Hi all, I pulled up at work this morning, and like every other morning I applied the handbrake. But this time it felt different....

Maybe its because it is now stuck on! The handbrake is up, as in its applied, won't roll anywhere. But...the button is now loose in the handle, I can pull it out the top and the rod and spring come with it.

It will not 'connect' with anything down further in the handle and I cannot disengage the handbrake. The 'patient' is a 69 bug.

Obviously I need a temporary fix to unlock it this afternoon to get home, and then I assume I'll have to pull it apart tonight. Can someone tell me what I should do to get this thing rolling again?

Thanks!

pull the rubber boot off. if you look under the handle you'll see what looks like part of a gear. That's part of the ratchet bit. Holding on to it will be a short strip of metal with a few teeth on it. This strip pivots on the handbrake lever and is the other part of the ratchet. So just pull the lever up to take the pressure off the ratchet teeth and grab the strip between your thumb and forefinger. Pull the strip forward and the ratchet will disengage letting the handbrake lever drop...so make sure you're not on a slope and the car is in gear to stop it rolling away.

If this is all to hard, just loosen your handbrake cables right off and you'll be able to drive it home and fix it later.

Hiya mate! I had handbrake problems just recently...
There is a diagram of the handbrake in this thread:
http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=39544#pid360744 

Look at the big black arrow "B" - that is where the rod coming from the button should be hooked over the rounded end of the pivoting pin thing (called a "Pawl pin" in the diagram). What's happened is the rod has come "unhooked" from it. When you've got it hooked back on, it's a good idea to adjust your rear brake shoes (they are probably worn) and then adjust your handbrake cables so that the handrake starts to work when it's pulled pu only 2-3 clicks.

Does the rod (from the button) connect to this gear down further in the lever? If so, is it prone to come off, or have I broken it?

I have been playing with lots of handbrakey stuff with the big brake copnversion I have been working on recently. You have extended the ratchet too far and it has 'popped' the release button... your handbrake cables are stretched and/or are out of adjustment. You may need to undo the two adjusting nuts and slip the cable 'saddle' off the lever. Then use a toothpic or something to 'spin' the ratchet mechanism back into its correct position in the curve on teh end of the release rod

yeh it don't break but pivots under slack so adjust them brakes AFTER all the repair....lol....a toothpick is a stab in the dark use a nail or mini screwdriver esp with the poor quality toothpicks. c ya

Bugger, new brake shoes and cables last year, I hope that I can adjust in some extra slack on the cables, or I'll be grumpy....

Thanks all, I have just wrestled with the thing and released the brake, the rod / spring / button fired out, just missing me and hitting the dash. I can see the spinny thing and will work on it tonight. Hope those cables tighten up!

If you park your car in a garage with a flat floor you can leave the handbrake off to make the cables last longer without stretching

Also, if you are going to store a bug/bus for a long period without moving it, you should leave the handbrake off so the shoes don't rust onto the drums (this happened to my kombi in a few months, I had to take the wheels off and hit the drums with a hammer to free them). Chock the wheels if necessary!

Also, if you are parking in a very cold place (e.g. if you go to the Snowys for a ski trip), you should leave the handbrake off so the shoes don't freeze onto the drums. Chock the wheels if necessary!

Will remember all that! By the way, was able to get home this arvo and fixed the handbrake.....but the best bit......

....was when the damn cog (bit with teeth) fell into the tunnel - argh - that was fun, trying to find something to fish around in the tunel without losing it!

Thanks to all, another catastrophe averted with everyones help....

lol :thumb you need one of those telescopic magnets for fishing things out of deep dark holes.

for felco - yeah, thats true, but its more satisfying if you can fix the smaller things yourself!

For P Martin - yep....ended up improvising with a bent wire coathanger, gonna leave it in the car now as a useful tool!