parking brake cable

[doyle]

does anyone know the legal standing on using a S shaped cable tightner on the parking brake system.

used often in industry and on washing lines ect, tends to be a safe device to use on cables to take up excess slack.
having taken whells of to free up self adjustment mechanism(fully adjusted) and taken excess slack up on lever end, im toying with the idea of fitting a seperate seperate adjuster part way up the straight section of cable.

i have got it good enough for test as it is but i have no more adjustment to play with, cable condition is good so its down to it being a poxy escort.

 

[^neo^]

If the cables are secure, and they lock the rear wheel when handbrake is applied then the MOT will be fine.
If it looks like a bodge job then it will more than likely fail.
Surely it can only be the cable stretched or shoes knckered?

 

[doyle]

na same when new brakes are fitted, common thing with escort by all accounts you eithe rhave to free the self adjustor of wind it on by hand ect. th ecable the get mfr'd do tend to that little bit longer than what is expected but they are still defined as safe ect or thats how the mechanics put it as it needs repair every year but some how its always managed but hrly labour is getting costly so im thinking sod freeing self adjust just wack a tensioner on it.

 

[Ron Gamma]

if you modify any part of your vehicle beyond standard specification you need to tell the insurance company.
in the case of the braking system they will require you to provide an independent engineers report as to the safety and design tolerance of the modification.

it aint worth the hassle. if the car has an accident you'll be in deep doodoo.

 

[doyle]

thats a very good point youve raised and for the sake of a couple of quid device could certainly cost me more in the long run. thanks.

car failed brakes and and a wishbone, but otherwise the repairs discussed i managed to sort.
thanks