[sheff30]

I have had so many problems with my handbrake on my I30 that I decided to fit new rear calipers myself and stripped down the old one to see how it works. -
i have put a brief video on You tube for anyone interested in how it works.
BTW if your handbrake does stick in an emergency you can release it with a 12mm spanner   

YouTube


Be kind.

[BrendanP]

Thanks for that, I always wondered what was inside. I had a problem with my 65 plate car where the drivers side rear pads started wearing away much faster than the other side, so I thought it could be the caliper sticking. I wound the pistons back in and fitted new pads and so far, they're wearing evenly.

Did you get a new Hyundai caliper or an after-market one?

[Shambles]

Thanks for this post sheff30

[sheff30]

I opted for the aftermarket - an NK version. Went on easily enough but don't know if it will last better than the Hyundai ones.

[lewo]

Hi mate. In order to get the handbrake mechanism out of the caliper, did you need to remove a locking washer that held the mechanism in the caliper? Any idea what it's called? I've been trying to find a replacement one for days so I can rebuild my caliper but I can't find one anywhere!

[sheff30]

Hi. Sorry for not replying sooner - There is a circlip (a square variant) that holds the handbrake outer in place - see the picture with the yellow arrow showing where it is.

[BrendanP]

I watched the video again and it doesn't show how you extracted the piston assembly out of the caliper body. I assume you hold the handbrake lever and undo the nut on the shaft. The handbrake lever can then be pulled off the shaft, which appears to be splined. Is there another circlip which has to be removed before you can push the shaft and piston out of the caliper? In the video there does appear to be a groove in the shaft which looks like something a circlip would snap into.

[sheff30]

Brendan ,
You are spot on - I didn't realise that the original question was stripping the caliper rather than just replacing the handbrake cable. Yes the shaft is splined and yes it was held in place in the caliper with a circlip on the back of the caliper. when you remove the handbrake lever you reveal a rubber cover that keeps the 'dirt' away from the shaft and circlip but if you pull off the rubber cover you see the circlip. I wasn't that careful when I stripped my caliper because I knew I was replacing it.

[sheff30]

Just thought, although I said circlip, I think it was actually a starlock washer that held the shaft in place. It disappeared though.

[BrendanP]

Thanks Sheff30, the starlock washers are the sort you have to break to get off, although once the shaft and the hole in the caliper have corroded replacing the whole thing is probably the only option. Repair kits for calipers include pistons and rubber seals but I've not seen any with the handbrake gubbins as well. There must be an internal hydraulic seal around the shaft, and once you've pulled or pushed a corroded shaft through it, it will get scored and stop sealing.

You would have thought if there's a rubber seal around the shaft they could've packed it with enough grease at the factory to keep water and dirt out.

[sheff30]

The original video wasn't technically correct - I have modified to explain how the handbrake operates the pads, not the best video but it shows the difference between the auto-adjust mechanism and the parking operation (I think)