Park brake (hand brake) adjustment

[Clark Kent]

I adjusted the park brake on my Grenadier today. It's a conventional three-cable system. A front cable connects the handle to a joiner that connects to two rear cables, one for each rear brake caliper. The joiner incorporates the system adjustment point. I could not locate a 2nd adjustment point under the park brake handle as is common.
The joiner is under the back seat. If you have the auxiliary battery and Smartpass option like I do then it's a fairly crappy job to get to it. It's under the Smartpass so that needs to be removed.
Park brake adjustment is via a 14mm nyloc nut. Very little of the nut is exposed so it's not easy to get a tool onto it.

I chose to remove the 4x under seat trim panels first because I will be adding a CTEK D250SA (non lithium) DC-DC charger and am investigating if a RedArc brake controller will fit under the back seat.

Both batteries were disconnected at the negative terminal. No issues when reconnected. All settings were retained and no errors presented.

 

[ECrider]

I adjusted the park brake on my Grenadier today. It's a conventional three-cable system. A front cable connects the handle to a joiner that connects to two rear cables, one for each rear brake caliper. The joiner incorporates the system adjustment point. I could not locate a 2nd adjustment point under the park brake handle as is common.
The joiner is under the back seat. If you have the auxiliary battery and Smartpass option like I do then it's a fairly crappy job to get to it. It's under the Smartpass so that needs to be removed.
Park brake adjustment is via a 14mm nyloc nut. Very little of the nut is exposed so it's not easy to get a tool onto it.

I chose to remove the 4x under seat trim panels first because I will be adding a CTEK D250SA (non lithium) DC-DC charger and am investigating if a RedArc brake controller will fit under the back seat.

Both batteries were disconnected at the negative terminal. No issues when reconnected. All settings were retained and no errors presented.

Tks. Good to hear re no dramas when disconnecting the batteries.

@Logsplitter

 

[bakepl]

I adjusted the park brake on my Grenadier today. It's a conventional three-cable system. A front cable connects the handle to a joiner that connects to two rear cables, one for each rear brake caliper. The joiner incorporates the system adjustment point. I could not locate a 2nd adjustment point under the park brake handle as is common.
The joiner is under the back seat. If you have the auxiliary battery and Smartpass option like I do then it's a fairly crappy job to get to it. It's under the Smartpass so that needs to be removed.
Park brake adjustment is via a 14mm nyloc nut. Very little of the nut is exposed so it's not easy to get a tool onto it.

I chose to remove the 4x under seat trim panels first because I will be adding a CTEK D250SA (non lithium) DC-DC charger and am investigating if a RedArc brake controller will fit under the back seat.

Both batteries were disconnected at the negative terminal. No issues when reconnected. All settings were retained and no errors presented.

Interested where you fit the brake controller thanks... I’ll likely try and fit the control knob between the gear and low range selector... may or may not be possible...

 

[Clark Kent]

FB user Tony Libri posted a pic in the Aus Grenadier Owner's Group (FB) yesterday of a Redarc Towpro and UHF mounted under his back seat. FB link
Image credit: Tony Libri on FB.

 

[AnD3rew]

FB user Tony Libri posted a pic in the Aus Grenadier Owner's Group (FB) yesterday of a Redarc Towpro and UHF mounted under his back seat. FB link
Image credit: Tony Libri on FB.

I am reliably informed that Ineos Australia has now developed and made available to the agents instructions on installation of the TowPro

 

[Clark Kent]

Thanks Andrew. I sent an email to my agent this morning about that (and the unresolved $1500 APOD accessories discount for Veterans). I'm booked in to have my side steps fitted on Wednesday so hopefully the agent will have some good news on the Towpro.

 

[DaveB]

Thanks Andrew. I sent an email to my agent this morning about that (and the unresolved $1500 APOD accessories discount for Veterans). I'm booked in to have my side steps fitted on Wednesday so hopefully the agent will have some good news on the Towpro.

Can you let me know how you go with the APOD discount please as I will be applying for that as well.

 

[sheppo31]

I am reliably informed that Ineos Australia has now developed and made available to the agents instructions on installation of the TowPro

Hi Andrew, have you seen any of these agents instructions? If you have could you please share them? Thanks Simon

 

[AnD3rew]

Hi Andrew, have you seen any of these agents instructions? If you have could you please share them? Thanks Simon

No I haven’t and Apparently this was only partly true. They do have technical information but because INEOS saw fit to leave out some of the pins from the trailer plug they are still waiting on sourcing an appropriate pin to use. I am now leaning towards having an auto electrician install and replace the trailer plug at the same time as the one INEOS has seen fit to supply isn’t really appropriate for Australia even if it had been properly configured and it hasn’t been properly configured

 

[ECrider]

I adjusted the park brake on my Grenadier today. It's a conventional three-cable system. A front cable connects the handle to a joiner that connects to two rear cables, one for each rear brake caliper. The joiner incorporates the system adjustment point. I could not locate a 2nd adjustment point under the park brake handle as is common.
The joiner is under the back seat. If you have the auxiliary battery and Smartpass option like I do then it's a fairly crappy job to get to it. It's under the Smartpass so that needs to be removed.
Park brake adjustment is via a 14mm nyloc nut. Very little of the nut is exposed so it's not easy to get a tool onto it.

I chose to remove the 4x under seat trim panels first because I will be adding a CTEK D250SA (non lithium) DC-DC charger and am investigating if a RedArc brake controller will fit under the back seat.

Both batteries were disconnected at the negative terminal. No issues when reconnected. All settings were retained and no errors presented.

Thanks for posting this Clark Kent as my hand brake needs some
slack taking up. Parked
on the ramps and the brake barely held at it's limit.

 

[GeorgeS]

I adjusted the park brake on my Grenadier today. It's a conventional three-cable system. A front cable connects the handle to a joiner that connects to two rear cables, one for each rear brake caliper. The joiner incorporates the system adjustment point. I could not locate a 2nd adjustment point under the park brake handle as is common.
The joiner is under the back seat. If you have the auxiliary battery and Smartpass option like I do then it's a fairly crappy job to get to it. It's under the Smartpass so that needs to be removed.
Park brake adjustment is via a 14mm nyloc nut. Very little of the nut is exposed so it's not easy to get a tool onto it.

I chose to remove the 4x under seat trim panels first because I will be adding a CTEK D250SA (non lithium) DC-DC charger and am investigating if a RedArc brake controller will fit under the back seat.

Both batteries were disconnected at the negative terminal. No issues when reconnected. All settings were retained and no errors presented.

Hello. I’ve got to tighten my handbrake too so this post is very useful thank you.

I can’t barely a spanneron the nut, as you suggest. And even if I can, the nut is on tight and has no space to move (blocked by the pinion holding the cable).

Am I missing something ?

Thank you.

 

[Clark Kent]

Hello. I’ve got to tighten my handbrake too so this post is very useful thank you.

I can’t barely a spanneron the nut, as you suggest. And even if I can, the nut is on tight and has no space to move (blocked by the pinion holding the cable).

Am I missing something ?

Thank you.

Hi @GeorgeS

You're not missing anything. It's harder than it needs to be because IA buried the adjustment nut inside the bracket. The nut is a nyloc so it is not relying on the bracket for security.

I have just eyeballed this again in my vehicle (buried under the Ctek Smartpass and also a D250SE charger). You need to get some slack into the forward cable so the threaded cable end can be pulled backwards to expose the nut. If memory serves me correctly, I first applied the handbrake to put tension on the cables then used a pair of large cable ties to restrain the bracket in the 'handbrake applied' position. I don't specifically recall what I put the cable ties around but it was
the seat frame or some other close bracketry. The goal is to work something out to restrain the adjustment bracket in the forward/applied position, so when you release the handbrake lever the front cable goes slack and the rears don't move.

Once you have that little trick mastered you can slide the threaded adjuster rod and nut outside the bracket to get a spanner onto the nut. Use some channel lock pliers, vice grips or similar to grip the rod (not on the threads) then you can adjust the nut.

Viewed from the end of the threaded rod:
Clockwise/in to add tension. Anticlockwise/out to add slack.

A rule of thumb for adjustment is you want about 3-4 clicks of lever travel. A little bit of freeplay (3-5mm) at the bottom of travel before you start to feel spring tension is essential to ensure the handbrake is not dragging. Currently you probably have too much freeplay and lots of clicks and a poor handbrake effect.

I went one step further. I removed the nut completely from the rod and added 6 flat washers (i.e. about the same thickness as the nut) on the rod before refitting the nut. This washer stack moves the nut further down the rod so the nut now sits outside the bracket and is easier to access without dicking about. Highly recommended, 100% not essential.

Edit: The washers need to have a small outside diameter to fit inside the bracket. An alternative would be a short section of steel tube as a spacer.

Looking over this job again I'm fairly sure the spring tension is from the springs fitted on the levers on the rear brake calipers (x2). If you have a spring tool I would disconnect one end of both of those springs then the whole cable control should go slack. Adjust/reposition the nut at the adjuster then reconnect the springs and adjust the nut for the correct cable tension.

Finally, do ensure the rear cable ends are fully seated in the adjuster bracket slots, and if applicable ensure the caliper springs are securely attached before you reward yourself.

Hope this helps.