Problems with the FFS Hi Spec Rear Calipers ?

[RayD]

Having put some thought into it … unless anyone specifically asks a question or suggests I’ve said something wrong, I’m going to leave it at that.

Ray

[G UK]

House move now having fully completed with me settled in, I've now sent off the calipers with the new return address.

[Dico]

That'll confuse em!

[G UK]

Luckily no matter what house they deliver to I will still get it as I'm doing the old one up.

[paulwatkins]

Fitted the modified calipers on the weekend, and I'm having a bit of strife with the handbrake adjustment.

I can adjust the cables such that the nearside caliper was holding solid; but couldnt do anything to get the offside caliper to hold.

So I took the cable out of the lever, and operated the mechanism on the caliper using a large adjustable spanner. Even with the mechanism rotated as far as it would go, it was still possible to move the disc by hand! So its not surprising I couldnt get any improvement by adjusting the cable!

Any one have any ideas why this may be happening?

[bobbrown]

Check it is bled correctly, does it work on the foot brake?

Bob

[paulwatkins]

Check it is bled correctly, does it work on the foot brake?

Bob

We bled it through a few times, thinking that there may be air trapped.

It works fine on the foot brake

[bobbrown]

Try giving Hi Spec a ring on 01322 286850 because if the foot brake works I can see no reason the handbrake should not work

Bob

[paulwatkins]

Try giving Hi Spec a ring on 01322 286850 because if the foot brake works I can see no reason the handbrake should not work

Just done that.......and off the caliper comes again to go back to Lo Spec.

[Nige]

Also fitted mine over the weekend. Bled them and took a test drive. Offside rear binding slightly on inside face of disc but freeing up. Handbrake checked to ensure it's not partially puttong the brakes on and seems ok. Didn't get a chance to re bleed and see if binding has eased but believe it has after a short drive. Will finish the job next weekend.

[GeoffSmith]

Try giving Hi Spec a ring on 01322 286850 because if the foot brake works I can see no reason the handbrake should not work

Just done that.......and off the caliper comes again to go back to Lo Spec.

WHY?

[paulwatkins]

Try giving Hi Spec a ring on 01322 286850 because if the foot brake works I can see no reason the handbrake should not work

Just done that.......and off the caliper comes again to go back to Lo Spec.

WHY?

No idea! I explained the problem to them. They couldn't figure out what was causing it and told me to ship it back to them.

No doubt they'll find something that I did wrong

[Gazza]

Save the postage.

Answer; Buying hi-spec!

[Steve A]

Go back to page 10, I also had a brake binding problem but got round it by introducing a spring,
this set up is commonly used on various hand brake return lever situations, it worked for me anyway

[G UK]

Had my calipers recieved back today.

[Nige]

My original calipers as removed from the car returned to Hi Spec on Saturday. Bled the refitted calipers and system again and have now driven the car. Binding issue has been resolved and handbrake adjusted. All seems fine so far.

[ailwyn]

What sort of effort is required on the hand brake Nige? This is what continues to give me grief, I think the calioers work, but it requires Geoff Capes to put the hand brake on... will have to chat with my MOT man, but can't see how he'll pass it requiring two hands and an almighty tug to apply.

[mnemonix]

Ailwyn, I had the refurbished calipers fitted a couple of weeks back in time for my MOT (many thanks to Bob for sorting the exchange out). I would say the effort required to pull the handbrake on is only marginally improved over the old ones if at all, and the garage told me they pretty much 'helped' the car through the MOT because it was them who fitted the calipers and they felt somewhat responsible.

What improvement I could feel may have come simply from a change in adjustment putting the next click at a slightly more accessible point in the handbrake lever travel or possibly as a result of the springs inside the caliper no longer being coil bound. Whichever, it isn't enough to imrove the ease of application enough for a regular MOT pass.

Chris.

[Alan_C]

What improvement I could feel may have come simply from a change in adjustment putting the next click at a slightly more accessible point in the handbrake lever travel or possibly as a result of the springs inside the caliper no longer being coil bound. Whichever, it isn't enough to imrove the ease of application enough for a regular MOT pass.

This was my thought, which is why Bob is experimenting with some longer caliper handbrake levers. I think for now, I'll leave my exchanged rear calipers in their box, the brand new standard rear calipers I sourced are working perfectly, the car pulls up in a straight line, I can lock the fronts but not the rears, the MOT figures are all very acceptable, and to be honest, I can't see any advantage to me fitting my rear HiSpec calipers at all. Sometimes, don't you just wish you hadn't bought something?

[Nige]

Ailwyn,

I have the car at work at the moment and my parking space is on a hill. The car holds on 2 clicks which is relatively easy to apply (some effort but not excessive) with extra effort (one handed but only just) I can get 3 clicks and if I lean over and use 2 hands I can get 4 clicks but know that I'm probably bending something at that point so don't do it.

I adjusted the handbrake to ensure that there was no tension at all in the cables when the handbrake is off, in fact there is a the slightest amount of slack. The ferrules on the caliper end of the cable are secure in the end of the lever but to prevent them dislodging owing to the slack I've used a nylon Ty Wrap to provide an additional means of securing the end of the cable to the lever.

The benefit of the Hi Spec rears for me is that if matched to the Hi Spec (or other) fronts the brake balance is restored to very close that Lotus intended. On the road this may not be such a major factor but I found that on track the rear of the car was significantly more stable under braking (less 'squirrely') and my braking distances were shorter once the balance was restored by fitting the Hi Spec rears