hand brake prob

[Ryan]

For some reason the hand brake on my 97 legacy GTB slams on tight, it doesnt
have a stiff feel to it to operate, however if you're crawling to a stop and
pull up the hand brake before stoping it stops you dead as if you'd hit a
brick wall.

anyone got any ideas what it could be

Ryan

 

[Edward Hayes]

I assume you have rear drum brakes on your vehicle?? Drum brakes are
somewhat self energizing. That means the force you apply to the brake is
amplified many times. The amount of amplification depends upon the brake
geometry and on the coff of friction between the drum and brake shoe. Have
the brake shoes been changed? Is there a lot of rust on the braking surface
of the drum? Could it be as simple as the brake return springs being broken
or shoes worn down to the rivets or backing steel? Let us know what you find
by reporting back to this tread. eddie

 

[TG]

I suspect the friction material is worn, metal to metal actually stops you
faster...too bad it destroys everything and doesn't give much "feel". If you
are using the brake for it's intended purpose "holding the car in place
after it is stopped" I wouldn't mess with it. If it was being used for it's
intended purpose I doubt the friction material would have worn out. TG

 

[MIKE]

a GTB has disc brakes
Check cable ajustment

I assume you have rear drum brakes on your vehicle?? Drum brakes are
somewhat self energizing. That means the force you apply to the brake is
amplified many times. The amount of amplification depends upon the brake
geometry and on the coff of friction between the drum and brake shoe. Have
the brake shoes been changed? Is there a lot of rust on the braking surface
of the drum? Could it be as simple as the brake return springs being broken
or shoes worn down to the rivets or backing steel? Let us know what you find
by reporting back to this tread. eddie