Hi All

I just failed the NCT because of the handbrake. The minimum is 16% and mine is at 13%. The nearest Toyota garage says it will cost €454. That seems outrageous to me. Your thoughts? Anywhere else I should take it in the Dublin/Wicklow area? Thanks.

Does it not just need adjusting then?

Hey Smokin' Joe
Thanks for the message. It seems to me that an adjustment is all that's needed but the garage didn't say. They just quoted me the huge price via email rather than talk to me. Very strange. Anyway, you were great in the Thrilla in Manilla!

Bring her down to Longford ill throw her on a lift and get it sorted for you.

Is the adjustment for the handbrake lever travel inside the car or underneath the car?

Directly below the hand brake underneath the car

Hi All

I just tried another garage and they said the handbrake needs new cables, would cost €600 and he didn't sound confident about being able to do the job because of the 'complexity'. At this point I just want to know the job is done right. Any garage suggestions Dublin/Wicklow and surrounds? Thanks.

I done this job myself and its diy

€600 is a joke

I got 2 pagid cables from micks garage for €80 if I remember correctly

eringobragh wrote:
I done this job myself and its diy

€600 is a joke

I got 2 pagid cables from micks garage for €80 if I remember correctly

Further to this I just checked and I got mine from eurocarparts - I think Micksgarage were €75 each at the time

Its a relatively straight forward job assuming none of the pins are stuck, heres my experience with it

Part Details Below:



Promotion: 5% off for Twitter Customers
Promotion Saving: -2.18 GBP
Surcharge: 0.00 GBP
Subtotal of Items: 41.26 GBP
Postage & Packing: 9.50 GBP
Total for this order: 50.76 GBP
-----

Order Summary:
-----

1 x 108820078 @ 21.54 GBP
Pagid Handbrake Cable
for: Toyota MR2 2.0 1998
----
1 x 108820168 @ 21.90 GBP
Pagid Handbrake Cable
for: Toyota MR2 2.0 1998





eringobragh wrote:
NCT failed on handbrake which I suspected would do - its a common enough issue on the MR2 to happen I believe

On further inspection the passenger side was seized half open and the drivers side was working but on the way out

Picked up 2 PAGID handbrake cables on eurocarparts that come in a nifty racing blue


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My cables were like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1JINQbrXYE

Before:


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20 minutes passenger side - 1.5 hours drivers - could not shift the clevis pin on the handbrake -blowtorch, vicegrips, hammer nothing would shift her - in the end I used a balljoint separator and a deep impact wrench socket to take the pin - out in a minute grrrrr -


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Rusted clevis pin - can to file rust off both this and the holder as it wouldn't fit back in


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Well I've now a working handbrake again , its the small things in life you take for granted :)



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As Erin says its a DIY job just a little time consuming. There's guides on how to do it if you google it.

PS your pics aernt showing Erin.

Tsporter wrote:
As Erin says its a DIY job just a little time consuming. There's guides on how to do it if you google it.

PS your pics aernt showing Erin.

Must be an issue with the pics provider.

Also it didn't impact me because I done this a few months prior to this but you'll probably have to drill out the undertray bolts as they are likely to snap

Get yourself a M6 tap (or full tap and die set) and some M6x20mm Stainless bolts and penny washers to replace

all in all it should take 2-3 hours all in - after the price of the cables, stainless bolts, etc you'll be €500 richer.

Failing that I can recommend Stimpsons in Killester

Lads I'd a massive problem with this, although it may be the cable are people aware of the actual method there is for adjusting the handbrake on an MR2?

There's cable adjustment under the car sorta directly under where the handbrake is but the hard part is adjusting the actual calipers themselves.
I'd a nightmare with this as it's very trial and error figuring out the correct method and if you get it wrong your handbrakes will go very high with very little bite.

Normally when changing pads you just push or wind the piston back then pop in new pads and you're done. With the MR2 you need to wind the calipers back to just the right position so they're tight then wind them back another half turn and out again another half turn.

I don't know how the mech works exactly but if you don't do that you will never get your handbrake right. Yes it could be the cables but if you aren't aware of how to adjust the caliper it'll never be right

Turlock wrote:
Lads I'd a massive problem with this, although it may be the cable are people aware of the actual method there is for adjusting the handbrake on an MR2?

There's cable adjustment under the car sorta directly under where the handbrake is but the hard part is adjusting the actual calipers themselves.
I'd a nightmare with this as it's very trial and error figuring out the correct method and if you get it wrong your handbrakes will go very high with very little bite.

Normally when changing pads you just push or wind the piston back then pop in new pads and you're done. With the MR2 you need to wind the calipers back to just the right position so they're tight then wind them back another half turn and out again another half turn.

I don't know how the mech works exactly but if you don't do that you will never get your handbrake right. Yes it could be the cables but if you aren't aware of how to adjust the caliper it'll never be right

Easy enough to adjust the handbrake as its done in the middle of the car under the cover - its just a bolt that goes either direction to tighten or loosen - very straight forward

See: mr2.ie/mr2/bgb/mk2/mechanical/brake_system.html Page (BR-8)

Regarding Cables - jack up the car at the back (using usual safety precautions!) and look under at the handbrake cable if its moved at all (when its down)

Other than that with the handbrake cable up try and rotate the each wheel by hand (make sure cars in neutral) you shouldn't be able to move it in the slightest

Lower the handbrake and do the same with both wheels - if theres a slight 'dragging' then your cables likely to be seized


Regarding the rewind tool you don't need it for this job, just for changing the pads:

I have this set www.amazon.co.uk/Merry-Tools-HK-Caliper-...+Tool+Kit+Set+21+PCS

You only need the basic tool in this set but its as well to pay the extra few quid and future proof your tools for cars you may have in the future.

Hope that all makes sense

Try this link and click on 'Check and Adjustments'
mr2.ie/mr2/bgb/mk2/mechanical/brake_system.html

eringobragh wrote:
Regarding the rewind tool you don't need it for this job, just for changing the pads

Yeah but that's my point, maybe someone changed the pads at some stage and didn't adjust the handbrake properly. Very common on these...

Check out Geoff's link and before replacing cables, loosen off the middle section, remove the cables from the calipers (test they're free at that stage). Then reset the calipers as per guide, reconnect cables and tighten centre section again. You're aiming for 2 clicks

If you're badly stuck I can probably take a look with you some evening, I'm in Dundrum.

Hey Turlock

That would be great. I work in Sandyford so I'm around the corner. Happy to pay you for your time. I'm on a bit of a tight time frame now as I have my retest for the 25th of Feb. Send me your number in a private message to confirm.

Thanks,

Matt

Cool I won't know for sure what I'm up to until next week so 25th might be tight. I'm working Monday night but I'll know how my week's lining up by then. I'd say pencil me in for Tuesday evening after work and if you're not sorted by then I'll take a look for you