Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Here's a photo of transmission tunnel mounted handbrake lever .

Donor vehicle is XJ40. Mods to chassis will include small amount of welding (captive fasteners etc).


Regards

gerry

Looks good, better than the centre console version. Are there alterations at the other end or is it just a replacement for the umberella handle?

Jeremy

Hi

What seat have you got? I am surprised there is room there?

Jason

I'm sorry I am a fan of the umbrella handbrake. The only thing that lets it down is the crappy handbrake mechanism on the other end, namely the caliper arrangement. I read somewhere that someone has adapted a Sierra rear caliper and handbrake mechanism, or did I dream it?
Jeff 72+2

I'm not as Jeff is a fan of the umbrella handbrake which only works sometimes, but I don't really understand the aim of that kind of modification .... I just hope your new handbrake is a fly off one !

Franck

Well - if you forget the parking brake is on, you have a bit of near sightedness.

To be honest I think of them as a parking brake (to be used when stopped, to hold fast on a hill and such) and no more, never had much problem with them myself.

p-a

Jeff, the Spyder Zetec conversions use Sierra parts with a lever mounted on the tunnel.

Mike

Hi Mike,
Do you know how Spyder mount the caliper? I'd be interested in adapting them as a replacement for the unique Lotus ones.
IMHO it does not matter where the lever is mounted, at the end of the day, you are just yanking a cable.

Jeff 72+2

Hi Everyone

Soon after I bought my car I spent some time going over the whole hand brake linkage train, replacing a few worn pivot pins, making sure everything was free and lubricated and, most importanly, making sure everything was correctly adjusted. I now have a standard hand brake system which workes just as well as that of any other car. I'll admit I spent a bit of time and money on it but I'll bet it was much less that what would be needed to re-engineer an entirely new set up. I find the key to getting the standard brake woking well, is ensuring the pad to disc clearance is correct

Andy

Hi all, replies to queries:-

Jeremy, intended as just a replacement for the umbrella handle so calipers will remain as original (but completely refurbished). The tree might need a mod because the Jag lever pulls less cable than the umbrella (but has a higher leverage). Note this mod has been done before on the Elan, by jimjj, details on this forum. Easier to operate without stretching forward and groping under dash.

Jason, seat is standard Plus 2 S130. Handbrake fits in nicely and XJ40 lever has a bend that matches the splay of the Plus 2 tunnel.

Franck, handbrake lever is not Flyoff (should it be for a roadcar?)

andyelan wrote:Hi Everyone

Soon after I bought my car I spent some time going over the whole hand brake linkage train, replacing a few worn pivot pins, making sure everything was free and lubricated and, most importantly, making sure everything was correctly adjusted. I now have a standard hand brake system which works just as well as that of any other car. I'll admit I spent a bit of time and money on it but I'll bet it was much less that what would be needed to re-engineer an entirely new set up. I find the key to getting the standard brake working well, is ensuring the pad to disc clearance is correct

Andy

Sounds good Andy. I had mine well adjusted during my rebuild and was happy with its performance similar to you. However, when the car went in for repair (engine & transmission out) the hand brake came back completely out of adjustment. don't know what caused it. I got it back in adjustment, but noticed about half the handbrake pad depth is worn off in ~3,000 miles, Any thoughts? I adjusted pretty tight on the pads, but thought they should release OK. Any help appreciated.

Looks good to me Gerry; I like the mod. Much more sportif. I am hoping to get my car into a muffler shop this weekend to see what can be done with the exhaust clearance around the MT75. Will try to take some pics for you, but what I have in place now doesn't work too well.

Gerry,
I was just joking
Hope your hand brake now works better than the umbrella one.
When I took the car to the MoT station, on the parking there was a little slide. I stopped the car and put the hand brake on but the car was still sliding ... My brother on the passenger seat told me : I go out, so the car had stopped !
I was pessimist about the issue of the control but as a miracle, it was a succes.
The umbrella hand brake is very efficient when there is nobody inside the car
Franck

The original design handbrake can work efficiently and be reliable, BUT it needs to be in good condition, clean and adjusted well. My starting point was a refurb by Classicar some 8 years ago. With the adjusters tightened to lock the wheel and then backed off to allow a little 'wiggle' room for the pads to release (the handbook suggests using feeler gauges, but I think that's going a bit far). Make sure the cable route is clear and has no twists or sharp bends. Maybe oil the cable, but I have never done so (why are all +2 handbrake cables too long?).

Over the year they need a little adjustment to maintain their bite, but pretty straightforward. Do keep them clean, and a little lubrication on pivots, adjusters etc. My first time on the ferry to France was a bit of a panic as the car ended up on one of the sections that drops to an alarming angle.. The handbrake held.

Last MOT, the tester took the car out to do the brake efficiency test the old way, with a wooden boxed decellerometer (?) as his rollers weren't working. The test was to put the handbrake on at 20mph - it passed.

So the hand brake can work, but it needs care and attention, just like the engine (and just about everything else on a Lotus).

Jeremy

I need to give my handbrake a going over before the mot, what does everyone use for lubricating the linkages and pivots?

Cheers

Robbie