Handbrake adjustment

[Nick Mayne]

There have been many discussions on adjusting the brakes on Austin Sevens ie, back first, handbrake clicks, front first, right rear first don't use cable stretchers etc etc. However I have not found any reference to adjusting the brass wing nut and it seems not only to adjust the handbrake but the lot as well. Can someone propose a sequence that includes adjusting that in the right place in the sequence.
Thanks, Nick

[David Stepney]

The way I set up my brakes (and indeed the way that i was originally taught) is as follows:-

1. Back off the brass wing nuts on the handbrake and footbrake until they are flush with the ends of their threads.
2. Ensure that the brake levers on the backplates are in their fully off positions.
3. Attach or otherwise ensure that the cables are sufficiently taut so as to take up any slack, but without pulling the brake levers.
4. Wind the handbrake nit up sufficiently to enable the brakes to start to come on at about the fourth notch..
5 With the handbrake on the fourth notch, check to make sure that both rear wheels have about the same amount of resistance when turned (i.e about the same amount of 'drag')
6. Tighten the front brake cable until the front brakes are noticeably stiff to turn.(Make sure that the quadrant through which it passes is well greased!)
Release the handbrake and adjust the footbrake wing nut so that the front wheels just turn freely without rubbing.
7. Adjust the handbrake wing nut so that the front brakes do not begin to rub until the second notch.

You may spend some time getting it right. If you need to adjust the tension of the rear cables, slacken the clamping nuts on the forks on the forward ends of the cables and pull the cables through. A small pair of sidecutters are ideal for this.

I have set the brakes up on my own car like this and I have never had a moment's anxiety with them.
Apply the handbrake hard (usually about 4 notches,) whereupon all the brakes should not be able to be turned.