how do i adjust the handbrake on my peugot 406 it is to slack?

The handbrake on the 406 is not very good! However, it is fairly easy to adjust. Allow an hour or so, and work safely!

It's best not to adjust the cable until you have checked the handbrake shoe condition and adjustment. Assuming your car has rear disc brakes, you will need to remove the rear pads and drum and check the condition of the handbrake shoes. If they are OK, clean the drum and refit it. If not, replace the handbrake shoes (you have to bed the new ones in by driving slowly with the handbrake slightly engaged for a short distance). Refit the brake pads. Then remove the rubber inspection hole bung from the drum and rotate the drum by hand until the inspection hole aligns with the adjuster mechanism. To find it, shine a bright torch through the hole whilst rotating the drum. The adjuster is a rusty cog which is adjusted by inserting a medium sized flat bladed screwdriver through the hole and levering the cog one way or the other. You will hear a ratchet noise whilst doing this. There should be a very slight drag when correctly adjusted. Refit the bung and road wheel. Repeat for the other side.

Now, see how many "clicks" of the handbrake lever ratchet it takes before the handbrake starts to work. If it's two or more, you could probably benefit from adjusting some of the slack from the cable. There is an adjuster mechanism under the fuel tank in the centre of the car at the rear. Give it a good soak with WD40 and go for a cup of tea. Now, clean off as much rust and stuff from the screw threads with an old toothbrush and give it another squirt of WD40. Using a couple of small spanners (10mm open ended if I remember correctly) unscrew the locknut whilst holding the adjuster nut with the other spanner. Adjust the cable to remove the slack - don't remove all of the slack though - leave half a millimetre of slack or so at the interconnecting joint.

That should do it.

I think the MOT specification is that with the handbrake lever pulled on three clicks of the ratchet, the brake drum should only be able to be rotated with heavy hand pressure and with six clicks it should hold the car on a steep hill. That bit might not be 100% accurate but it is what I have always worked to when preparing cars for the MOT.

Alex
April 2007