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notxal

Member Since: 20 Nov 2019
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 89

2014 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Aintree Green

The story of 4 handbrake cables!

My 2014 Puma recently started to destroy handbrake cables. Today we've finally found the cause, something I would never have thought of!

The cable seized and the handbrake wouldn't move so immediately I thought the handbrake hadn't released and the whole mechanism had locked up generating heat as the handbrake metal started to get warm. So logically I set about replacing the the whole lot, cable, pads springs etc.,

Within a few days it happened again, this time smoke started to appear down at the handbrake. Really concerned so I let Salop 4x4 have a look. They did the same as me replacing the whole lot again.

Yesterday I was on a 100 mile round trip and once again the same thing happened, handbrake metal getting hot and eventually smoke appearing and the handbrake seizing.

Back to Salop 4x4 and agin they replaced the cable and did a test run and again the plastic cable sleeve melted and smoke appeared. For a purely mechanical system this seemed unreal.

Credit to Eric at Salop 4x4 they traced the problem to a non standard battery being fitted badly by a previous owner which had moved under braking and shorted against the battery box and the current was using the handbrake cable as a heating element, getting hot enough to melt the cable sleeve and seizing the whole thing.

Not something you see everyday!

3rd Dec 2020 4:30pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17383

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

It's actually not that unusual, but is generally the result of the earth lead between the engine and the chassis coming adrift so that the handbrake cable is providing the only earth return for that 100A alternator.

It happened to me about 40 years ago with a Subaru (although it was the throttle cable that melted in that case), and was a bit of a surprise until I figured out what had happened.

3rd Dec 2020 5:23pm

hank

Member Since: 12 Sep 2016
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2300

blackwolf I did not have you down as 57+ ! Had you down as being a young whippersnapper! > 110 XS Double Cab

3rd Dec 2020 8:40pm

jst

Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8030

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey

Yep, afraid this is fairly common when earths fail. Cheers

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

3rd Dec 2020 8:52pm

kmac

Member Since: 07 Oct 2009
Location: Middlesex
Posts: 1309

2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black

hank wrote:
blackwolf I did not have you down as 57+ ! Had you down as being a young whippersnapper!

Yeah he's more of a greywolf now

3rd Dec 2020 9:36pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17383

Actually it's more "whitewolf" now

If I was young and this grumpy and cynical, what would I be like when old? Doesn't bear thinking about!

3rd Dec 2020 10:36pm

LR90XS2011

Member Since: 05 Apr 2011
Location: bickenhill
Posts: 3641

2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Galway Green

LOL being over 50 myself I understand the grumpy thing my tolerance levels for incompetence have definitely declined over the years DEFENDER 90 TDCI XS,

I hope everyone is well and your land rovers make you happy

4th Dec 2020 6:21am

wyvern

Member Since: 13 Dec 2009
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 2108

2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Firenze Red

I had this happen to me when I fitted a 2nd battery and allowed the terminal to touch the side of the battery box ... instant smoke heat and smell from the hand break cable and had a new one fitted later that day after re-positioning and insulating the battery and box ...

On a side note I would rather that happen than fry any of the electrical bits from a cost/ hassle / worry side - but it did make me grab the extinguisher and watch the temp of the cable for an hour or so !

Poppy - TDCI (Puma) 110XS 2.2 - Camper conversion - see the build here - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56530.html
Elgar -TDCI(Puma) 110XS Dormobile - now sold
Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response - DC126

4th Dec 2020 9:13am

ashtrans
Site Sponsor

Member Since: 08 Nov 2008
Location: Harpenden
Posts: 257

we have seen the kick down cables melt on autoboxes for the same reason, bad earth. Dave

4th Dec 2020 5:56pm

notxal

Member Since: 20 Nov 2019
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 89

I was actually really surprised that no other electrical damage was done. The only other indication was when driving in the dark the headlight kept intermittently dimming for a second or two. The battery must have been shorting against the battery box intermittently with vibration from driving on our not so smooth roads.

5th Dec 2020 2:55pm

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