Brake caliper problems and hand brake adjustment problem - HELP

[sporty-bloke]

I've got some new calipers to fit, but not sure about how the hand brake works and how the hand brake should be adjusted

right....

i can move the arm that the hand brake cable attaches to, i can move it fully backwards and forwards. when i do this, i can't see anything else move, what should be happening when this arm is pulled round by the hand brake cable? i see the piston sits on the threaded spline, when you press the foot brake, brake fluid is pumped in to the caliper and pushes the piston out, i presume it goes out in a twisting motion?

I've put the calipers on, bled the brakes, pumped the brake pedal so the piston is fully out, then i've attached the hand brake cable and adjusted it up fully, the hand brake pulls up a couple of notches (as it should, it feels like it should be on) but the hand brake has done nothing and is not holding the car

when i move the hand brake cable lever, the little rectangular plate it presses against, doesn't move? is this right? what should happen when you move the hand brake cable lever? how should this put the hand brake on?

 

[MG cup]

The h/brake cable arm on the calliper acts as a cam pushing on that threaded bit you see inside where you have removed the piston. The brake pedal works hydraulically and releases when you come off it and the handbrake is fully mechanical and is held on by the ratchet assembly in the car. The pistons wind into calliper and self adjust as the pads wear down.

Check the threaded rod that the piston goes on is moving in and out as you move the lever.

EDIT: although the piston takes up the slack as the pads/disk wear you will need to adjust the cable tension from time to time under the car as the cables stretch.

 

[sporty-bloke]

the rod does not move at all when i move the hand brake lever backwards and forwards
i'm not sure of they're set up correctly to move though?

there is a small piece of metal that the groove in the lever sits on, when i move the levers, the groove doesn,t push the bit of metal down,x which would in turn push the threaded rod (and then also the piston) outwards

canthis be fixed?

 

[MG cup]

Sounds like there's something missing. I would buy another set as their cheap 2nd hand or not sure if you can get parts from Renault seperately to rebuild but www.biggred.co.uk should be able to sort you out.

 

[sporty-bloke]

i'll try and explain a bit more

when the hand brake lever gets pulled round, it seems to travel the whole way round (it's full range of movement) without putting and pressure on the little metal rectangular plate (the small removeable one)

the little removeable metal plate seems to be wedge shaped, should the thick end of the wedge be in contact with the lever, or is it the thin end of the wedge shape being in contact with the lever? on a brand new, unused caliper, would you be able to move the hand brake lever through it's full range of movement?

if you bought a brand new caliper, what exactly is the preceedure for fitting it and conecting the hand brake? do you put the caliper on, bleed the caliper, pump the foot brake a few times, then fit the hand brake cable and adjust it?