Handbrake Adjustment

[darrellj88]

Hello there I am looking for someone with a bit of knowledge on this specific problem.. I drive a 1999 ford mondeo 1.8 and want to know how do I adjust my handbrake as I have looked for an adjuster but cant fond 1 anywere and as I have my m.o.t 2mara morning i will need to do it before I go at 9 in the mornin

your help is appreciated

[stef123]

Have you checked underneath the car? It could be hiding behind a heat shield

[darrellj88]

Do I need to remove exhaust u think?

[stef123]

Probably too late now, no I wouldn't think so

[jeebowhite]

Is it Disc brakes? if so, you should have an adjuster on the disk area?

[darrellj88]

No its a drum brake n da rear! I passed the m.o.t but only by 1% on the handbrake.. I cant seem to find any1 that know anything about this

[andy26007]

There is no manual adjustment for the handbrake, only automatic adjusters inside the drums and another automatic adjuster inside the handbrake lever itself. Eventually the cables will stretch and have to be replaced.

However I carried out this bodge on my 2000 1.8!

Lift the centre console to expose the handbrake lever.

On the passenger side just above the warning light switch there is a pin sticking out to the side.

When the handbrake lever is all the way down it releases the ratchet on the auto adjuster, allowing the cable to slacken off completely.

Using a cold chisel (remove switch first) knock this pin off.

Manually take up as much slack as possible on the automatic adjuster.

This should keep the mot tester happy for another year, although it can be a real pig getting the console back over a handbrake lever that doesn't come up anywhere near to vertical anymore!!!