Whoops, ripped my handbrake mount off the tunnel...

[Funkster 0]

A couple of days before the MOT, I decided to finally sort out a dodgy handbrake lever that was getting stuck partway up due to poor cable adjustment by the mechanic who changed the cables. Sorted the sticking, then took it out to see how well the handbrake worked.

 

Gave the lever a good pull, and BANG! The front stud pulled out of the tunnel mount. Don't know my own strength, clearly.

 

No worries though - cut the ruined bit out, made a repair piece out of 3mm steel, quickly plasterboarded the car to avoid ruining the seats with weld spelter, lined it up with the lever and welded it in. Quick token effort with some blue hammerite and I can now confidently lock both rear wheels without the car falling to bits!

 

ttfn,

--

Olly

[fla 9]

Good work there - the welding not the breaking of course ;)

[Funkster 0]

Hehe!

 

Not my finest hour as a welder but I really didn't have time to strip the interior out in order to safely use the angle grinder to properly get rid of the old bracket.

 

It works and it's strong enough, so that'll do for me.

[Jim 2]

Went through the same last year. Despite having owned a number of Corrado's, first time it had happened to me though I understand it's another one of those 'common' Corrado problems. Stealth did a great job welding it up for me and it's been sturdy ever since :)

[swiftkid 1]

Happened to me a while ago as well, funny thing was I was just pulling over to help a fellow dubber broken down by the side of the road and pulled my handbrake completely off... Oops

[davidwort 0]

My guess is this happens when the lever has been badly adjusted for years, if the end of the handle cover (facing the rear of the car) gets bent each time you pull the brake on, then the lever is pulling up too far.

The whole thing isn't helped by rear caliper handbrake release mechanisms seizing or partially seizing though, that means the lever has to be lifted up further.