Hi All,
Ed is right. BUT... With the handbrake tree lever 'Turnbuckle for actuation rods' as Ed called it as far back as it will go. That is just about touching the chassis down tube, one must also ensure the handbrake levers on the calipers are resting on their stops. NOW.... When fitting the actuation rods from the tree lever to the caliper levers, 9 times out of 10 one finds them too short by anything up to 4-5 mm approx. Fitting them (and keeping the tree lever where you want it) will lift the caliper levers off their stops. SO... To acheive the tree lever position and levers on stops situ' one has to 'set' the length of the rods. Setting the adjustment as Ed says is next, so adjust the pads clearance as normal. Levers should still be on their stops and the tree lever nearly touching the down tube. IE as far back as it will go. THEN fit your new cable. Again 9 times out of 10 it WILL be too long and setting the cable correctly will see you with ALL the adjustment used up and then some. Hence Rob's spacer and my shortened cable.

Take your pick as to which method you use. I much prefer to see the cable fully engaged and screwed ALL the way into the mount, and the lock nut tightened. Any futher slack appearing can be quickly adjusted out. If I run out of adjustment again (this does happen!) I simply screw the cable adjuster all the way back in and reset the nipple position.

I have two shortened cables. The one on the car (at the moment) has the clamped on moveable/removable purpose made stainless steel nipple. It is under test if you like. I have pulled with both hands on the car's handbrake 'lever' (There is no leverage. its a straight pull !) WAY more than a normal 'pull' and I can't move the nipple.
I also tested this on a 'spare' cable sent by Susan Millar and I did apply leverage to this cable using the same 'nipple' and again I could not shift it, so no safety issue what so ever. I would defy anyone to move it under reasonable (say double the normal load?) conditions. This is the system I used to find the cable length required before I cut the inner and fitted a new swaged on nipple. This cable was a perfect length when fitted to the car, BUT it is already stretching and has required some adjustment.

My hand brake, tested during MOT and with the clamp on nipple fitted, easily managed to lock the wheels.

This is my solution to the problem. But as I say.. 'To each their own'. Sort it to suit yourself... When you are happy with it. Fine. It's not difficult. Properly set it works just fine.

Alex B....

I went through Ed's bag of tricks with the adjustment. The cable was still too long. Rather that wretching the whole thing out and possibly winding up with a botched job of clamping the end on a new location/shortened cable, I took the easy way outi and was done with it in very little time . Works like a charm. Adjuster bolt is screwed almost all the way in. Perhaps there were different sources for these cables or some were just longer than others. Switching around parts seems to be the norm when these cars were built.

Rob Walker
26-4889

Hi Ed..

Nah! I had no hang ups etc. The cable was just too feckin long! It was well slack! Even with the tree lever right back touching the chassis. I had to take off around 80mm of inner. I made up the Stainkess nipple and slid it along the cable to where I wanted it.Tightened the grubs.Then tightened the locking grubs. I then cut off the excess cable and measured it. That was the info I gave to Susan M... I think I should still have the cutting somewhere. It was fully the length of the screw adjuster part.

I also produced adjustable ends on the 'rods'. Set them exactly to length and slipped in stainless clevis pins thro' rebored holes. R clips hold them in place. Caliper ends have 5mm dia well copperslipped bolts with nylock nuts tightened to remove any slop but allowing free rotation.

My handbrake is great now. Thank goodness. Car has now done 2k mls and only adjusted the handbrake a small amount once. So far so good.

Rob is also dead on.. You need to do something or you have a slack cable. His spacer to take up the slack will also work well.


Alex...

Has anybody fitted inertia reel seatbelts to their Elan, this would fix the problem of not being able to reach the handbrake? TOH has this problem when driving my Elan, so I get to drive up and down all the windy mountain roads, so it's not all bad

Carl

I did a long time ago see:

elan-f14/inertia-reel-seat-belts-t17442.html

Points out of ten?

I always operated on the theory that I wanted to be belted in as snugly as possible so that in case of an accident my body decellerated with the car. With inertia reels, there is a short delay before the seat belts tension and your body begins decellerating. Especially considering the small size of the Elan, that short delay could be fatal.

This works. I was hit head on by a car that crossed into my lane (at what is considered to be a fatal speed) and walked away.

Since I have longish arms, I can still reach the parking brake while belted in. Otherwise, release the seat belt, release the parking brake, and buckle back up.

David
1968 36/7988

11...... Can't speak higher of her...Superb... She listens very well also and is prepared to act on what she learns..


She has adjustable handbrake rods available now also..

Alex....

I'll quit with the double entendre's (if that's how you spell it, at least it got bloody Microsoft lost?), for now Alex.
I'm only on this thread by default so am jumping Ship.
Cheers
John

I,m Keeping shtoomph.... I am sure Susan reads this. My prices are down. Yours may well be up (Pun intended!!)

I am enjoying the doublers John..Dont go!

Alex...

Oh you can be sure that the majority of our suppliers or their Spies keep an eye on us (Market Watch)
However I'm sure that our sense of humour is not lost on Sue.
Not too long ago I had contact with her about supplying her with "Twin Screws" so go to work on that one Alex.
God willing I'll be around for a while; I just thought that I'd contaminated this Thread sufficiently
Oh & no, not as often as I'd like. How much does a quadruple cost?

Cheers
John

Hi Guys.. John,

I got my one free. Twin screws? Sounds like that pair of (twins!) American porn stars. Very pretty...(I am told )

Susan's sense of humour will see us thro' I am sure.. You may well find out on placing your next order!!

Alex...

0ok back to brakes ---I doubt you tightened the 12 point bolt on the emerg caliper enough ---this removes the slack in the cable --its all very Zen like ---how ever did the Brits win the war with thinking like that ?????---oh yes I remember ---the Yanks did it for them -------ed

Oh yes I did Ed And oh no they didn't Ed

Trust me.. The cable(s) are toooo long.

Alex B...

alas and abundance of length or girth unfortunately never has been a problem for me---ed