Fabia VRS handbrake cable replacement

[silver_fox]

Hi

 

My handbrake cable has needed adjustment a few times in the last 12 months and now it needs adjusting again as the slack it too much. My car is due for new discs and pads all round soon so I just bought the parts from carparts4less and ordered a handbrake cable.

 

Im now wondering if i needed to order 2x handbrake cables? the picture on carparts4less only shows 1 cable and am I right in thinking i need 2?

 

http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l/c/Skoda_Fabia_1.9_2005/p/car-parts/car-body-parts-and-car-exhaust/cables/handbrake-cable/?108441558&1&e0329b0e8ba8299cc9a936566b9b533ed787d19d&000168

 

Any help appreciated, i searched google but couldn't find the answer

[softscoop]

Are you sure your cable needs replacing?

 

Are you rear callipers sticking on so it feels like the handbrake is slack?

[silver_fox]

Good question, and the answer is I don't know. 

 

If they are sticking on, is it easy to free them up?

 

I still think the cable needs replacing because after it has been adjusted in the past, very quickly it needed tightening up again and i hadn't done many miles or used the car that much or put excessive force on it.

[softscoop]

Fitting calliper return springs off other VAG models really makes a big difference to the rear brakes freeing off, especially when they get a bit older.

 

I had the same problem with mine and thought it was the handbrake cable, but the springs fixed it.

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/137832-handbrake-cable-issue-on-my-vrs/

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/273727-handbrake-slack/

 

Nice and cheap too around £5.

[silver_fox]

Thanks for the link, I'll look into that.

 

Can anyone tell me if i need 2 of the above cables though? (to do both sides)

[devonutopia]

Just changed both cables on the mongrel as one cable was bad, so thought to do both. Surprised cost was only £15 for the pair from T.P.S too.  (bearing in mind they are oem)

[silver_fox]

Thanks for your responses guys, and to Softscoop for your suggestion of the handbrake caliper springs!

 

I changed the brakes today, and found that both rear calipers were badly seized. Both the pistons and handbrake lever!

 

Managed to get them freed up with a bit of WD40 and perseverance. And all is good now and I installed the springs which transforms the feel of the handbrake.

 

However it turns out that it didn't need the cables as previously thought because it returned to normal afterwards, D'oh....

 

The springs I ordered were 1K0615295 & 1K0615296 which were  £7.10 from germanautospares on eBay.

 

The Brakes were by Pagid from carparts4less.co.uk, part numbers: 104440798, 104440748, 101441398, 101440328

 

Thanks again

Edited 4 March, 2015 by silver_fox