***NOTE: On my V70 I'm using the knurled adjusters as can be seen in this post http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthre...l=1#post722543***
I have the oh-so familiar V70 issue of a handbrake that is far from great, and a rapidly approaching MOT. Since I don't think they will accept a suggestion to "just leave it in gear mate, it'll be reet!" in lieu of a working handbrake, I figure I better get down on my hands and knees and do some tinkering.
Bit of history - last year it failed the MOT first time on the handbrake being below the threshold on the rollers, and that spurned me on to renew most of the rear brake components - discs, pads, shoes, springs and the knurled adjusters that replace the H shaped bar. It passed the MOT then, but only just. At the moment it just about holds on anything but very steep hills but does the typical roll-back of about 1-2 feet before the handbrake holds.
Method
This is where I need some re-assurance and/or guidance.....
Last year what I did was slacken off the cable adjustment slightly at the handbrake lever end (with the handbrake off, obviously), and then I wound the brake shoe adjusters on both sides to take up some of the slack. Once I was satisfied with that I went back to the handbrake lever and re-adjusted so that it engaged at the recommended number of clicks (I forget now how many that is. 7 clicks rings a bell. Does that sound right?). I was happy enough with that, but as I said, it still only just scraped through the threshold on the brake rollers.
So, questions:
1) Does the above approach seem right, or is there a different method required?
2) How "tight" should I wind the brake shoe adjusters? When I did it last year I wound them to the point that I was just starting to feel some resistance if trying to spin the wheel (with it off the ground and handbrake off). I didn't want to make them tighter than that as I didn't want the brake shoes dragging. Opinions please.
3) Can anyone with these adjusters remember which way to wind them to tighten and loosen them? As this is done by inserting a flat head screwdriver through an empty wheel bolt hole, should I be aiming to push back against the left side or right side of the adjuster? Not the end of the world if I don't get an answer as trial and error will work, but better to know the right way from the start.
EDIT: that might not be a simple answer actually as I seem to recall you can fit them either way around. Prob going to have to be trail and error on that one.
Thanks in advance.
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