Handbrake slack early in travel something seized?

[jeff_hooper]

1991 Mk2 GTI 8v - 75,000 miles.. Handbrake effect is good and the rear wheel spin freely when jacked up with handbrake off. I have had the car off the road for the past few months and the handbrake is slack for the first half of its travel before the cables start taking up at the caliper. If I leave the handbrake off and get under the car I can manually back of the handbrake mechanism without too much effort. So either the cable is creating to much friction for the caliper handbrake spring to overcome or the caliper mechanism is seizing. Or a combination of both.

I've had this problem three years and 12,000 Mls ago. I solved it through working on the hand brake mechanism/spring and the cable at the caliper. Tried again tonight and I'm getting no improvement this time. The cable doesn't show any obvious corrosion and has always been keep well greased. The cars been in my ownership since 1983 and always self serviced by me. The rubber protectors at the cable ends (next to caliper) are rotten and split so I guess it could be the cable. But then I recall last time I had the problem and disconnected the cable to help me work on the caliper mechanism the caliper mechanism only seemed weakly sprung, does this sound normal?

Any ideas please on what is most likely the problem and anyone know any clever fixes, on what I suspect is a common issue?
 

Jeff H

[Jay]

You tried adjusting the hand brake with the adjusting nut (the nut holding the hand brake cable to the lever) ?

[Dubs4Life]

Does the cable have any visible ware?

[jeff_hooper]

The cable is properly adjusted and shows no visible signs of ware although the rubber boots on each end of the cable are rotten.

As I say I got it operating correctly last time I had this problem 12,000 miles ago. Its either cable or the mechanism at the calipers. The cable would be a cheap but awkward fix. The calipers a bit more expensive - I wonder is there a fix if it is the caliper handbrake that seizing?


Jeff H

[Jay]

I'd go with the cables first, even a newbie like me managed to change them.
After 1 of my cables snapped the hand brake was a lot looser.

[Dubs4Life]

I'd go with the cables first, even a newbie like me managed to change them.
After 1 of my cables snapped the hand brake was a lot looser.

Ill second that, Is there any place where the cable could be hung up or a external source of tension? Have you checked under the rubber boots, how to the mechanisms inside look?