Omega Owners Forum - Handbrake Sorted!

Hovelite Newbie Offline always look on the bright side of life! Posts: 24 Sussex Coast Gender: Drives: '00 Elite 2.5	Re: Handbrake Sorted! Reply #15 - 10. Feb 2010 at 23:06 Just reading about a pending trip to San Francisco and learnt that it's the law there to park in gear with your front wheels heading toward the kerb! There must be loads of Omega drivers over there
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Andy B Over Active Poster Offline Posts: 21988 Bury Lancs Gender: Drives: 1999 3.0 Elite auto/TDM	Re: Handbrake Sorted! Reply #16 - 10. Feb 2010 at 23:13 Hovelite wrote on 10. Feb 2010 at 23:06: ..... There must be loads of Omega drivers over there There's certainly loads of hills!!!!
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Bixy1 Intermediate Member Offline Dragged through MOT kicking and screaming. Posts: 308 Leeds. West Yorks. Gender: Drives: Astra in storage, using Miggy! http://sbpra.com/derektmorgan	Re: Handbrake Sorted! Reply #17 - 10. Feb 2010 at 23:20 Its not just Omega's , Mrs Bixy's Astra handbrake has always been crap and we've had that for 9 years. New shoes, drums, cables nothing made any difference. New cables on the Omega have really made a difference.
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Andy H

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Re: Handbrake Sorted!
Reply #18 - 10. Feb 2010 at 23:38

The stupid part about the Omega parking brake is that the actuator between the shoes is in the wrong place.

On a normal drum brake there is a fixed post between the shoes on one side and the actuator is between the shoes on the other side.

On the Omega the fixed post and the actuator are the same side (at the bottom). At the other side there is the adjusting strut.

When all is new and correctly adjusted you effectively have a 'twin leading shoe' brake that works with a fierce servo action.

When there is slack in the shoe adjustment they don't bite immediately which is why you sometimes have a fierce parking brake but other time nothing at all. Angry

The other problem is that the actuator mechanism tends to rust up but because it is floating between the two shoes it isn't readily apparent. To take the mechanism out and clean & lubricate it you have to remove the rear calipers and discs first. A nuisance but well worth doing before attempting to adjust the cable.

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« Last Edit: 10. Feb 2010 at 23:40 by Andy H »

Previous vehicles: Viva, Chevette, Astra mk2, Carlton mk1, Astra mk2, Land Rover SerIII, Carlton Mk2, Range Rover, Omega 2.5 V6
"Deja Moo - The feeling that you've heard this bull somewhere before."

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Marks DTM Calib

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Re: Handbrake Sorted!
Reply #19 - 11. Feb 2010 at 08:01

Bixy1 wrote on 10. Feb 2010 at 23:20:

Its not just Omega's , Mrs Bixy's Astra handbrake has always been crap and we've had that for 9 years. New shoes, drums, cables nothing made any difference. Cry

New cables on the Omega have really made a difference. Thumbs Up!

Again, crappy setup by whoever has doen the wrok.

Because yet again, the rear setup on them is good, reliable and auto adjusts well IF the person working on it, knows the basics Thumbs Up!

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Rob James

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Drives: 1999 3.0L manual MV6 Estate

Re: Handbrake Sorted!
Reply #20 - 11. Feb 2010 at 14:42

Marks DTM Calib wrote on 11. Feb 2010 at 08:01:

Bixy1 wrote on 10. Feb 2010 at 23:20:

Its not just Omega's , Mrs Bixy's Astra handbrake has always been crap and we've had that for 9 years. New shoes, drums, cables nothing made any difference. Cry

New cables on the Omega have really made a difference. Thumbs Up!

Again, crappy setup by whoever has doen the wrok.

Because yet again, the rear setup on them is good, reliable and auto adjusts well IF the person working on it, knows the basics Thumbs Up!

As someone who has a poor handbrake, and doesn't know the basics. Is following the guide to sort the hand break fairly straight forward? And how long does it take?

Thanks - Rob.

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Marks DTM Calib Administrator Offline Ex Member Posts: 25671 Northern Hemisphere Gender: Drives: Astra J, Mum Bus, Dexta Tractor, 108 DMU wip	Re: Handbrake Sorted! Reply #21 - 11. Feb 2010 at 15:05 Its easy enough and for a first timer, 2-3 hours of work.
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Rob James Junior Member Offline Posts: 163 Sheffield Gender: Drives: 1999 3.0L manual MV6 Estate	Re: Handbrake Sorted! Reply #22 - 11. Feb 2010 at 15:12 I'll give it a go then (although I'll wait for some warmer weather!)
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Andy H

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Re: Handbrake Sorted!
Reply #23 - 11. Feb 2010 at 15:17

Marks DTM Calib wrote on 11. Feb 2010 at 15:05:

Its easy enough and for a first timer, 2-3 hours of work.

The worst bit is jacking the car up high enough to get to the handbrake adjuster. Make sure you support the car well, it will kill you if it falls off the axle stands.

Second worst bit is getting to the nut on the handbrake actuating rod. I now have a deep 10mm socket and a collection of wobble bars so I can get to it without taking the heat shields off.

Thirdly, to get at the actuating arms, to free them off if they are seized, you need to remove the rear wheels, the rear calipers (and the rear shocks to get at the bolts) and the rear disc/drums.

Be careful with the shoe retaining pins. The backplates are flimsy and the keyhole that the retaining pins engage with can get chewed up.

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« Last Edit: 11. Feb 2010 at 15:18 by Andy H »

Previous vehicles: Viva, Chevette, Astra mk2, Carlton mk1, Astra mk2, Land Rover SerIII, Carlton Mk2, Range Rover, Omega 2.5 V6
"Deja Moo - The feeling that you've heard this bull somewhere before."

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Marks DTM Calib Administrator Offline Ex Member Posts: 25671 Northern Hemisphere Gender: Drives: Astra J, Mum Bus, Dexta Tractor, 108 DMU wip	Re: Handbrake Sorted! Reply #24 - 11. Feb 2010 at 15:40 Just follow the guide, you dont need to remove the rear shocks
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Andy H

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Drives: 03 2.6 Elite Auto

Re: Handbrake Sorted!
Reply #25 - 11. Feb 2010 at 15:55

Marks DTM Calib wrote on 11. Feb 2010 at 15:40:

Just follow the guide, you dont need to remove the rear shocks Thumbs Up!

The Guide http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1152564750
I had a very early Omega (1994) with different backplates and the early type of actuators that 'can seize'. Looks as though the position of the shock absorber lower mounting may have been improved on later cars too Thumbs Up!

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Previous vehicles: Viva, Chevette, Astra mk2, Carlton mk1, Astra mk2, Land Rover SerIII, Carlton Mk2, Range Rover, Omega 2.5 V6
"Deja Moo - The feeling that you've heard this bull somewhere before."

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TheBoy Administrator Offline TBE has an MOT! Posts: 64817 Brackley, Northants Gender: Drives: 98 MV6, 03 Elite, 00 25, 89 ZX10	Re: Handbrake Sorted! Reply #26 - 11. Feb 2010 at 18:41 I hate the fecking things. Frequent bloody maintenence, bane of my life.
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robson Intermediate Member Offline Posts: 482 Nr Ashford Kent Gender: Drives: omega V6 CD 2003	Re: Handbrake Sorted! Reply #27 - 11. Feb 2010 at 20:06 Why do we love our Omegas when there are so many horrible jobs to be done on them and they are so low that there is a danger of death.
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TheBoy Administrator Offline TBE has an MOT! Posts: 64817 Brackley, Northants Gender: Drives: 98 MV6, 03 Elite, 00 25, 89 ZX10	Re: Handbrake Sorted! Reply #28 - 11. Feb 2010 at 20:19 robson wrote on 11. Feb 2010 at 20:06: Why do we love our Omegas when there are so many horrible jobs to be done on them and they are so low that there is a danger of death. eh?
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