Weak Hand Brake

[PMan_S13]

Ever since I've had my car it has had what can only be descibed as a very weak hand brake. For the longest time I just figured it was that the rear calipers just didn't have any strength to them.. but then my friend let me drive his 240 and, just out of curiosity, I pushed the clutch in and pulled the hand brake and his tires barked. He wasn't thrilled but it has led to this post anyway

So can anyone think of what could be the problem? The brake pads aren't worn down and I just recently retightened the cable to the hand brake; I really have no idea what could be out of order...

I'm not looking to go pulling my handbrake to lock up the tires.. I just like fixing my car

[YamaOni]

Where did you tighten the brake up at? The lever or is there and adjustment under the car? I the brake wires might just be stretched out too much!!

[PMan_S13]

If you take off the hand brake boot there is a little nut threaded on the cable. I just tightened it so there wasn't quite as much play in it...

before I had done that I had to pull the lever all most straight up to get it to sit parked on a slight incline. Now it is "supposedly" fully engaged in about 6 - 7 clicks rather than about 12.

I don't think the cable could be the problem. Although if you pull hard enough it sounds somewhat like plucking a guitar string...

[YamaOni]

How are your rear pads? Jack up the A$$ end and look at the cables, I think they can be adjusted ....I will ask the MAD one

[PMan_S13]

The pads are in pretty good shape I believe. I haven't owned this 240 for very long so I'm not positive. The little metal things that make the brake screech aren't touching yet so they must have some pad left.

I hope we can figure this out.. it is really quite pathetic actually. Thanks for the help so far..

[YamaOni]

I think you need the cables, but take a look at adjusting the cables under the car.

[Syntax360]

PMan-S13 - is it like mine? I've found my car out in the street after parking my car on a steep incline more than once.....the brake doesn't do anything unless pulled all the way up, and even there it just barely holds the car.....with some effort one can push the car backwards. i'll try adjusting the cable under the boot later today.

[PMan_S13]

Yep.. that's how bad mine is. It is extremely weak.. if for some reason I had to use it for braking it would be so much easier to engine brake.

In all honesty, it only barely slows down more than if I just coast to a stop.

I don't know if I could push it with the brake on, but I know that if I don't really get it pulled hard it will roll back on even small inclines.

Where is the adjustment for the cable under the car?

[1991240xs]

why are you pulling your ebrake while you're moving....trying to drift?..heh...~

[PMan_S13]

Naa... I'm just finding it very annoying that it is so weak. It wouldn't have bothered me if I didn't see that my friends was so much more powerful but know I know it is not normal and out of spec.

"Out of spec" that's what has me annoyed...

[Mayhem_J30]

"Out of spec" that's what has me annoyed...

uh oh, sounds like the beginning of a very expensive habit.

what pads does the 240 use for the hand brake?...the normal rear brakes that are activated by using the brake pedal or is there a 2nd inner pad used specifically for the hand brake almost like a drum inside the hub?

[PMan_S13]

Mine doesn't have those.. but I know what you're talking about. Those are the type that are on 300zx's, not sure if any 240's ever had them ?

The cable on my brake just compresses the rear caliper.

"Out of spec" that's what has me annoyed...

Ok, maybe "way out of spec" would be better.. I could care less about small things that are wrong. But the brake is so useless, I might as well not even have it.

[gruntzz]

adjusting the nut under the hand brake boot will tighten it up. it is the same principal as tightening the brakes on a bicycle. Chilton's manual states 240sx hand brake should engage in 6-8 clicks. there is also an adjuster under the car but most adjustments should be able to be done at the handle.

[PMan_S13]

I have already tightened the one under the boot, that is not the problem. When I pull on the hand brake it gets tight, it just hardly applies braking power.

Does anyone know how to adjust that cable under the car? I don't see it in my FSM anywhere..

[Sijonda]

I'm having the same issue with my 91. I've adjusted my hand brake so it engages within 4-5 clicks and even with me pulling up with both hands as hard as I can the brakes barely engage. I've gone through 2 sets of brake pads out of the 5+ years I've had this car so I know it's not the brakes and I've obviously fixed the issue with the hand brake itself.

I've already been woken up by my uncle when he found my car wedged up against his trailer. If the trailer wasn't there the car would have rolled off the cliff his cabin was built next to.

I don't care if this is a dead post, this s*** needs fixed for us who love our cars and don't want to walk up to our destroyed cars.