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ngins

Member Since: 15 Jan 2017
Location: Down South
Posts: 85

2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Corris Grey

Handbrake sudden extra slack and handbrake light staying on

Hi All,

Weird thing going on, typically when I am away from meaningful tools! It’s possible this has been going on for ages and I only just noticed but I don’t think so. When I release the handbrake the light stays on. I can push the lever down a good bit extra and it then turns the light out but the lever springs back up (to a position before the ratchet where I assume it always did or at least it feels like the normal ‘off’ position to muscle memory - but than is not lever fully down to the stops. There is a good bit of travel to have it back against the stops but I think that has always been the case.
80K miles on the clock, I only do 5-8K miles but use the car every weekend at least as a runaround and as now as the holiday motor to load up (no towing)! Brake fluid is brimmed and brakes and handbrake work just fine not hot. No brake smell no binding. Handbrake comes on 4 clicks up and is rock hard at 5. I just need to push the lever beyond where it naturally wants to sit released and the light will go out and stay out, but if I release the light pressure it will pop up and light goes on. Brake is off through.
It feels like the cable has just got a whole load of slack all of a sudden or there should be a spring to pull the lever all the way down. I have checked the light switch and all looks ok (ripped the gaiter off its plastic trim clips by accident as I didn’t see them so another job created there to patch it up!)
I thought it might be a frayed or unseated cable but the cable is in good nick well lubricated running smoothly and all where it should be as far as I can see. It’s not off-roaded (well not properly) so I don’t see anything could have got into the drum, and aside from this just happening all of a sudden then everything works mechanically fine. Nothing else has changed.
I can only describe it as like the cable has just stretched all of a sudden one one go - if it had a self adjuster like some clutch cables used to I would say it had jumped through a few clicks all of a sudden.

When I get back of course I’ll try and adjust at the drum end and then the cable and and see if that sorts it. Just wondered if anyone else had experienced the same or had any ideas - I couldn’t see anything like this when I searched but I could have missed it!

Thanks in advance, as always!

15th Jul 2024 6:16am

jst

Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8029

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey

Just stretched cable with usage which means it's shortest natural position is a fraction to long for lever to sit at bottom. Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop

15th Jul 2024 7:20am

ngins

Member Since: 15 Jan 2017
Location: Down South
Posts: 85

Cool. I’ll adjust it back up in that case. Just feels like it went all of a sudden. Thanks!

15th Jul 2024 7:44am

landy andy

Member Since: 15 Feb 2009
Location: Ware, Herts
Posts: 5700

2006 Defender 110 Td5 USW Zermatt Silver

Sounds to me like the inner cable is sticking in the outer, rather than sliding through it. Try getting a bit of oil down it (use spray at hand brake leaver end) and work it up and down.

15th Jul 2024 8:46am

ngins

Member Since: 15 Jan 2017
Location: Down South
Posts: 85

I’ll give that a go too. It seems to be working ok and well lubed but I’ll try and get some more down there.

15th Jul 2024 9:23am

Linds Hanson

Member Since: 16 Jan 2021
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 486

Make sure your battery is secured TDCI + battery connection can short to earth on the front face of the seat box which in turn earth's out through the transmission brake cable, melting the cable in the process. The battery moves forward under braking causing the short and then slides back under acceleration.

15th Jul 2024 11:50am

ngins

Member Since: 15 Jan 2017
Location: Down South
Posts: 85

Thanks. I think it’s definitely cable or mechanism related and it really does feel like the cable is just too long all of a sudden, but it’s just odd I am only just noticing it. Switch seems to be ok. Nothing sliding about in the battery box. All the various parts work it’s just like the handbrake needs to slacken off further than it wants to for the light to go out. Maybe something going on in the drum that is stopping it moving properly but the brake is not binding. Just annoying me

. Once I get back in a week I’ll adjust it all up and report back!

15th Jul 2024 1:49pm

ngins

Member Since: 15 Jan 2017
Location: Down South
Posts: 85

Just to update. I adjusted the handbrake and then the cable and it all seems fine now. Cable adjuster was a pain to get at (car back on its wheels, just one off the ground to spin to adjust).
Maybe it was just me but it seemed like more of an effort than it should have been as the access looks good but I couldn’t seem to get in there.

I noticed the handbrake switch wire is just flapping about. I can’t see anything immediately that it should be clipped to but it feels like it should be clipped to something.

Also off topic but does anyone have a part number or a suitable replacement for the big elastic band / strap to hold to bottle jack in a puma battery box? I could use a Velcro strap or a bit of bungee but I rather like the big band.

22nd Jul 2024 6:51pm

jst

Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8029

Good result.

No there is no clip for the wire. Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop

22nd Jul 2024 8:34pm

ngins

Member Since: 15 Jan 2017
Location: Down South
Posts: 85

Thanks a mill. I shall leave it floating in space! Costing me
More money as now I want to get a sprinter bottle jack too!

22nd Jul 2024 8:54pm

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