I didn't want to start a new thread, but I have a handbrake issue that comes and goes on my Fabia VRS also. First time I noticed it was about a month ago. It seemed like the brake was stuck slightly on the rear right wheel, evident by a more sudden stop when otherwise it would have rolled gently until stationary. The handbrake lever itself felt much tighter and seemed to have less travel

But then it went away and all was fine until just now after a 70 mile drive, and although I haven't noticed the same resistance the lever feels exactly like before. If it persists I'll get it looked at by a professional, but is there anything I can do\check myself, bearing in mind I'm a total beginner?

Maybe have a look under the rear of the car and try to identify where the handbrake levers are - each one has a cable connected to it. Look up a bit and you should see that these levers get pulled downwards when the handbrake "handle" is pulled up, so, when the handbrake "handle" is fully down = off, these levers should both end up at or very close to an end stop. Now, I suspect what you will find that the O/S, ie right handside lever will be maybe 4>8mm lower than the end stop. If this is the case then you will probably have the usual problem that seems to be that the calliper's internal handbrake return spring stops doing its job properly. Getting the rear calliper and pads cleaned up and the piston re-zero'd might stop this happening for a while - but it does seem that fitting extra external return springs is a way round this problem. Maybe order in the "7M0" version of these springs from a VW dealer - you need two one side is the mirror image of the other.

I would not have expected the handbrake "handle" travel to have become less than it has been though - maybe lighter for the initial movement then heavier for the remainder of the movement. This is not a uniquely Fabia VRS problem - it will/can affect any Fabia, Polo or Ibiza that has rear disc brakes.

thanks for the latest pics Rum4mo,

mine are indeed the same as the Sharan springs, and my method of fitting them is back in amongst the earlier posts, coil to the front, dogleg hook in the top hole first, flat hook in the lower hole

you should have them fitted in about 2 minutes, although it may take you half an hour to get the other springs out of the calipers :P

although it may take you half an hour to get the other springs out of the calipers :P

Aye, maybe a job for the angle grinder!! Although seeing as I've been lazy and never quite got round to moving the bent end back along to the "drop", it might not be tooooo difficult.

I have done this mod today using

1K0 615 295

1K0 615 296

As i was suffering the same problems of a sticky handbrake after replacing the rear disc's and pad's. It was admittedly worse before i remembered to re-adjust the handbrake cables inside the car oops!!

Here are mine fitted which wasn't too bad wearing a pair of leather motorcycle gloves to save any pinched finger's:thumbup:

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I have done this mod today using

1K0 615 295

1K0 615 296

As i was suffering the same problems of a sticky handbrake after replacing the rear disc's and pad's. It was admittedly worse before i remembered to re-adjust the handbrake cables inside the car oops!!

Here are mine fitted which wasn't too bad wearing a pair of leather motorcycle gloves to save any pinched finger's:thumbup:

Spot on - same as mine last weekend, yours are even closer macro view and show the location holes for the straight wire spring ends.

Lever action's a bit heavier but it sure fixes the binding.

Yesterday I took off the "1K0" springs and replaced them with the "7M0" springs (from Sharan, Alhamb?a and same as Galaxy), these "7M0" springs do the job fine while not making the the handbrake action too heavy - basically I'd reckon that the "7M0" springs "just" do the job perfectly without causing chipped teeth or straining the handbrake lever mountings. With the "1K0" springs, basically NOTHING is going to stop the levers returning fully as long as the handbrake "handle" is down! Oh and just a reminder as said already in this thread always fit the springs with the coils to the front, and for the Polo and Ibiza folk with brake wear sensors, always relocate the lead's grommet - loosely using a tie-wrap - to the spring coil.

On the subject of adjusting the handbrake cable, I think that I slackened off my cable when trying to sort this lever problem out 5 or 6 years ago, and must have made it slightly too short after refitting the lever end of the cable, why I think that this happened is that since I've replaced the rear discs and pads, AND fitted the "1K0" springs, the handbrake "free" travel was so short/non existant that the brakes had started to "moo" slightly when moving off. Yesterday, while I had the back jacked up, I slackened off the cable by about two threads - and the handbrake lever still has no or minimal free movement. I seem to remember that my Passat B5 repair manual recomends that you adjust the handbrake cable until there is something 1 or 2mm gap between the lever and the end stop - I've forgotten what the advice is for this platform.

Aye, maybe a job for the angle grinder!! Although seeing as I've been lazy and never quite got round to moving the bent end back along to the "drop", it might not be tooooo difficult.

Well not too much drama getting these "1K0" springs off, just a couple of tweeks with a screwdriver and the hook end came out in a very fast and uncontrolled manner!

For me, the biggest joke was that when I first bought these springs a few years ago, a friend at work was trying to work out what return springs were available for fitting to his Westfield now that Ford no longer stocked the Granada return springs, and I was going to pass the "8E0" springs on to him if they were of no use to me, now that I can pass them on its too late - he has sold the car and bought an MR-2 (he thinks that he is old enough to need comforts now!).

Edited 4 October, 200916 yr by rum4mo

For me, the biggest joke was that when I first bought these springs a few years ago, a friend at work was trying to work out what return springs were available for fitting to his Westfield now that Ford no longer stocked the Granada return springs,

when i first went to the VW dealer to get my springs , because they were on back order at VAG the parts man said go to Ford to get the Galaxy or Granada ones , i didn't ask whether the Granada ones were still available though

Hi,

I have a Bora TDi with the raer caliper sticking problem (even after both hand brake cables replaced !) can I ask where I could obtain the stated return springs, maybe online ? many Thanks,

jeff (fed up being under car lol)

Dunno about online, but any Ford, VW, SEAT or Skoda garage will carry them in one form or another (part numbers listed in earlier posts). Since they're only small, they'd probably post them FOC if you rang up and asked nicely.

Otherwise TPS if there's a branch near you, but that's definitely collection only unless you're a trade customer...

So ive fitted the 1K0 615 springs today and the handbrake seems very heavy. im debating if i should get the 7M0 springs or not

Managed to get the 1K0 springs on with no tools but i did hurt my thumb

What does everyone else think. 7M0 Springs????

So ive fitted the 1K0 615 springs today and the handbrake seems very heavy. im debating if i should get the 7M0 springs or not

Managed to get the 1K0 springs on with no tools but i did hurt my thumb

What does everyone else think. 7M0 Springs????

7M0 springs are spot on

7M0 springs are spot on

I'd definately agree with that comment - and I originally did fit the 1K0 for a week but changed to 7M0 springs after finding the 1K0 ones a bit too heavy (for the good of the handbrake "handle" fixing points!).

Hi,

I have a Bora TDi with the raer caliper sticking problem (even after both hand brake cables replaced !) can I ask where I could obtain the stated return springs, maybe online ? many Thanks, jeff (fed up being under car lol)

Remember to go for the 7M0 springs = unless you are convinced that your rear callipers look more like the later Golf/Bora/A3 ones, in which case you should be trying the 1K0 springs first - and also if you have brake wear sensors on the rear O/F calliper (depends on age of car), remember my earlier comment wrt moving the sensor cable out of the way or it will get damaged.

Sorry to dig up an old thread but does anyone have the Ford part number for the Galaxy springs?

Post number 63

"Ford P/Ns are 1002450 and 1002452"

Damn I must be blind! I read the whole thread and managed to miss that.

Cheers David.

I've finally got around to fitting my retturn springs as the MOT is due and the handbrake ain't working too well. The springs work fine but in my case the handbrake actuating arm still did not return to the off position. The reason being the actuator arm pivot was not turning freely, years of muck and dust had started to seize it up so the cure was to simply spray around the pivot bolt ( The pivot bolt is near the top and to the rear of the caliper shown in many of the previous posts) with penetrating oil, Plusgas, Easol, anything like that will do, then work the actuator arm up & down and gradually free it up. If anyone else has this problem then do this without the springs fitted, when the actuator arm is free then fit the springs and re-adjust the handbrake cable for the desired amount of clicks.

just fitted the 7M0 parts this morning, spot on, no difference in handbrake feel and fitted by hand in a matter of 30 seconds per side!

Due to much debate to which way the springs should be fitted, here's a pic of them fitted to a VW Sharam:

Drivers side rear wheel.

Edited 10 January, 201115 yr by Fabla

Did this today, my brake calipers look COMPLETELY different to your lots.........

Had this happen of my front calipers, just after fitting new pads, discs, full clean up of caliper etc!! Found out that the piston was sticking "on" every now and then!!! So bought new seals and dust skirts , then stripped piston out of caliper (caliper left insitu) and polished gunk (burnt rubber?) of piston with 2000grit sandpaper, got cylinder honing tool to lightly do cylinder bore, then fitted new seals etc all ok!! (So Far!!) This is a well know problem with all brake pistons (look on EBC brakes website under "caliper drag") as the rubber inner seal goes hard with age and heat, and then won't allow the piston to retract just the small amount that it needs to, to come away from the disc!

True as that might be, and I did not know that repair parts were available for calipers nowadays, the opening posting and all the rest cover a completely different problem and that is the annoying habit of the handbrake mechanism to misbehave.

True as that might be, and I did not know that repair parts were available for calipers nowadays, the opening posting and all the rest cover a completely different problem and that is the annoying habit of the handbrake mechanism to misbehave.

Just read the other 4 pages of the thread!!! What I saw was a few people in the first couple of pages talking about calipers sticking on, replacing calipers, pistons etc. So I thought that I would let then know about the main cause and solution of "caliper drag"! Anyway... as I will be stripping my rears down and doing the same later on, I think I might fit the 7MO?? springs... as a precautionary measure whilst I'm down there!!! Might have a word with my local Skoda dealer (parts) re these as it's not a mod that i've heard before!!

Just read the other 4 pages of the thread!!! What I saw was a few people in the first couple of pages talking about calipers sticking on, replacing calipers, pistons etc. So I thought that I would let then know about the main cause and solution of "caliper drag"! Anyway... as I will be stripping my rears down and doing the same later on, I think I might fit the 7MO?? springs... as a precautionary measure whilst I'm down there!!! Might have a word with my local Skoda dealer (parts) re these as it's not a mod that i've heard before!!

Well my wife's Polo 9N started "not clearing the disc" very early on in its life, I think that I commented on it at it first service, service person called a tech through and he said, "yes a known problem with the caliper handbrake return mechanism - book it in and it will get changed FOC" - but I thought, new car getting taken to bits - no thanks, so every year or so I took the pads outs re-zeroed the piston and let it readjust itself, and that was okay for maybe about six months. Now approx 18 months after fitting these springs, the levers still fully return to their stops! If I were you I'd certainly get a pair of the "7M0??????" external springs (VW Sharan or equivalent Seat Alhambra)