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Rear calipers

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calipers
1K views 13 replies 4 participants last post by  SpeakerDocktor 
#1 ·
My GTV failed it's MOT on the handbrake cables being over tightened and the brake only working at 13% efficiency. Something to do with the lever on the calipers being too far round to start with. Hopefully that makes sense to someone!

Anyway I was told by the garage I'd need to get new calipers?! Is this right? Seems strange to me as the brakes work fine and it's only the handbrake that's the problem, so surely it just needs the cables replacing if they're overtightened?

Any help greatly appreciated as I need the car back on the road asap!
 
#5 ·
It's where I always take the car and they've been reasonable in the past but it does seem a bit dodgy to me! Never seen the person who did the mot there before so might take it somewhere else for a second opinion. Gonna try adjusting it following the manual instructions and see if it makes any difference.

I knew they weren't right as the handle was getting harder to lift and never seemed too great, just didin't realise quite how bad!
 
#8 ·
He just tightened it up as far as I remember. I had to get new front discs and pads to solve the braking imbalance.

Yours seems to be an opposite kind of problem though i.e too tight. Not sure what the solution would be, but surely you can slacken it off somehow.
 
#9 ·
Worrying thing is I've never adjusted the handbrake cable. Tempted to get new cables then adjust it by the manual and see what happens.

My line of thought is if the cables are too tight then they can't physical pull any tighter so apply the handbrake must be stretching them?! Makes sense to me, but then it is an Alfa so it's probably nothing like that!!
 
#10 ·
You probably need to free the pistons in the calipers up. They may move ok under normal braking, but they may not move correctly when the handbrake is used, as there is lot less force on the pistons with the handbrake.

You set the cable by pressing the pedal with the handbrake cable not attached. Then attach it after, and tighten it inside the car under the handbrake lever.
 
#11 ·
With my dad's 156 the 'Alfa specialist' (official dealer :rant: ) tried adjusting the hand/parkingbrake after a pad change; as a result you needed arms like the Hulk to pull the hand/parkingbrake lever up 3 notches -and the thing still wouldn't apply the brakes!
On the calipers you could see the hand/parking brake cable lever was tightened fully, it could only move marginally until it could not move at all -hence you couldn't get the lever up more than 3 notches.

The 156 rear brake setup is identical as the 916's: the rear calipers pistons can rotate. With the piston rotating (it only rotates if it is not tight against the pad) it moves outwards and compensates for slack due to (mostly) pad-wear (or when installing new pads and the pistons have been manually rotated back).

According to the workshop manual the way to adjust the handbrake (after installing new pads for instance, but just do it with your brakes now):

- loosen the handbrake cable fully (small bolt under the lever itself)
- with handbrake cable fully loosened, according to the service manual; 'operate the brake pedal forcefully at least ten times'. This should give the pistons enough workout to 'rotate' the slack away.
- Set the handbrake lever to the third notch/click and tighten the handbrake cable until the wheels are braked.


Did above adjustment, now my dads (156) handbrake works fine.:thumbs: During the next days it'll get better as the piston can rotate a bit more. Nice thing; you don't need to remove any wheels!

Cheers
Martijn
 
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