How to stretch the hand brake cables?

[Pavel]

Hi R4 friends,

I have the hand brake actuating on the front wheels. I changed the brake cables. It was very diffcult to stretch the cables and to fix them on their place and to insert the plug in the its first position, as you can see in the picture. However the front wheels are free still, though the hand brake lever is full pulled out. The plug should be removed to the second position at least, but beyond my power to stretch the cables any further by hand. There should be used a special tool or have you any idea, how to adjust the cables?
Many thanks

 

[Steve Hennessey]

Right - my memory is being transported back 30 years when I last worked on a drum brake model!! I used a lever to move the cable retainer in the drum towards the centre and then wedged a wheel nut in the gap so I could pull the cable out more to put the clevis pin in the second or third hole. Do both sides at the same time and once it's all adjusted up put plenty or grease on the swivel and where the cables bear on the lever.

Hope this makes sense!!

 

[Simon P]

Hello
When i use to service the front handbrake cars i fount the best way was to
take the front brake drums off and lever the handbrake arms across, then put a spacer between the shoe and the arm(I use a big socket) this will give you free play in the cables,If you them slide the handles of a small pair of pliers in the gap between the handbrake arm and pivot you can leaver the pivot and put the pin in the next hole.
Hope this helps
Simon

 

[angel]

One more note, Pavel, I have found it unnecessary to put the clevis pin the way Renault did (from below!!!) Put it from the top, and don't bother with the split pin, the clevis pin is impossible to move upwards!

 

[pepper]

Although I found that I did as Angel said and didn't put the split pin in and the one side of the lever worked its way down and then came off and bent all the assembly, it took me ages to get it all bent back correctly again and to put the clevis pin back in!

 

[Pavel]

Hi friends, many thanks for the advice. I have done it today. I inserted the wheel nuts under the hand brake levers in the trommels, while the dash board brake lever was in the utmost position. Than I unblocked the hand brake operating level, however the cables were not very released. So I help him with the bolts of different sizes, which I jamed apparently in the picture.
And the pin is there, I inserted him than from below easy. However it´s the worst job, what I have done on my R4. Or can I expect anything worse?

 

[pepper]

Changing the starter motor behind the handbrake cable!