Adjustable hand-brake rods?

[elansprint71]

In a desperate search for something to do on the Elan this Winter I have decided to fit some adjustable rods to the hand-brake (as advised in the Buckland Bible).
Anyone already fitted these? I have not found a supplier (I have not looked yet ). Presumably Sue Miller would be a good starting point.

"You'll struggle getting at the hand-brake tree" said someone......

"Really?" said I.

When I cut the hatch to get at the Diff plug, I made it big enough to get at the tree, I hope.

[Elanman99]

[quote="elansprint71"]In a desperate search for something to do on the Elan this Winter I have decided to fit some adjustable rods to the hand-brake (as advised in the Buckland Bible).
Anyone already fitted these? I have not found a supplier (I have not looked yet :? ). Presumably Sue Miller would be a good starting point.

"You'll struggle getting at the hand-brake tree" said someone......

"Really?" said I. :twisted:

When I cut the hatch to get at the Diff plug, I made it big enough to get at the tree, I hope.[/quote]



Pete

What reason does Brian Buckland give for recommending adjustable length rods?

I made a replacement set for my car by cutting M5 theads on the ends of 5mm diameter SS rod and using clevises similar to these available from RS components 312 0258.

Whilst they are 'adjustable' I just set them to the same centre distances as the originals, they just work.

Ian Phillips

[alexblack13]

Hi Peter/All,
Susan millar might be a good start point as you said but she did not do them when I bought a set of std rods from her. I sowed the seeds though! She might have had them made by now. The ones I bought from her I cut and removed a small section (around 30 mm from memory) I bored a pc of 6mm dia s/s rod and tapped 1 end r/h and 1 end l/h I think 4 mm dia. Not sure so check rod dia. Run a die down the ends of the rods to suit again R & L hands. Screw the ends into the two way nut and lock at the length you need with some nuts. One either end. You can set the rod length dead on with the levers on the stops etc.

Does work well.

I will look for some pics....


Alex B....

[alexblack13]

Hi again,

Hopefully a pic or two...

Alex Black..

[elansprint71]

Ian; did you make several sets? I've told you about this before.
I'm struggling to cope with the longer than required brake cable, thanks once again to Christoper Neil/Paul Matty, next time you get some stock made, use a fresh item for the pattern, not something you have removed from a customer car.

Alex; your mod looks a more sensible engineering job for the everyman than the modified sets I've seen previously, which would require a hatch, like wot I've got; adjustment being at the "diff end" of the rods.. I'll visit my local yacht chandler for stainless items.

[alexblack13]

hi Boys,
I had to shorten the handbrake cable as well.It was a good 40 mm or so too long, Made up a new solderless nipple from S/S with 4mm dia grub screws (wher'd I see those before??) to clamp the cable. The handbrake caliper levers are on their stops, The pads are just rubbing and no more. And the cable adjuster is fully in. Where a new cable's adjuster should be. A short (2 click) pull on the lever results in a firmly holding handbrake. Amazing!

Alex B....

[redskatejbf]

Ian........You ask what reason does B.B. give for adjustable hand brake rods?.. Its a question of leverage, when you have new hand brake pads fitted the `tee` arm that the cable pulls on will be almost back against the chassis (or should be if the pads are the correct thickness) as the pads wear the lever moves forward reducing the radius of arc and therefore the torque exerted on the rods. If you have adjustable rods as the pads wear (also the discs) its possible to adjust the system that the lever is then back in its original start position close to the chassis exerting the max. possible tension on the rods. I do not have adjustable rods on my car but when I fitted new pads and carefully set up the system I could get the back wheels to skid / lockup at low speed. I can`t now as the pads have worn down and the lever is scribing a smaller arc.
Adjustable rods are worth doing but the ones I have seen look weak and could shear at the MOT when you pull on the hand brake like a gorrila.

Regards John.

[Elanman99]

[quote="redskatejbf"]Ian........You ask what reason does B.B. give for adjustable hand brake rods?.. Its a question of leverage, when you have new hand brake pads fitted the `tee` arm that the cable pulls on will be almost back against the chassis (or should be if the pads are the correct thickness) as the pads wear the lever moves forward reducing the radius of arc and therefore the torque exerted on the rods. If you have adjustable rods as the pads wear (also the discs) its possible to adjust the system that the lever is then back in its original start position close to the chassis exerting the max. possible tension on the rods. I do not have adjustable rods on my car but when I fitted new pads and carefully set up the system I could get the back wheels to skid / lockup at low speed. I can`t now as the pads have worn down and the lever is scribing a smaller arc.
Adjustable rods are worth doing but the ones I have seen look weak and could shear at the MOT when you pull on the hand brake like a gorrila.


Redscate

With respect, something is not quite right in your description. As I see it, when the pads wear the adjusters on the calipers are there to compensate so that the handbrake 'T' and its levers are in the optimum position.

Its quite possible that the rod lengths, both originally, and now after wear and tear on the various pivots could be updated, but I dont see any need to use turnbuckle type adjusters.

The single most important part of satifactory Elan handbrake operation is the resetting of the centralising strips when pads are replaced. The handbrake pads on my car were last replaced in 1994 and apart from not giving any MOT problems can still lock the rear wheels at low speed.

Regarding the weak looking rods you mentioned, I would be more concerned about the M4 grubscrews! clamping the shortened handbrake cable that was stated earlier in this topic.

Ian Phillips

[alexblack13]

Hi All,

The reason I made them adjustable was this.

When I went to set up the handbrake, I positioned the 'tree' as far back as I could get it. I.E. Just about touching the chassis 'down tube'.
The handbrake was adjusted at this point with the pads just about touching the disc. The return levers were checked to see if they were pulling the pads clear of the discs, they were. Trying at this point to fit the rods, it was noted they were both short by about 6 - 7 mm. The clevis pins would not fit thro' the rod ends and the handbrake levers. To get them to fit I needed to pull on the handbrake lever a side at a time and push thro' the clevis pins. This resulted in the levers being held off their stops a little or the tree lever out of the desired position. Making them adjustable I found I could adjust everything correctly, set the rod lengths required and slip the pins thro' and fit their nylock nuts. I made these pins from S/S and fitted nylock nuts to secure them. You can tighten them to remove slop & stop rattles.

The rods don't need to be adjustable. You can measure the length you need and weld them up solid. I don't think I will need to adjust them again. You should only need to set them once. With any luck!
I think the handbrake levers at the caliper should always be on their relevant stops. The adjusters then set the pads where they should be. I could be wrong but I don't think the rods will need to be altered in length now.

Do make sure you have a fair engagement of thread into the 'barrell nut'. I used 15-20 mm as a limit. Well engineered threads etc should not pull out. I gave them a fair test, believe me. Brian (Buckland) himself had a look at my set up and quite liked what he saw. So if he is happy I think so am I.


As far as the cable goes. The grub screws I used (3 off) were for setting the length dead on, allowing the nipple to be positioned where I wanted it. I then had 2 options. Remove the cable and swage on a nipple in the correct position, OR test pull on the cable to see if the thing came off. It didn't move under more load than I could ever exert with the handbrake lever in the car. I was surprised just how much it stood and did not shift. I nearly tested it to distruction. However...These thing have a habit of getting between ones ears. So I had a new swaged on nipple fitted. I now know exactly what length of cable I need and have made up a spare from (another!) new one. Again with swaged on nipple. And I am sure getting good at changing cables Happy days...

[redskatejbf]

Ian...... I can appreciate my discription may be unclear but Alex has found the same problem as I have and explained it I think more clearly.
I have used the adjusters and the centralising strips to take up pad wear but have found that the `T`does not go back into the ideal position back towards the chassis. With adjustable rods this is possible as Alex has found. Ref. my comment on weak looking adj. rods, I`ve only seen two sets, at least two years ago, both at a Lotus show at different times both on stands for sale, it was not a comment on Alex`s setup.
I may well fit adjusters in the future but I do not have, as yet, problems with getting a MOT so I will probably leave well alone.
Regards, John.