Uncoupled car Handbrake Details.

[Hedd_Jones]

I've had a bit of a drama with the handbrake on my Chummy.

My car has a gearbox without a female thread in it, and so someone has made a mount for the ratchet mounted on the chassis.

I've had the car a while and it is possible to push the handbrake off so far so as to jam up the propshaft with the adjusting bolt. 

The other day the mole grips I have been using as a stop fell off and we had quite a calamity where the propshaft hit and bent the adjuster, buggered the handbrake catch, and snapped the rod from the handle to the catch. Handbrake now U/S.

I am fetching some spares from Stoke this evening to mend it all with.

What I need to know is what is the dimensions of the tang that should screw into the gearbox, I believe from looking at the shape of it, that it also form a stop for the handbrake lever, and would thus prevent a similar calamity. 

Knowing the dim will allow me to weld a similar stop to my chassis mounted bracket. 

I know it will be a bloody awful thing to measure on a car, but a measurement from the gearbox casing to the end of the stop would be all that I need.

Unfortunately my other uncoupled car is missing the same part. I can guess what the dim might be, but I'd sooner get it right

Many thanks in advance.

[GK5268]

Bad luck, here are photos of my gearbox, dragged it off the car especially!!!

The gearbox is not right for my car as it has the coupled brakes, but at some time circa early 1950's, the engine was replaced (from a 1930 to a 1929 unit) and I guess the transmission was swapped over at the same time, got no idea how good or bad the gears are! I haven't started on the strip down as yet.

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Here is the stop, I don't know if this is complete or has been cut down, the height is about 15mm


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Here is the overall length

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And a close-up to accurately read the dimension, like I said, I don't know if this has been cut down or not, I believe that H-Sevens may have a decent part, they had one advertised on eBay a few months ago that did not sell.

Presumably, your gearbox casing does not have the boss for the metal tang to screw into, you need my gearbox casing!!!

Hope that helps.

[Hedd_Jones]

The lump is there, but no female thread.

So 2 3/16 from gearbox to stop.

hole is 1 7/16 from the stop. (assuming its a trick of the camera that the tape doesnt look like its touching?)

And thus hole from gearbox is 3/4 inch.

Perfect, thanks very much

[GK5268]

yes, confirm that the end of the tape is hard up against the tang, and the dimensions read off the tape are correct, but like I say, it could have been cut down... I will go and have another look at the free end

If the boss is there, you could drill and tap it to suit?

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GK5268 pid='23557' dateline='1549463686']yes, confirm that the end of the tape is hard up against the tang, and the dimensions read off the tape are correct, but like I say, it could have been cut down... I will go and have another look at the free end

If the boss is there, you could drill and tap it to suit?

Just had another look, un-screwed it from the gearbox casing, more dimensions for you, I would suggest that the tip has been damaged, it is rough, hope the photos show this, so it may need to be longer

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[Ruairidh Dunford]

Hedd,

I have drilled and tapped to overcome this issue previously, you simply have a gearbox from a car with coupled brakes.

I have seen several examples of the spigot, all differing slightly.

[Hedd_Jones]

Agreed. Given the home made bracket mounted to the chassis this is how the car has been a long time.

I simply need to check the hole in the bracket is in line with the centre of the lug on the gearbox, and the centre is 3/4 inch away from it (and if it isnt, modify so that it is - easily done.) 

Then weld a lump of steel to it to act as a stop. The bracket is already on the floor with the handbrake assembly. 

I suppose the question is, are you implying that the tangs vary in length?. 

Should I just set the stop so the adjusting bolt just clears the propshaft bolts?

The damaged and replacement parts on the floor. The replacement handbrake has a larger catch which is interesting

[Dennis Nicholas]

just a thought.....
How about putting a threaded rod that is a bit too short into the gearbox , then on the end put a locknut and bit of female threaded pipe so you can adjust and find the overall length required.

Dennis

[Hedd_Jones]

no female thread Dennis. Its a gearbox off a coupled car

[Tony Betts]

Hi hedd.

I think the reson for different lengths of stop, is because there are two different ratchets.

The stop pictured earlier in this thread is for uncoupled brakes.

The longer ratchet in your picture is also for uncoupled.

I think the shorter stops that are around, are for fitting the coupled brake ratchets too them.

Tony.

[AustinWood]

I drilled and tapped (1/2" BSF) a later gearbox for my uncouple brake car. Can then fit an original spigot. I used a 1/2" BSF bolt and locknut. This allows the stop to be adjusted so that the handbrake just clears the prop couple. I did this to increase the handbrake travel.
It needs the hole in the spigot to take the front end of the ratchet.