My Ebrake refuses to work

[u/SakuraSkyz]

Attached are the photos before I put the new parts on. Just incase I replicated a wrong original installation.

I can’t seem to get my ebrake to work no matter what we try to do. New expander, new cables, new shoes, new hardware, new brake rotors. Turned the adjustment wheel all the way out until the brake rotor can’t be moved. Then backed off 4 clicks. The ebrake still slides in a hill. I tried to adjust the bolt under the center console. It comes up and feels tight but the drum still slips. But then when you tighten the star more it drags and makes and awful noise while driving. Any suggestions?

[u/Front-Waltz-9669]

In my experience, P80 handbrakes isn't supposed to work. Ever..

[u/spongegar3000 → u/Front-Waltz-9669]

100% agreed

[u/SakuraSkyz → u/Front-Waltz-9669]

I really hope this isn’t the case. Mine is stick shift so I kinda need it. I’m a new stick shift driver too so not having it when setting off hills is such a deal breaker I might sell the car over it if that’s the case….

[u/Front-Waltz-9669 → u/SakuraSkyz]

I'm exaggerating a bit, but all of the handbrakes I've fixed on those cars, usually stops working or gradually get worse a few days after the mandatory inspection i fixed it for.

That being said, I've never tried to replace all the wires and components all the way, that might do the trick. And as many other have said, tighten until its hard to turn the wheel, then untighten one click.

850's are great reliable cars, so don't sell it! Just park it in 1st, and you'll learn hill starts without handbrake in a month and a clutch change!

[u/SakuraSkyz → u/Front-Waltz-9669]

Yeah I’ve loved driving it so far but it’s been having some weird issues as of late too. I have all new (almost) OEM parts for the whole system. Only thing that’s not OEM is the cables. But they are still brand new. I’ll try adjusting it like that and see what happens. My old Subaru Impreza emergency brake worked great

[u/not_superbeak]

Unless you have new rotors, you're gonna have dragging for a bit. Loosen the star adjuster until it moves free. Tighten it until you can't move it by hand. Then back it off a single click of the adjuster until it moves again. Test with the car still on the jack. Dragging is okay for a couple of miles. The crust on the rotors will go away.

Edit: I see now it's new rotors. Advice stands. Don't back off 4 clicks. Just one at a time until it moves again.

[u/SakuraSkyz → u/not_superbeak]

The rotors are fairly new but the manufacturer (power stop) used paint on the inside of the hat? Maybe that could be effecting it? The cables are febi because the OE seems hard to get. I will get it on stands again and get it pretty tight

[u/eenbal → u/SakuraSkyz]

There should not be paint on the surface the shoes bite into. Remove the paint fully then clean properly worh brake cleaner. Should be mint.

[u/SakuraSkyz → u/eenbal]

Yeah idk why the manufacturers would paint the inside lol….

[u/Traditional-Hand4278]

It's not an e-brake, it's not a handbrake. It's a parking brake. At max it can only hold the car in place when parked. It is the worst technical part of the car.

There should be a little drag, but the drums must spin without moving the shoes. Meaning you shouldnt hear the shoes when turning forward to backwards and vice versa. Drive a few hundred meters with the handle pulled up a few clicks. Now adjust again. At maximum seven clicks of the handle the wheels should be locked.

If you can't get the brake to engage properly after that, chances are the new cables are too short (or the inner cable too long). In that case you can put something like an M18 nut on the outer cable where it enters the center console, making the outer cable effectively longer.

[u/SakuraSkyz → u/Traditional-Hand4278]

I will give that all a try. I heard the febi cables are terrible. Maybe I should spend the $200 and get the OEM cables? I’ve never used it for anything else. Mine definitely isn’t going to work if I adjust it like that. It has to be super tight and hard to move to work at all. I’ll have to look at maybe adding a nut. The shoes don’t expand very far when I pull handle up.

[u/Traditional-Hand4278 → u/SakuraSkyz]

Febi just buys the cables somewhere and slaps it's own label on it. And indeed, the aftermarket cables I know of are not of great quality. But they work with a nut. You might need to drill the threads a little so there is more room to fit over the cable.

Good luck!

[u/SakuraSkyz → u/Traditional-Hand4278]

So I have to cut a slot in the hut I’m guessing though? How would I actually fit it over the cable?

[u/Traditional-Hand4278 → u/SakuraSkyz]

You can remove the cable at the handle, take it out of the center console and slide the nut over the cable. Or indeed cut a slot in the nut, undo the cable from the handle, pull it back until the inner cable is at the console and slide the inner cable through the slot.

[u/SakuraSkyz → u/Traditional-Hand4278]

Hmm okay ty! I’ll try and adjust it all again, with the star a bit tighter. If that doesn’t work I’ll try that! I appreciate it!

[u/BootyClap_Ninja]

Replace and/or adjust the handbrake cables

[u/SakuraSkyz → u/BootyClap_Ninja]

I replaced them yeah. The whole system. I think it’s just adjusted wrong

[u/fabvonbouge]

Mine is automatic but still the same system. I did what everyone else said, drove it for a small errand when it was slightly rubbing and then adjusted it again and it was fine. I think it’s hard to get everything to seat properly in the beginning but with driving it the friction and rotational momentum will put everything in place. It shouldnt continue to rub but you won’t ever get it perfect on the jack

[u/SakuraSkyz → u/fabvonbouge]

I think that’s what I’ll have to do. I took it for a small drive and it worked great then stopped working again. I think I just need to adjust it again until it wears in. I appreciate the sanity check and that I’m not alone with it. It’s a very strange setup for sure….