16v parking brake... ahhhh help!

[Ron at Bunch.org (Ron@Bunch.org)]

I had the same problem on my 86 8V somewhere beyond 250K miles.
(The "J turn handle" should go up down, not left and right.)

If the pin on which the brake handle pivots is too tight a fit from the 
factory (which many or all probably are), the pin will rotate inside the 
steel flange sticking up from the floor. That elongates the holes and also 
cuts slots in the pin, causing the locking/ratchet parts to not work. If 
you remove the retaining clips on the pin, then drive it out, you'll 
probably find slots worn into your pin from both sides of the flange.

If you simply replace the pin, you'll still have misalignment, because the 
openings in the flange are worn, but that might still work well enough to 
retain the rest of the pieces and function.

I considered fixing the elongated holes by drilling them larger to install 
steel or brass bushings from the local hardware store: then drilling the 
bushing I.D. to 13mm and inserting a new pin. But, large drill bits are not 
cheap and the bushings would require a longer pin than stock to leave room 
for a retainer clip, unless you had a custom pin milled or just tack welded 
either the old or a new pin to the flange.

Cheapest fix is to remove the pax seat, then remove the old pin,  coat the 
pin with fine valve grinding compound and work it inside the handle until 
there was just enough clearance for oil and no binding. Then, clean, grease 
and reinstall the pin and handle in the car and turn it so slots cut into 
the old pin are either side of the flange (minimum play).

Align the handle and clamp it in place. Then, tack weld one or both ends of 
the pin to the flange.
If you ever need to remove the pin again, cut the tack weld with a Dremel.
Even if you don't have a welder, this fix should only cost you a quick 
visit to a shop, or a friend's help.





At 09:07 AM 1/22/04 -0500, you wrote:
>Hey guys,
>
>Installation of the o2 sensor was finished last night, and I'm pretty
>sure that was the culprit of the sputtering, no such sputtering since.
>IT was  PAIN tho, getting underneath the catalytic converter, sheesh.
>
>Now, one of the infamously "reliable: interior parts fell apart on my
>16v last night, the parking brake. It is still functional, but the
>actual "locking" mechanism no longer seems to work. I think it may be
>the spring mechanism which needs to be readjusted or something, but I
>could be wrong. Basically, the parking brake works but there is no way
>of making it stay engaged. If it helps any, I suspect it is because the
>actual lever is no longr correctly aligned, it is pointing towards the
>left front of the car instead of dead center which is what I think it
>should normally look like ... the Bentley manual doesnt have anything
>about how to adjust this, could anyone help me out?? I just hope I can
>get it taken care of soon so that I can use my parking brake, no
>parking brake can only lead to trouble.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Carlos
>
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