Frozen Handbrake

[ZippyVR6 0]

As I reversed of the drive this morning the car felt a little sluggish. :(

 

The handbrake was frozen and jammed in place. I left the car to idle for about 10 mins or so hoping the heat from the exhaust and whatnot would melt the frozen cable.

 

I was going to be late for work so I thought sod it and drove off slowly, hoping the heat from the brakes would loosen up the ice. However 5 miles into my journey it was still smelling a bit warm and hadnt released.

 

It eventually pinged back on the motorway and was nice and cool when I arived at work, dispite the burning brake smell that hung around the car.

 

What sort of damage could this have done? and how can I prevent it happening again, short of just leaving the car in gear.

[coolrado 0]

if it doesnt judder when you brake and there are no cracks in the disks it should be fine, even if the disks have gone blue they should be fine after a few stops, check your pads havnt started to seperate from the backing, although i only had that once with a set of dodgy green stuff pads when they overheated.

 

to stop it happening again either park with the hand brake off in cold weather, or make sure the little rubber bellows on the end of the handbrake cables are intact and spray some good lube down the handbrake cable sleeves, not wd40 as it wont last, some of that 3in1 with ptfe oil from halfrauds should do the job nicely.

[craigowl 0]

AS coolrado says. 8)

 

This was a problem on cars over 40 years ago. Funny we have wipers that come on themselves when it rains, etc, yet the automotive industry ain't been willing to solve this one.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Aye... rear brakes don't do enough work and therefore pronze to seizing. I actually prefer drum brakes for the rear tbh, but they look horrible!

 

Sounds like the cold weather has shown up a weak caliper handbrake mech. I'd be looking to get some MK4s on there if not already, but in the interim, make sure the pads are free to slide in the carrier (they often rust solid) and do what Coolrado says and lube the handbrake lever and cables. it's the best you can do unfortunately.

[coolrado 0]

good point mr cheese, mine havnt done it at all since i fitted the mk4 rear calipers, i also havnt had to adjust the hand brake either, the return spring is much stronger on them.

[ZippyVR6 0]

Many thanks all. Ill get it greased up in the interim and park in gear for the cold snap.

 

With regards the Mk4 set, is it a complete swap front and back? and does it require larger discs pads?

[coolrado 0]

nope just the rears, use your original carriers and change the calipers, you will also need a set of adapter pipes to fit them. they also use the same pads and disks, they are just made out of alloy instead of steel and have a better more reliable handbrake mech.

[ZippyVR6 0]

Okaish, Ta much.

[Toad 0]

My cables freeze up regularly in this weather. and I'm certain it's the cables rather than the calipers.

 

My rubber boots on the ends of the cables are knackered and there is a mulittude of crap inside the cables. It would well be worth making sure your cables are free, and squirting some of the lube into them. it doesn't take long with the help of a mate. I still wouldn't rely on this curing the problem forever though. When it's cold, wack it in gear.... Better safe than sorry.

 

There was no resistance on the handbrake when you released it?

 

I leave the beast running for a while, 10-15 minutes or so and it unfreezes... the trouble with driving before they unfreeze is that you have cold air flowing under the car and not melting the cables.

 

I've also heard that the bleed screw (and I suppose the brake pipe) siezes in the mk4 caliper, so before fitting them put some copper grease on the threads just in case.

[Bally 0]

I had the same problem with myn today.. god I hate winter :roll:

 

meant to be even colder 2nite... :(

[Guest]

had the same problem a couple of weeks ago.

 

Its the cable as opposed the the brakes that is freezing.

 

I park mine in gear now, when I know its going to be cold, but then you can't get the brake on after your journey, as it freezes open :D

[coolrado 0]

yeah it is the cables but the mk4 calipers have stronger return springs and seem to pull the cable free even if it is slightly frozen.

 

the reason the mk4 caliper bleed screws sieze is due to the corrosion between steel and ally, so yes it is definately worth giving them a good coat with copperslip.

[Nuggit 0]

Aye, if it helps, on my Mk2 Golf the NSR calliper froze, and I proved beyond all reasonable doubt there was bugger all icing in it by the simple expedient of dismantling the rear brakes on the driveway at 7am. In a suit.

 

It was fun.

 

I sold my Golf.

[Toad 0]

yeah it is the cables but the mk4 calipers have stronger return springs and seem to pull the cable free even if it is slightly frozen.

 

I've tried pulling the handbrake on tighter to 'break the ice' before. and that's not worked. Although I realise I'm not going to move the cable that much at the caliper end, I'm sure i'm putting more force on it than a spring on the caliper.

[Guest]

you'll end up braking/detaching the cable probably :-/

 

then the highlights will off, and the wipers will break

 

the longer you live with a Corrado, the more they resemble a clown car ;D

[Toad 0]

haha. yeah, I stopped trying to pull it fairly quickly

[ZippyVR6 0]

 

There was no resistance on the handbrake when you released it?

 

 

Yeah there was no resistance.

 

Looks like me and my clowncar :lol: will be leaving it in gear for the next few days

[davidwort 0]

I had the same problem with myn today.. god I hate winter :roll:

 

meant to be even colder 2nite... :(

 

:lol: my little used passenger door handle froze in the open position when my mrs got in the car yesterday, she had to hold the door the mile down the road to her work, it popped back after then for the rest of my journey.

 

Still, the mk4 is worse, the quality 'furry' outer door seals get moisture in them which totally freezes all the door shut if it's been damp/raining and then it freezes overnight, had to pour warm water over the drivers door for 5 mins one time to just get in the car, some things don't improve :lol:

[VeeDub Geezer 0]

i didnt even realise the Jade's C's handbrake was frozen or seized until i went to put the handbrake back on at work and realised there was slack/no tension at the bottom of the handbrakes travel.. lol

 

davidwort, they didnt get any better wih the mk5 either...

 

my dad works nights and went back to his car in the morning and went to open the rear door. frozen shut.

 

then as he was driving home and the little MFA annouches: *bing* "DOOR OPEN!"

 

lmao

[moneypit23 0]

Mine froze on Wednesday, still frozen now or could be broke as the handle is pretty much facing the roof.