Hi all... In the cold my handbrake has stopped releasing. It literally just stays on when the handle is down. The car has all the original brake system still on it. I reckon its the moisture in the cables that has frozen and locked the cables in position. Heating the calipers doesn't work (obviously), Has anyone had any similar experience? Ta.
yep....very common issue on a mk2......you could put new cables on that wont let in moisture-check the rubber boots where they go into the underbody but even then there is still the external spring on the handbrake lever on the caliper itself...this siezes too.........so to solve the issue totally you replace the calipers for either late mk3 jobbies with internal springs(but can still sieze as they did when i had a mk3 ) OR just put mk4 alloy calipers on which dont sieze.....they are a direct swap and you just need a pair of goodridge banjo hoses to convert...these are readily available for about 30 the pair
Nice one mate.... Thats put my mind at rest a bit. I'm really anal about originality on my car so do ya reckon that replacing parts with the original bits will make it OK, because all the little seals and stuff will be new...? Ta
i guess its poss with regular lubrication if you really want to keep it totally original though most people do go for the mk4 conversion...........its the external spring and unsealed cables that are your problems but you could get used to leaving car in gear and dont use the handbrake at all if its really cold
Ta mate, I'll put some thought into that. Putting those later calipers on might be the way to go. Wish me luck with the hot water and de-icer on my next day off!! Thanks again for the input
Mine's got mk3 calipers fitted, and it still sticks on when it's freezing. If it's going to be really cold, I just leave it in gear with the handbrake off.
can i just stick my oar in, mk4 callipers(rear):is that gti or are they all the same? and do they work better than the original mk2?
.....pretty sure they all the same as the ones on my partners A3 tdi are identical to the mk4 gti ones i have put on the back of my mk2
Didn't think you can butt in on a thread... thought it was for anyone to look at and contribute...? Happy to have you contrbute... Apology accepted anyway!
if its your cables freezing up, replace them. the way to know for sure, is get underneath with the handbrake released. if its the calipers the cable ends will be all floppy in the levers, if its the cables then they'll be right up tight to the lever. use a screwdriver to lever the cables off the levers, that'll get you going. replaced the cables on my mk2 and have had no problems since. it has mk3 calipers on it, as does my cabby which also has had no problems this winter since it has nice new cables on too.
Good advise Rubjonny will get on to it tommorow.. New cables is the way to go by the sounds of it. Not that I'll be able to go anywhere cos of the snow.
Just had the same problem on mine, drove to the garage just now and thought the car felt a bit sluggish, got out to find the o/s/r brake disc glowing bright red! The pads are free and so are the caliper sliders and the cables seem/feel o.k, the handbrake arms are fully returning as well, think mine must be caliper piston seized, are the mk3 items literaly a straight swap? If so i'll order a pair and probably do the cables just for piece of mind as well
since yours is an older car (assuming it the one in your sig) you'll need to mount them upside down as the lever is in a different position, but apart from that they'll fit straight on your old carriers. only issue with this is you have to take em off the carriers and hang the right way up to bleed, but no big deal. Just dont push the pedal or operate the handbrake with em off or the piston will come out!
Exactly the same here, brand new mk 3 calipers and still getting the cold weather stick. I replaced the calipers because the old ones were completely seized when I bought the car but since the really cold weather has come I'm getting the handbrake issue.
