406oc.co.uk

It's a common thing but you really need to do the full monty with new cables, new shoes (inner drum/disc), a good de-dust clean and copper slip where it needs etc.

Whilst your there though it makes sense to replace the disc/drum combo and pads (if the old ones are crap) and clean and lubricate the caliper slide pins and check piston for free movement etc etc

/horrible job.

A decent motor factors, not Pug as you'll be cancelling your holiday plans...

I'd reckon making sure your cables are free, scuffing up the inside of your drums with emery paper, cleaning (wire brush/ brake cleaner) and scuffing up the shoes (outside and wearing a dust mask of course) and sticking it all back together with copper grease on all the contact points, then adjusting all the play out of everything. It probably won't last forever but must be heaps cheaper than changing everything!

Have you tried adjusting them?

Once you find the adjusters (and as long as they aren't seized) it's dead easy to do and only takes a few minutes. Did mine a couple of weeks ago and now the handbrake is very good.

Thanks for the suggestions chaps - where are the adjusters located? - I am a cheap skate and don't have a service manual yet!

IIRC, the adjuster on the 406 is under the car near the rear end, look for a wire that goes into a T-junction bit of plastic (or metal didn't really investigate as to what it was made of) there should be a nut on one of the T ends, though if I'm completely off I'm sure someone will correct me. but from what i can see in the Haynes BOL, its the same as what I'm on about.

Need to have a look at my own some time.

There are individual adjusters on the drums too. Jack it up and support the car securely on axle stands, then remove both rear roadwheels (sorry, haynes moment! ). As you look at the hub you'll see a small round rubber bung. Grab the centre bit of the bung with a pointy nosed pliers and pull it out. Then comes the challenging bit, line up the drums so that the hole is opposite the disc brake caliper, then rotate it a couple of degrees either way watching through the hole for the adjuster, it's a sod to find because it's dark and everyhting's covered with brake dust. Once you find it, stick a screwdriver through the hole and turn the adjuster up until you can't turn the hub anymore, then back it off a couple of notches. Repeat for the other side. Job done

Once you've pissed about with a torch and found the adjusters through the stupid small hole the job is dead easy. I actually could have backed them back off less, haynes says 5 notches, but I now reckon 2 or 3 would have been enough. Still the handbrake works fine now and is fully on after about 7 or 8 clicks, was more like 11 before!

Drums? you got a band camped out in the back of your wheel arch?

hehe sorry couldn't resist. i take it your on about people with drum brakes on the read.

Mines got disks, unless your referring to something else that's attached to it as well as the disks and pads. mine also locks fully on 8 clicks but not on 7 which i find really strange so tend to pull harder on the handbrake than i normally would.

How did I know someone was going to say that?

The rear disks have have integrated small drums, within which are the handbrake shoes....

Does that make sense? hang on, I'll try again....

The handbrake is a cable operated system that's entirely separate from the main braking system. The handbrake shoes operate within a drum that is part of the hub portion of the rear discs...

That still sounds wrong doesn't it? Fek it! I give up!

i think what your trying to say it, the drum is the part that the brake disk screws to and sits on, and to sort out the handbrake drums you would more than likely have to change the wheel hub, or you take the brake disks off an then the center bolt holding the drum (effectively the wheel hub) off.

I think I'm starting to confuse my self so I'm going to stop right there. lol

I know it's a volvo, but it's a bit like this