Pastor

Not my car but my brothers. He has a MK1 Golf on which the ratchet for the handbrake has failed. It still operates as normal and is effective but feels "loose" as if there is no resistance. We presume this is the ratchet.
Will it pass an MOT test or do we need to get it fixed?

King Eric

yep straight MOT fail, need to fix it

Pastor

Thanks, thought as much, there goes running the car on a shoestring.

vindaloo

Erm.... how can the ratchet have failed and the handbrake still work?
Doh! Unless only part of the ratchet is worn


J.

Pastor

Good point. We just assumed it was the ratchet. Don't know for sure until we take it apart.Handbrake still works ie pull it up and it holds the car as normal, however the action is extremely light and doesn't feel normal but it doesn't make any untoward noises (like if you applied it without pressing the button). What else could it be? You've got me confused now!

TRF

stretched cable? worn shoes? if it clicks when you pull it up without the button then the ratchet should be ok.

dome

Get on here and ask http://www.clubgti.com/forum/

Is the button easy to press? Possibly the spring that holds the ratchet is weak. Just an idea.

Pastor

Thanks for the ideas, I don't think the cable has stretched as it happened "all of a sudden". It does click when operated without the button so I guess it's not the ratchet. The button is easy to press as well. Can see I'm going to be asking a few questions on clubgti.
Cheers.

dome

I'd go to a scrappies and get a new handbrake lever, if it's anythng like a MK2 Golf they're easy to change and it'll only cost you a few quid.

Dream Weaver

If it happened all of a sudden, then the cable may have split, or come loose in its mounting somewhere.

I would check the cable first.

Pastor

Surely if the cable was at fault then the handbrake wouldn't function normally? Thanks for the help though- we are going to take it apart later today, if it stops raining and have a look.

Dream Weaver

See if the handbrake still holds on a big hill

Pastor

It does! it gets parked on a gradient so steep it's hard to walk up. Can't wait for the rain to stop and we can take a look.

Pastor

Guess what- I think one of the callipers has seized. Common with these cars I believe.
Symptoms-take the shroud off the handbrake and the cables are not symetrical ie one of them doesn't seem to move ie their positions are uneven.

Damn yet more money on this old clunker (but we love her)