Replace handbrake shoes & cable

[chippie]

My 406 (2l petrol d8) just scraped through its MOT retest with handbrake efficiency of 16%

That is after I tightened up the adjusters, and seriously tightened the cables up. So it's time to replace the lot.

Who here has done this, and how long did it take to do?

[poddack]

You beat me by 4%, I replaced all three hand brake cables and both sets of rear brake shoes on my 406 estate with all round discs. Cost me about £70 and took three hours including adjustment. I followed Haynes instructions which a few members here don't like, the brakes come on nice and tight and it passed the MOT but the handbrake lever is on 11 clicks.

[teamster1975]

I got 16% too; as Poddack says about 3 hours to do the job.

[chippie]

I got 16% too; as Poddack says about 3 hours to do the job.

I got 15% on the original test. Took the wheels off and adjusted the shoes using the adjusters (poking a screwdrived through the hole in the hub), and tighteneg the cables as much as I could.

The MOT guy didn't think I had actually done anything to it at all he just got one of the other testers to pull the handbrake as hard as he could to get 16%!!

[teamster1975]

The cable adjuster was rusted solid on mine.
The only awkward bit is getting the new cable past the heatshield into the cabin; if you undo all the heatshield screws & drop it onto the pipe there's just enough room to get your hands in to feed the cable through. Be prepared for lots of scuffs on the back of your hands and a sore back!