XC90 Hand/Foot Break

[dd1898]

I have replaced the rear discs, pads and shoes on my XC90 and am having trouble setting the hand/foot break.
The previous owner had the shoes fully adjusted so when I went to put the new discs on with the new shoes they would not go, I got the manual adjuster by the side of the passenger seat adjusted fully off then got the new discs on. All boxed up, great I can now adjust the handbreak to suit. Err no.

I got hold of the instructions for manual adjustment and followed them.
As you can see from the photo the adjuster is now fully extended but I found that the foot pedal goes fully to the floor like a knife through butter and the wheels still spin freely, there is not contact between the shoes and discs.

I can feel the the cable moving through the adjuster when I press the pedal down and release so am confident it is attached at the pedal end, I am thinking that it might have come adrift somewhere in the middle row when it splits to both wheels. Any thoughts on the location where the cable splits to each wheel so I can have a look would be great?

[dd1898]

Originally Posted by dd1898

I have replaced the rear discs, pads and shoes on my XC90 and am having trouble setting the hand/foot break.
The previous owner had the shoes fully adjusted so when I went to put the new discs on with the new shoes they would not go, I got the manual adjuster by the side of the passenger seat adjusted fully off then got the new discs on. All boxed up, great I can now adjust the handbreak to suit. Err no.

I got hold of the instructions for manual adjustment and followed them.
As you can see from the photo the adjuster is now fully extended but I found that the foot pedal goes fully to the floor like a knife through butter and the wheels still spin freely, there is not contact between the shoes and discs.

I can feel the the cable moving through the adjuster when I press the pedal down and release so am confident it is attached at the pedal end, I am thinking that it might have come adrift somewhere in the middle row when it splits to both wheels. Any thoughts on the location where the cable splits to each wheel so I can have a look would be great?

Through a little bit of head scratching I have sorted the problem.
The handbrake cable had come adrift in the middle of the car!!!!!

I took one of the rear wheels off complete with rotor so that I could see the brake shoes. Tried the handbrake a couple of times and nothing moved.

First thing was to remove the centre console to expose the handbrake linkage
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It was then that I found the cable to the passenger side had come off, must have been when I was installing the new discs, pads and shoes.
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and also the cable guard after the manual adjuster had come out of its support
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Next was to release the manual adjuster again which was quite easy to do now the centre console was removed as you could get full access and hook up the cable and also reposition the cable guard into its support
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Now it was a case of putting everything back together, remembering which screw came out which hole, and then manually setting the handbrake adjuster to suit your personal setting.
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All in all it took around an hour and a half to do as I was careful when stripping the centre out but once I could see the issue then it was straight forward. Plus my wife had taken the kids out

[chb]

Thanks for that really informative posting.
I assume none of us replied as we havn't had this problem before.
But now that you have taken the time to document it so well then the next person who has this problem will be sorted!

;-)

[Gixxer Rolle]

Been there done that!

[bugi666]

Just a question - how "tight" the brake should be? our car sits on a slope, and it drives me mad - every time I stop, it goes forward a bit, and stops on the gear. I did a test though, and put the car into neutral - brake seems to hold - is this normal?

[NCS XC90]

Originally Posted by bugi666

Just a question - how "tight" the brake should be? our car sits on a slope, and it drives me mad - every time I stop, it goes forward a bit, and stops on the gear. I did a test though, and put the car into neutral - brake seems to hold - is this normal?

Its normal on mine. To be honest I don't use the handbrake much (just select park). I do know its wrong but I hate the hand(foot)brake and the release sound. On mine even if I use the handbrake you still get the movement. I think its the way in which the shoes can move in the drum part of the disk.
Neil

[bugi666]

Thanks! I'm less worried now!

[owenfackrell]

They was a post on here, from Roy I think. Who said that it was part of the desgin so that if/when they freeze up there is a bit of movement to be able to realise them.