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A moral in this story

Endoman

Well-known member
Joined
11 Apr 2011
Messages
1,588
Common 993 problem, poor handbrake so full strip down and new parts including one guide tube which was a pain to replace. Reassemble o/s working fine but n/s not at all. Only difference was o/s cable was genuine Porsche n/s was aftermarket I'd had for a while. Pulled the n/s cable to find a plastic washer acting as a stop for the return spring had jammed in the outer cable. New genuine Porsche part ordered.
Often said, "You get what you pay for".
 

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Does the handbrake now come on with one pull, or do you have to pull to the max then give an extra click?
 
I can't tell you how many times I've ordered a part that either been wrong or poor quality during my rebuild, I ended up just dealing with OPC for the vast majority of my parts, quick, easy and wrong/damaged parts replaced without a quibble, not always more expensive than 3rd parties out there either.

As you say, get what you pay for.

Trev
 
In fear of the handbrake failing, I've started to park the car in gear on anything but flat ground. Never resorted to that with previous cars, and would prefer not to! Are there any serious drawbacks with this approach?
 
ch3tman said:
In fear of the handbrake failing, I've started to park the car in gear on anything but flat ground. Never resorted to that with previous cars, and would prefer not to! Are there any serious drawbacks with this approach?

Apart from forgetting it is in gear and trying to start it, hoping nothing is parked close in front, I can't think of any other downsides. My Alfa GTV locks it's rear brakes in frost so I tend to park it in gear with the handbrake off in winter. I also park the porsche in gear because the handbrake needs a muscleman pull to get it to hold on an incline and I feel a bit bad yanking it that hard.
 
Albionmuz said:
ch3tman said:
In fear of the handbrake failing, I've started to park the car in gear on anything but flat ground. Never resorted to that with previous cars, and would prefer not to! Are there any serious drawbacks with this approach?
Apart from forgetting it is in gear and trying to start it, hoping nothing is parked close in front, I can't think of any other downsides. My Alfa GTV locks it's rear brakes in frost so I tend to park it in gear with the handbrake off in winter. I also park the porsche in gear because the handbrake needs a muscleman pull to get it to hold on an incline and I feel a bit bad yanking it that hard.
Thank you.
Whilst it's a habit I wish to avoid for reasons bolded above, it seems preferable than having it roll away into the distance :lol:.
 
Albionmuz said:
ch3tman said:
In fear of the handbrake failing, I've started to park the car in gear on anything but flat ground. Never resorted to that with previous cars, and would prefer not to! Are there any serious drawbacks with this approach?

Apart from forgetting it is in gear and trying to start it, hoping nothing is parked close in front, I can't think of any other downsides. My Alfa GTV locks it's rear brakes in frost so I tend to park it in gear with the handbrake off in winter. I also park the porsche in gear because the handbrake needs a muscleman pull to get it to hold on an incline and I feel a bit bad yanking it that hard.

I got taught this at an early age and I think it's good practice.
If I'm pointing downhill, car gets left in reverse, uphill I leave it in 2nd.
Of course the downside mentioned is valid, especially if you park your wife's car and she's one of those people that just hop in and start it up without checking it's in neutral.
She's learnt now though. :wink:

I agree too about OPC parts. Often cheaper than eBay chancers and once the parts guys know you they'll try and help you out a lot too.

Buy cheap, buy twice. :thumb:
 
I have perhaps been around too long... Long enough to remember when UK made parts required to be replaced regularly, like track rod ends, ball joints, king pins, etc.etc.etc, then the Japs came along with their tinny little cars that never ever needed the sort of stuff I had to replace on Brit cars for every MOT.... So it seems we learned a lesson there, though in time once the market was opened up to exploy ...err... world market forces.

I remember Porsche advising us some years back of the poor, nay dangerous parts out there purporting to be genuine, I think the Porsche advert carried an x-ray image of a supposedly OE wheel which was full of casting flaws... Amazing the skills of those guys working out of mud huts in the third world..
 
The new cable will arrive Friday. The o/s works fine set as per manual 3 clicks and it's hard on. From the pic you can see the plastic washer which as the cable was tightened rammed into the conical seat of the outer sheath and jammed it. It's a pig of a job to do. I slotted the tip of an old screwdriver to fit the spring on the adjuster side and used a special tool for the retaining springs. Not the Hazet one but similar and cheaper.
 

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I've yet to set mine up, hoping to get a half decent handbrake having replaced both cables (with OPC items) and both guide tubes.

Hubs have been off and everything that should have been has been cleaned and lubed.

Will report back.

Trev
 
New cable fitted and handbrake works perfectly. A lot easier umpteenth time around. Tips:-
If cable is being replaced leave outer cable out of the distance tube and then you're not fighting againt the spring.
Fit the inner spring to the shoes and slip over the actuator mechanism, spring goes inside.
Fit the adjuster followed by the outer spring. This is where I used the slotted screwdriver.
Fit the retaining springs, very fiddly. Using the tool above compress the spring through the hole in the hub flange and make sure it's fully hooked in.
Slot the outer sheath in the guide tube at the hub and chassis making sure they are fully seated. Anti seize will help next time around.
Reconnect cable at lever, it's like fighting with a snake.
Refit disc adjust and you're done.
Have a beer.
The genuine cable was a snug fit in the distance tube unlike the aftermarket one which kept popping out. And the small washer is steel. The end of the cable which attaches to the actuator passed through the distance tube easily the aftermarket one needed filing.
So all in all it was pretty crap.
.
 

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