Optimum Number of clicks on VE handbrake

[AussieTone]

What is the optimum number of clicks the VE handbrake should be adjusted to? i.e. how many ratchet clicks before it is on and holds the vehicle in place. Currently scraping my knuckles on the roof when I take the hand brake off. May need adjusting a TAD. :headbang:

[CalaisRider]

AusieTone do you get a very slight rattle in your handbrake lever at certain reves or after a bit of bumpy stuff?? Mine does - easy to get rid of, just give it a shake and it settles. seems to be where the indent rides onto the stopper - bloody annoying at times though.

As to your question, sorry I don't know, mine seems to lift pretty high though (too high).

[moose]

Commodores have always been 7 to 9 clicks and the VE is the same.

If you wanna get technical, it goes up to 6 clicks then tighten to 3Nm.

:thumbsup:

[jerrel]

i always pull mine up till it doesnt go any higher... is that a bad thing?

[Mozz]

I was always taught to stop vehicle, put into neutral with foot on brake, engage handbrake, foot off brake and let handbrake take weight of car then put into park (for auto) or gear (for manual)

[Danv8]

Good question since I always hold the button when I pull the handbrake up.

[Bravotwozero]

I was always taught to stop vehicle, put into neutral with foot on brake, engage handbrake, foot off brake and let handbrake take weight of car then put into park (for auto) or gear (for manual)

Ha ha. I was going to ask a similar question. I give my wife a hard time to make sure she does this. She thinks I'm being anal! I was told that if you don't do that and someone gives your car a tap in a shopping centre or something, that the jolt through the drive line can be quite damaging if your gearbox is taking any weight of the car.

[swingtan]

I was always taught to stop vehicle, put into neutral with foot on brake, engage handbrake, foot off brake and let handbrake take weight of car then put into park (for auto) or gear (for manual)

This was correct for cars with rear drum brakes, because the hand brake operated the same brake linings as the hydraulic system. The theory was that you would use the hydraulic system to activate the brakes then use the hand brake to simply "hold" the linings in place. The idea was that this placed less strain on the cable.

These days with disk brakes on the rear it doesn't really apply. However what I do is to hold the car with the normal brakes, then apply the hand brake till I feel tension. I always use the button to both apply and release the hand brake though as I hate the ratchet noise and it allows me to get the tension I think is correct.

[JezzaB]

This was correct for cars with rear drum brakes, because the hand brake operated the same brake linings as the hydraulic system. The theory was that you would use the hydraulic system to activate the brakes then use the hand brake to simply "hold" the linings in place. The idea was that this placed less strain on the cable.

These days with disk brakes on the rear it doesn't really apply. However what I do is to hold the car with the normal brakes, then apply the hand brake till I feel tension. I always use the button to both apply and release the hand brake though as I hate the ratchet noise and it allows me to get the tension I think is correct.

I just reef it on. Had a chick get in the car "What is it with boys and pulling the handbrake on so hard!"

Meh!

[CalaisRider]

Yeh on the many emergency services driver traing courses I've done, we used to lose points if you didn't prepare the car such as swingtan indicates and also ensure pushed the brake release button before pulling the hand brake on. Its an automatic no brainer that I do now - couldn't stop it if I tried.

[whitenite]

What is the optimum number of clicks the VE handbrake should be adjusted to? i.e. how many ratchet clicks before it is on and holds the vehicle in place. Currently scraping my knuckles on the roof when I take the hand brake off. May need adjusting a TAD. :headbang:

It's up to personal taste. On my old(er) cars, as they age ie. pads wear, more n more clicks are required. So when I tested my VE SS & discovered it needed sumthing like 7 clicks, I asked the sales guy to have it tightened, it's now overdone at 3 clicks, max 4. (I have a rather dim view of a lotta Holden sales & mechanics, I can confide).

But I'm used to it now.

[swingtan]

It's up to personal taste. On my old(er) cars, as they age ie. pads wear, more n more clicks are required. So when I tested my VE SS & discovered it needed sumthing like 7 clicks, I asked the sales guy to have it tightened, it's now overdone at 3 clicks, max 4. (I have a rather dim view of a lotta Holden sales & mechanics, I can confide).

But I'm used to it now.

Going back to my post, there hand brake pads should never really wear as they are dedicated to the job and are not normally used to stop the car while it's moving. These days the adjustment is for cable stretch and nothing else, unless you are in the habit of using the hand brake a lot for cornering etc..... I have heard though that using the hand brake rally style can cause it to totally destroy it's self.

[Wonky]

Yeh on the many emergency services driver traing courses I've done, we used to lose points if you didn't prepare the car such as swingtan indicates and also ensure pushed the brake release button before pulling the hand brake on. Its an automatic no brainer that I do now - couldn't stop it if I tried.
Hmmmm........ Looks like I've been doing it wrong for 35 years....... :(

I've never pushed the button in (or twisted the handle so the ratchet was taken out of play on my EH etc) before pulling on the handbrake. :eek:

[Wayne@GM Motorsport]

Im pretty sure the roadworthy test is maximum of 6 clicks..

[German Statesman]

This was correct for cars with rear drum brakes, because the hand brake operated the same brake linings as the hydraulic system. The theory was that you would use the hydraulic system to activate the brakes then use the hand brake to simply "hold" the linings in place. The idea was that this placed less strain on the cable.

Commodore handbrakes are an expanding pair of shoes that use the inside of the rear rotor hub as a drum. No hydraulic assistance, however.

[vyssbeast]

so when someone has just done some spirited driving and the brakes are hot, pulling the handbrake up, it goes much higher than normal...

so two questions,
why is this??
and
is it beter to leave the handbrake down as suggested for trackwork (dont pull it up after you come into pits with hot brakes??)

[swingtan]

Commodore handbrakes are an expanding pair of shoes that use the inside of the rear rotor hub as a drum. No hydraulic assistance, however.

Correct. A completely separate set of brake linings. I just use my foot to stop the car rolling.


so when someone has just done some spirited driving and the brakes are hot, pulling the handbrake up, it goes much higher than normal...

so two questions,
why is this??
and
is it beter to leave the handbrake down as suggested for trackwork (dont pull it up after you come into pits with hot brakes??)

The same reason that drum brakes used to fail when over used. The hand brake is just a cable operated drum brake. When you over heat a drum, it expands, so the internal diameter is large than normal. This requires the linings to move further before making contact, the only way to move them further is to pull the handle up further. If you do this though, it will be very tight once the brakes cool down, putting additional strain on the cables etc. I may not hurt, but it won't help.

[vyssbeast]

Thanks simon, ill be carefull not to pull it up past normal height even if it can go further due to being hot... cheers