Parking brake cable: role, work, price
Content
Located in the handbrake, the handbrake cable is used to activate the braking of your vehicle. The hand brake ensures that your vehicle remains stationary. Therefore, it is very important to correctly adjust and maintain the handbrake cable. If it is defective, it must also be replaced immediately.
🚘 What is a handbrake cable?
The handbrake cable is inside the hand brake lever. When you apply the handbrake, the cable activates the brake system, which locks your car's wheels. If the main role of the handbrake is ensure good immobilization your car when it is parked. But the handbrake can also be used for emergency braking if the brakes are defective.
The operation of the handbrake cable depends on the type of brake:
- Disc Brakes : pads grip discs that are no longer spinning;
- Drum brakes : The brake pads are pressed against the drum and can no longer rotate.
When the car is parked on a slope, the parking brake ensures that it stays in the parking lot without slipping. A handbrake may also be needed for starting from a steep hillwhere the brake pedal cannot be used. On a car with an automatic transmission, it is replaced by a parking one.
⚠️ What are the symptoms of a handbrake cable malfunction?
It is quite easy to identify a faulty handbrake. Here are the symptoms of a damaged, worn or loose handbrake cable:
- You are required shoot to the maximum hand brake to immobilize your car;
- There is a hand brake fluespecially when it's cold;
- When using the hand brake, the wheel only partially blocked ;
- Hand brake lever rise too much ;
- Le parking brake warning light to light up on the dashboard even when not in use.
🔧 How to change the handbrake cable?
If the travel of your handbrake is too much, it is necessary to replace the cable. You also need to check it every time you service your vehicle. In the event of a malfunction or breakage of the parking brake cable, it must be replaced as soon as possible for your safety and the safety of your vehicle.
Material:
- New handbrake cable
- Tools
Step 1. Disassemble the handbrake.
To replace the handbrake cable, you must start with remove the handbrake, For this remove the cover inside the car. Then you must loosen the adjusting nut until the cable bolts are unscrewed. Remove the bolts and brackets for the handbrake cable. Finally, unhook the cable brake calipers.
Step 2: Install a new handbrake cable
The installation of the new parking brake cable is complete. Conversely... So, start by attaching the cable to the brake calipers. Insert it into the brake housing. Adjust the adjusting nut. The cable must be taut and not sag.
Step 3. Assemble the handbrake cable.
After the cable is installed, return the cover hand brake. Make sure it works properly by tightening it a few notches and make sure the wheels are locked. Adjust the handbrake correctly if necessary. If your handbrake is working properly, the dashboard brake light will come on and the wheels are locked properly.
⚙️ How to adjust the handbrake cable?
When replacing the handbrake cable or to adjust the tension if it sags, you can adjust the handbrake cable. To solve the problem with a loose handbrake cable, you have three options depending on your vehicle:
- Should interfere at the level of a lever myself;
- You need to adjust the handbrake cable on the caliper it is unique to him;
- You have Automatic box which requires you to go to the garage for adjust electronics hand brake.
Adjust the handbrake cable on the lever.
Some vehicles allow direct intervention on the handbrake lever. In this case, you can adjust the handbrake cable as follows:
- Loosen the locknuts;
- Tighten the adjusting nut until the wheels lock in 3 or 4 steps;
- Tighten the nuts again.
Adjust the handbrake cable on the caliper.
Other vehicles have a dedicated handbrake caliper. This is a common vehicle configuration today. Then it is necessary to intervene in this caliper located next to the brake disc. On drum brakes, the handbrake cable clamp allows you to easily hook the cable and compress the spring without injuring your hands.
You must lift the vehicle to access the device. The adjusting rod then allows you to adjust your vehicle's handbrake cable.
🔨 How to untie the handbrake cable?
Sometimes you have a sticky handbrake cable. The reason is usually snow, frost or rust. To unlock the handbrake cable, try walking in forward gear, then in reverse.
If these maneuvers, even repeated ones, do not allow the handbrake to be released, you can try to disassemble the wheel and knock on the edge of the drum or brake disc with a hammer. Vibration will loosen ice or rust.
💰 How much does the handbrake cable cost?
Only one handbrake cable is between And 15 35 ( O. The handbrake cable bellows only costs a few euros. Of course, a custom handbrake cable costs more than a regular car cable.
To adjust the handbrake cable in the garage, wait about 30 minutes and From 20 to 50 €... Finally, the cost of replacing the handbrake cable is usually included. between 150 and 300 € depending on the required working time and your vehicle model.
Tampering with your vehicle's braking system is a risky maneuver. Indeed, the handbrake and its cable are part of the safety features of your car. Therefore, in case of a problem, it is better to trust your system braking to a quality professional! Use our garage comparator to find a qualified garage mechanic near you.
