Driveline (hand) brake Adjustment

’94 D90 (R380+LT230)
by Chris VanDecar
!!! CAUTION !!! - Read all instructions carefully before starting work. The parking brake is an important safety feature of the vehicle. Failure to properly execute some instructions could result in systems failure, resulting in damage to the vehicle, or it's occupants. But, proper adjustment of the brake is necessary for proper functioning. So, if you think you can accomplish the instructions without doing more harm than good....go for it.
'Nuff said.....Now, on with the show!
Tools needed:
  1. 13mm socket and driver
  2. 13mm wrench (another 13mm wrench can be used instead of the socket.
  3. 18mm open end wrench
  4. 16mm open end wrench
  5. pliers
  6. flat bladed screwdriver
  7. 1 smallish cotter pin
  8. Wheel chocks
 
Optional:
  1. A helper person
  2. Guinness
This is not the procedure detailed in the owner’s manual or the shop manual. On my Landy the handbrake is totally different than the one in the manuals. You could try adjusting the handbrake cables from underneath the truck but I couldn’t find enough room under the truck to use both wrenches on the two adjusting nuts.
  1. Start by chocking the rear wheels, then release the brake.
  2. Find the four plugs that hold the rubber boot to the brake assembly and using the screwdriver carefully pry them out of the holes.
  3. Slide the boot up and take out the cotter pin that holds the brake cable to the hand lever assembly. Push the retaining pin out and set aside.
  4. Now remove the two 13mm bolts that hold the whole assembly to the interior bodywork. To do this you will either need someone to hold a wrench on the nuts underneath the vehicle or place the wrench in a position so it wont fall off when you start loosening the bolt from inside the vehicle (or the other way around). There is a washer and a lock washer on the nut side so be careful not to lose these when the bolts come out.
  5. With the bolts removed, gently pull the whole assembly inside. As you do this you will see the adjusting assembly come into view. You will need the 16 and 18mm open-end wrenches. The nut closest to the brake lever assembly is the adjuster, this is the one you will be turning, and the other one should be held in place.
  6. To tighten (less upward travel on the lever) adjust the nuts farther apart; to loosen (more upward travel on the lever) adjust them closer together. Two or three complete turns of the nut should do the job.
    NOTE - I did this by trial and error. The manual calls for lifting the rear of the vehicle and tightening the cable until the brake drum will not turn and then to back off a few turns. This wont work with my procedure as the cable is separated from the lever assembly, which is unbolted from the bodywork. I just adjusted to take up a couple of clicks on the lever and then made sure (with the whole thing re-assembled) that the brake drum wasn’t dragging.
  7. To check the adjustment, install just the lower bolt and nut, then check the lever travel. Once you have the desired adjustment, install the other bolt and nut.
  8. Pull the end of the cable forward so you can re-install the pin that holds the cable to the lever assembly. Install the new cotter pin and re-install the rubber boot.