Handbrake Caliper Lever Return Spring

Hi all.

Anyone know if the return spring for the caliper handbrake lever is to be had ?

Mike.

The only return spring that I can identify is Part No. 96048076, priced today at £4.92 inclusive of VAT.
I presume you mean the return spring in the release handle area?

Hi Techman.

No, I'm wanting the spring which (I presume) returns the lever on the caliper itself. Something must have gone awry with mine as the cable has taken to releasing itself on a regular basis and the caliper lever is readily moved by a very light one finger push for about the first third or so of its travel.
I've looked on the slide and can't see any listing, nor can I see anything in the workshop manual regarding this part of the handbrake mechanism. I'm really not inclined to chuck an otherwise perfectly good caliper for what I guess is a pennyworth of spring. I suppose one option would be an external spring slid up the cable.

Mike.

Hi onthecut,
In XM 2 parts microfiche front calipers page 797 (as model example) item 7 is an emergency brake overhaul kit if you can recognise the spring. Spring is not listed seperately.
Someone on this board recently fitted external coil springs as you mentioned which seems an excellent idea.
At MOT recently my emergency brake passed ok but the RH one was not as good as the left despite a new cable and pivot balance spot on. I will investigate the mechanism on that side when weather improves.
Robert

yep, that'd be me...

Bought a bag of brake-shoe springs which Halfrauds were clearing out a while back and found that 2-springs end-to-end on each side fit just fine.

Seems to have evenned out the pad wear too - which was the purpose of the exercise in my case, but I guess it'd do the job if the return spring has failed too.

Don't see them on the shelf there now though, but a parts shop could probably help

regards
Dave

Hi Mike,

The spring which is hidden under the rubber boot on the caliper is a torsion spring. It looks a lot like one of those quick release bonnet clips. One end of the spring is anchored on the steel caliper frame itself and the other rests in a groove in the pivoting shaft. It sounds like one of the ends has come adrift. On the basis that it works partially I'd say there is a good chance that you can repair it simply by reseating the relevant end.

Remove the rubber boot by sliding it off the caliper. The nylon cable tie will come off with the boot. Save it for reuse. Pull the boot free from the bottom. The top won't come away because its wrapped around the pivot. However, with the boot pulled up almost inside out, full access is afforded of the internals of the caliper. The fitting of the spring should be obvious. However, if you're stuck, pull the boot off the opposite wheel to see how it should be positioned. Reseat the spring and liberally grease all visible components. Replace the boot by siting the cable tie in the groove just behind the shoulder on the leading edge of the boot. Starting at the top edge the boot over the rim of the caliper and work your way to the bottom with a dull knife or small terminal screwdriver. The hardest part to get back on is at the 6 o'clock position. Persevere though because it is possible. Check that the lever requires a shifter or something to move it and that it returns with a snap to the rest position. Refit the cable end in the central compensator first and then at the wheel end. Move the lever with a shifter until the slot where the cable end goes is reachable with the cable in its proper position.

I don't think you'll need to buy any parts at all. Let us know how you get on.

Cheers

noz

Hi Noz and all

Thanks for the suggestions etc. Have had the thing apart and given it all a good degreasing etc. Am amazed at the lack of a proper finish on the bearing sufaces of the handbrake lever and the generally agricultural level of how it is all rigged up. The return spring actually seems OK and I'm half suspecting that old, clogged up grease may be a big part of the problem. Another thing that struck me was that if any wet finds its way into the rubber gaiter, there's no way out for it.
Anyway, all cleaned up and freshly lubed, so I'll know soon enough if I have a result.

Mike.

Hi all.

Just a quick round off to the thread --- no further problems, so it does seem that clogged up old grease and general crud was the issue.

Mike.