 1, 2022 Report Share Posted July 1, 2022 Is the cable adjuster around the U fitting that connects tot eh handbrake lever under the central console rear cubby hole applying equal force to the two cables? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted July 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2022 I think so, although Im not sure I would notice if it wasnt. Any idea what I would look for ? Sorry if thats a dumb question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Wilkinson Posted July 2, 2022 Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 Someone had a problem with aluminium corrosion on the aluminium “tower” on the hub causing the steel shim to catch before the shoes. Is the guide tube in the back of the hub ok, mine was on its last legs when I replaced the NS hub. deffo replace shoes anyway while you're in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 2, 2022 Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 9 hours ago, Bradders59 said: I think so, although Im not sure I would notice if it wasnt. Any idea what I would look for ? Sorry if thats a dumb question. If you go into the bottom of the cubby you can lift the cover at the bottom (Torx 20 or 25 screw IIRC) and you will then see the handbrake cables. If you work the handbrake lever you will see whether both cables are being pulled evenly by the mechanism or if there is some asymmetry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted July 2, 2022 Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 21 minutes ago, Guy Wilkinson said: Someone had a problem with aluminium corrosion on the aluminium “tower” on the hub causing the steel shim to catch before the shoes. Is the guide tube in the back of the hub ok, mine was on its last legs when I replaced the NS hub. deffo replace shoes anyway while you're in there I'm intrigued by the 'replace the shoes' advice I read on here from time to time. As the shoes only ever contact the face the drum when stationary I imagine it must be because of some form of deposit / corrosion build up, as they can't wear to any significant surely? Every so often I use my handbrake to clean up the shoes when the car is in motion, and also to check it pulls straight just in case it is needed as the only form of braking (I have had a brake failure once after a track day...). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey P Posted July 2, 2022 Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 59 minutes ago, ½cwt said: Every so often I use my handbrake to clean up the shoes when the car is in motion... Brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted July 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 5 hours ago, ½cwt said: If you go into the bottom of the cubby you can lift the cover at the bottom (Torx 20 or 25 screw IIRC) and you will then see the handbrake cables. If you work the handbrake lever you will see whether both cables are being pulled evenly by the mechanism or if there is some asymmetry. Ok, I see what you mean now .I was in there yesterday to adjust the cable a little bit, after doing adjustment at the wheel. Didnt notice anything amiss, but will have a closer look today. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted July 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 (edited) 5 hours ago, Guy Wilkinson said: Someone had a problem with aluminium corrosion on the aluminium “tower” on the hub causing the steel shim to catch before the shoes. Is the guide tube in the back of the hub ok, mine was on its last legs when I replaced the NS hub. deffo replace shoes anyway while you're in there This was the kind of info I was seeking. Not obvious but something to check on ,just in case. Thanks. Decided yesterday to replace the shoes, even though it may not be necessary. They arent expensive, but are one possible reason for a weak handbrake. Better to change them while Im doing the cable, than have the possibility of another MOT failure and then pay another fifty quid for a retest. Edited July 2, 2022 by Bradders59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GmanB Posted July 2, 2022 Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 I replaced the whole shoe brake mechanism (near side) on mine a few years go as it completely crumbled, it sounded like the engine had popped driving home one evening. Was my own fault though as I got lazy not using the handbrake with a tip box, only used it to operate the roof. A year later it failed MOT as near side was very little braking, new cable sorted it (quite pricey if I remember correctly). I'm sure the the off side will need doing one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonogt6 Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 On 7/2/2022 at 9:34 AM, Davey P said: Brilliant! I tried this once...unfortunately it must have dislodged the retaining springs as next time i drove it with my better half in the car(who doesn't appreciate the joys of an old Boxster like me🙂..cant imagine why) the springs parted company from the back plate and sounded like the end of the world had arrived! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted July 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 I think Ive found the problem, prompted by what @Guy Wilkinson posted. Last time I had things apart in that areas, I noticed the alloy guide tube for the cable, which goes into the rear of the backplate, was corroded and uneven at the end, so if filed it down so it was nice and level again. I imagine this has shortened the tube slightly, which is effectively the same as lengthening the cable. If the new cable and shoes dont make up the difference I will fit one or two thick washers over the ferrule on the end of the cable to pull the cable back out slightly to where it should be. If I had realised this before ordering the new cable and shoes I wouldnt have bothered ordering the new ones, but they aren a great amount of money, so no real harm done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders59 Posted July 6, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2022 Just to finish this off. When the new shoes and cable arrived, it was obvious they had sent me the wrong shoes, so I sent them back for a refund. Happy enough, as I didnt really need them anyway. Fitted a thick washer over the end of the cable spigot to take up the slack from the material I had filed off the end of the guide tube. Put it all back together and adjusted it at the wheel and then at the lever. Popped down this morning and got a years ticket, so alls well that ends well. Now fully legal and looking forward to a summer of fun. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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