Plus 2 Handbrake adjustment?

[seaandmoor]

Hi all,
I didn't realise I hadn't posted on here for nearly 18 months - I still have some issues to overcome but lost a bit of interest for a while but you look at it in the garage and think yeah must must get in that again.
Anyway surprised that it went through MoT this time with just advisory on hand brake - low % efficiency. Having consulted the workshop manual, I've adjusted the 'adjuster' on the right hand side engine mounting and it's now fine.
However, there is no more adjustment left and it was a recent replacement handbrake cable and new pads just last year.
So my question is - next MoT when the cable will have stretched some more by then, how/where do I take up the the ever elongating hand brake cable and the excess slack so that I can bring the adjuster on the front engine mount back into use - must be on its last thread now.
Hope I've explained that well.
Many thanks,
Seaandmoor

[john.p.clegg]

Maybe you're going to have to shorten the inner cable...best done at the "tree" end or replace it completely..

John

EDIT
P.S.
My cable snapped at the front (near the bell-housing) so I replaced it with a slightly larger diameter stainless cable,cut to size,and refitted the original ends

[gus]

You need to adjust it at the rear.

Both pads must be very very close to the disk.

In order to avoid wearing the pads, bend the two little clips so that they hold the pad hard against the caliper body.

When adjusted the parking brake works ok, nothing to write home about

[69S4]

To get the handbrake calipers to work you do need set the pads very close to the disc - I can't remember the exact clearance off hand but it's only a few thou and if you have marginal run-out on the disc it can be larger than the pad clearance. The pads don't move much between off and on and the function of the metal prong things is to pull the pads back off the disc. When I've just serviced mine the handbrake will lock the rear wheels and although it doesn't last long like that it'll stay in a good enough lower level of efficiency for a few thousand miles at a time.

All of that's not much use if the cable doesn't pull the calipers on because it's stretched or just too long from new. When mine was like that I considered a whole load of options - cutting and resoldering the end nipple (I don't trust my soldering), cutting the end nipple off and using solderless nipples (bound to pull through at the most inconvenient time!), leaving the existing nipple and adding some sort of spacer behind it (just messy) etc.

In the end, because it was so fiddly to thread the inner through the chassis, I decided I didn't really want to cut the inner cable so I made the outer longer instead by making a cable adjuster for the handbrake lever end - something similar to the adjuster where the outer locates on the chassis using a motorcycle threaded adjuster (which I had lying around). If I was starting from scratch again I'd probably have the inner professionally shortened by someone like a company that makes bespoke motorcycle cables.

[pharriso]

You need one of Alex's hand brake nipples - see http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-suspension-f42/handbrake-cable-adjustment-pics-please-t26424-15.html

I got lucky, thought my cable was stretched, but the DPO had backed it off fully.

[Jeff@Jae]

Lotus used to have a clamp that fits the inner cable to shorten it, we have one here. My S3 had one from the factory and it seems this clamp was a way to deal with cables installed that were a little too long. Also you must make sure the little bushing in the operating arm of the caliper to take up the difference of the small bolt in the linkage end is not loose in the larger bore of the arm. There has been a discussion of this in previous posts. If those bushings are missing it's nearly impossible to adjust so the pads are dragging and at the same time have enough motion to clamp the disc when setting the brake.

[seaandmoor]

Soooo nothing too straightforward then really. I know the gap between the pads and disc is a knats whisker but not dragging so that it doesn't wear the pads/disc.

I couldn't see anything simple either on the car or in the Workshop Manual so thought I'd ask.
Will have to follow your guidance and ingenuity to see which solution is best in my circumstances.
Many thanks for your time and offerings - appreciated.
Seaandmoor

[gus]

Do this to the little keepers for the brake pads

Since both of my rear adjusters broke over the last 25 years, I replaced them with commercially available coarse thread items, and use a regular elastic stop nut instead of the serrated spring clippy thingy

adjusting the brakes takes 2 minutes whith a 1/2 deep socket. Flat surface, in neutral, tighten while pushing car back and forth, when it binds, back off. Repeat other side. Usually little needed except when prone to leaving it on

lost the damn switch for the light

[cal44]

The last picture shows one of the major problems. The "S" bracket that holds the pads in place are weak at best. I reckon mild steel. If you notice your brake pad worn at an angle it is because that bracket is bent out causing the pad to be uneven and then rubbing on the disk.

Easy to remove, place in vise, bend back, install and it will bend out of shape in short order............ I find the ebrake system marginable at best.
When it comes to ebrakes on cars........it's hard to "beat the drum" system.

Oddly these are also used on some Maserati and Lambo's.........go figure

[gus]

Not trying to say the parking brake is a good design, but adjusted it does work, and will stay working with only occasional tightening. When the light works I think it goes a season without a problem.