How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

[jaimemusic]

hello, can some one help me to adjust the hand brake of my fortwo like when ever I use it, it seems that is like weak it and it wont stop the car, the car will still move!!! I dont know how to fix this! please help me!!!

[Kat]

Re: How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

everybody with a fortwo has the same problem, the handbrake is a bit pants. You have to give it a good yank to get it to lock the car still.

To adjust the handbrake (tighten it effectively) apparently there are some adjusters near to the brake drums where the cables travel to them. I'm not aware of a how-to for this job, but it's apparently a pain in the donkey.
The other thing would be to adjust something actually within the brake drums, but again that's not an easy job.

Take it to smart or your local independent, and get them to adjust the "adjusters" where the cable meets the brakes... much easier!!!!!

EDIT: ah, just seen you're in the US. Um, perhaps the place you bought it from might be able to do it for you. If not, perhaps a garage you trust?!?

[jaimemusic]

Re: How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

yeah I bought it in England and Shipped it to the US so I guess that option to take it to the Smar delealer will not be one of my options,
I see what I can do about the adjusters, thanks

[chrisanizbug]

Re: How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

I don't know where the adjusters are on the smart, but on other cars, the usual method is to
chock the front wheels,
jack up both sides of the rear of the car, supporting on axle stands,
put the handbrake on 3 clicks,
adjust the cables until you can feel some resistance at the wheels (cars got to be in neutral of course, not sure if this would work on a smart)
put the handbrake on another click, the wheels should now be locked and impossible to turn by hand.
let the handbrake off and check the wheels turn freely.

On other cars I've done, the adjusters have been at the handbrake end, not the hub as Kat says, but then nothing else is in the usual place on a Smart

[phoenix3dfx225]

Re: How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

I might read up on this on the WIS workshop dvd. Because always been a bit wary lately of adjusting the handbreak. This is because recently I helped my father adjust his Rover 75 handbrake, going off a road workshop manaul and it was very explict about what lengths things should be and the maximum amount of turns components should have.

I know its a totally different car and each car seems to be done slightly different.

Might get back to you all with "quotes" from the WIS DVD since we cant post them.

[BlackDog]

Re: How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

Official Smart method is (on level ground):

1. operate hand brake once and release.
2. operate service(foot) brake, release and wait for about 1 second. Apply handbrake with button pressed and release. Repeat the process 30 times. A clicking sound in the drums must be heard each time the service brake is operated. (personally I can't hear this on mine but it could be the radio or my ears being rather well used)
3. Check that the rear wheel rotates freely.

However I should check the drum brakes to make sure that you've got all the old brake dust out and that there is sufficient brake pad left. There is a How2 on the evilution site on how to sort out your rear brakes The adjusters are inside the rear drums.

[BBE]

Re: How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

Hi,
below is the copy of a post I made on the orange site some time ago.
If you follow these instructions, and then use BlackDogs procedure you will end up with perfect brakes.
:silvertri Bjorn

Guys,
There is no need for adjusting the rear brakes manually.
As many of you know, these brakes have an automatic adjuster mechanism.
Problem is that it normally does not work because there is too much friction in the system. With some effort you can make it work as intended:

1. Jack up car, put on stands, remove drums and clean out the brake dust.
2. Unhook the upper main spring from one of the shoes. This will remove the pressure on the adjuster mechanism and allow you to turn the adjuster wheel freely. (The spring is a tough one to remove so you need proper tools).
3. With a small screwdriver lift the small pawl from the adjuster wheel and turn the wheel a number of turns away from its active position.
4. With a match or similar apply a small amount of grease to the adjuster threads as well as the active side of the adjuster wheel, then turn the wheel back approx to where it was in the first place. Remove ecessive grease.
Note: Brakes gets very hot so dont use oil or just any grease. You need high temp grease to avoid drying up or melting.
5. Replace the upper main spring.
6. Replace drums and roadwheels, and lower car from jack/stands.
7. Get inside the car and push footbrake a lot of times. Also activate the handbrake a lot of times. If you listen carefully you will hear the clicks from the adjuster as it moves into optimal position.
Job done.
Not only will you get a well adjusted handbrake. You will also get the foot pedal as high as it can be with much improved brake feel, - and it will stay that way for a long time.
I did mine over a year ago and the brakes are still perfect.
Note: As for the foot pedal travel and brake feel, if you have a G2-car with Brake Assist servo then dont expect this to happen to the same extent as the long pedal travel on these cars are partly due to the Brake Assist design.
Bjorn

[ColSmart]

Re: How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

I have driven plenty Fortwos, and the handbrake is useless.

Quite honestly you do not need it at all while driving , until you park up and leave the car.

Even then always leave the car in reverse gear, as quite a few of us have found to our horror, that the parked car has moved further down the hill than where we left it

[jaimemusic]

Re: How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

Hello, thanks BBE!!! thats really helpfull!!! and I have notice sometimes its fine and sometimes its not but just incase I always leave it in reverse!!

[seeem]

Re: How can I adjust the Hand Brake?

I found it too, and sometimes got a rather unpleasant crack sound when I tried to apply it.
Luckily mine seems to have sorted itself out now, and if I feel the car slipping backwards on a hill, I just pull mine up a couple more clicks. Not scientific but true. Hope yours gets sorted out mate.