Handbrake

[M. Murphy]

On returning home this evening in my 83 NA, parked in the garage shut down and set the handbrake. Exiting the car my leg bumped the button on the handbrake and the lever released allowing the pall to flip rendering the handbrake inoperative.
This has happened before and it is beginning to wear a bit thin.

I was considering either drilling and tapping the handle for a stop screw to prevent the pall from rotating out of position. Has anyone out there tried anything like this?

[AaronM]

That shouldn't be possible with a properly adjusted handbrake.

What you need to do is adjust the handbrake both at the wheels (the handbrake shoes are NOT self-adjusting) and at the cable end.

The parking brake should be fully engaged by the 4th click and it shouldn't be possible to pull it up any further than the 5th click at the most.

[M. Murphy]

Thanks, that's the kind of direction I'm looking for. I'll check Clarks Garage for a procedure.

[M. Murphy]

Complete and satisfactory. Clarks could have been a bit more comprehensive for this task but I was able to source the rest of the info online. Now it works as it should.

[AaronM]

Originally Posted by M. Murphy

Complete and satisfactory. Clarks could have been a bit more comprehensive for this task but I was able to source the rest of the info online. Now it works as it should.

Glad to hear it!

And yes, Clark's for some reason lacks instructions on how to take up cable slack after adjusting the shoes.

[M. Murphy]

Once you see it it's pretty self evident. Didn't have nearly the expected trouble finding the adjustment star nuts and adjusting them. It'll be much easier next time.

Rule#11 Jethro Gibbs.

[JJR512]

I need to do the same thing and have noted in the past that the instructions on Clark's aren't very good for this job. Now that you've recently done it, and also noted the lack of details in those instructions, can you do the community a service and write up your own instructions for this, please?

[M. Murphy]

Adjusting the 944 Handbrake ( Procedure I used on an 83 NA)

Loosen the lug nuts on back wheels.
Jack the rear and use jack stands for support
Make certain the transmission is in neutral
Remove the drivers seat; ( four 10 mm short bolts with lock washers). Note: it is possible to do this job with the drivers seat in the car but it is much easier with it removed. I have found the smallest possible quarter inch drive ratchet works best here.
Remove both back wheels and remove the aluminum spacers
If the handbrake locking pall has flipped, remove the the two 13 mm handle retaining bolts securing the rack to the door sill. Lift the handle with the cable adjuster clear of the carpet and remove the handle from the adjuster. The pall pivots on a pin retained with a snap ring, remove the snap ring, pin and pall. Re install the pall in the correct position, replace the pin and snap ring (flat side down). At some time in the process it would be a good idea to look at the pall end. It should be a point, if worn file back to a point that will completely engage the rack.
Prior to re installing the handbrake lever loosen the 10 mm locknut on the adjustment shaft, re install the handbrake lever assembly.
With the handbrake installed in the vehicle and engaged with the adjuster lift the handle two clicks.
At one of the rear hubs locate the access hole and rotate the disc/hub so that the access hole is slightly aft of twelve o'clock. Using a bright flashlight look through the hole and locate the star end of the adjuster. Once you have located the star note the position of the hole.
Using a smaller flat tipped or common screwdriver through the access hole engage the star and turn the adjuster (clockwise worked for me) until you can't turn the brake disc/hub. Back off the adjustment until you can just turn the disc. Repeat this procedure on the other side. Note: the adjuster star will be towards the back of the car.
Using a 14 mm open end wrench on the cable adjuster turn the adjustment nut until both back discs will not turn then back off the adjustment until they just turn freely. Release the handbrake and verify the rear brake discs rotate freely.
Lock down the 10 mm locknut, replace carpet as required. Verify the 13 mm bolts securing the handbrake assembly are snug.
Re install the drivers seat. Take care not to cross thread or otherwise damage the nut plates these bolts go into. That being said make certain they are snug.
Replace the spacers at the wheel hubs, wheels and finally torque the lug nuts to 95 lb/ft.
The handbrake should be fully engaged at three to four clicks.

[flash968]

small corrections:

the parking brake should BEGIN to grab at 4 notches, but not be fully engaged until 6. if you set it at 4, you will be dragging just a bit. per the workshop manual, 4 notches without any noticeable engagement is the point at which you need to get in there and adjust it.

lug nut torque is 96 lb/ft.

i avoid using the parking brake at all costs. it is never a good idea to engage a drum brake on a hot drum, and then let it cool. further, the springs do not like to be set hot and allowed to cool when stretched. they tend to break that way.

i just leave the car in first, unless i am on a slope the car won't hold by compression

[M. Murphy]

Perhaps my source is in error, please help me understand.

[flash968]

interesting. in the 968 manual, the procedure is the same, but the setting for the handle is different. perhaps they figured out that the 944 procedure set the brakes too tight.

[M. Murphy]

Perhaps, JJR512 asked for a write up to assist in accomplishing this task. I presumed he has a 944. I believe the handles for the 968 are different.

[AaronM]

Originally Posted by M. Murphy

Perhaps my source is in error, please help me understand.

Your source is correct. For the 944 and 951 the handbrake should be fully engaged with the rear wheels locked by the 4th notch.

Setting the 944/951 parking brake in the manner Flash described will simply cause it to be far too loose and will result in the pawl flipping, rendering the handbrake useless, as you have already discovered.

Porsche slightly tweaked the handbrake lever and cable design for the 968, so it's not possible to use the 968's method for the 944/951.

[M. Murphy]

Thanks, that's about where mine is now and it seems to be working properly. Checked it before re installing the seat and the pall is fully engaged. Now the release button must be filly depressed before disengagement. Feels like the way it's supposed to be.

[flash968]

yup - i just checked the PET. different setup. odd. no idea why they changed it. it's not something that seems to need changing. the 968 unit sure has its share of problems though. how is the 944 unit for reliability?

[JJR512]

Thanks for the write-up, and I apologize that I actually made you write up more than what I was looking for. That's my fault, I wasn't clear that it was just the handle adjustment part I was looking for. The part about adjusting at the brakes I was able to accomplish with a video I found.

Let me ask this about the handle... my handle goes all the way to the floor. It seems to operate fine; when I start to pull up, it clicks twice, then starts to hold, and by four clicks the brakes are completely locked. I believe I can pull it up one more click after that. So the operating range seems fine to me, but it's position seems wrong. Is it normal for the tip of the handle, where the button is, to be resting on the floor at its lowest position?

This makes it slightly difficult to disengage the parking brake, because I can't grip all the way around the handle when pushing it down to the floor, or my fingers would get stuck between the floor and handle. I have to grip the sides of the handle without actually wrapping my fingers around it, while also managing to push and hold the release button in.

[AaronM]

Originally Posted by flash968

how is the 944 unit for reliability?

Aside from cable stretch and neglect of adjustment combining to cause the OP's issue, I've never had a problem with a 944/924S/951 handbrake in the 15+ years I've been driving these cars. I'd say it's extremely reliable.

Originally Posted by JJR512

Is it normal for the tip of the handle, where the button is, to be resting on the floor at its lowest position?

Yes. That's normal.

However, you should not need to physically push the lever all the way down unless something is binding. Once you're lower than the point of the first "click" (when the handle is about 2.5 inches from the floor) you should be able to let go and have the handle drop the rest of the way.

[M. Murphy]

The procedure in the manual and to a lesser extent Clarks Garage are aimed at experience technicians. I'm not a mechanic but a retired Quality Engineer. I put together everything I could recall figuring better to have too much rather than too little information.
My 83 NA was purchased/stolen four years ago from a local PO with 68k on the odometer, original paint and driven only in warm weather. I continue that and have found the 944 as reliable as an anvil.
My first Porsche was a 1970 914. A similar handbrake but the handle would stow after it was set. Seemed rather civilized.