TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

Handbrake Replacement (VERY Long)
Posted by larry on Friday, 30 January 1998, at 10:27 a.m. (with additions)

Well Boy & Girls - I realize that it is not the weekend yet, but I went ahead and did the handbrake tonight. I got home early and decided to go for it. The good news is that it is not too bad. It took me about an hour and a half, but with instructions, hopefully you can do it faster. I was flying somewhat blind, although some information from Morris King helped.

You will need: a 13MM socket wrench, three Torx screwdrivers (T30, T25, and T20 - 30 being the largest and so on), a couple of pairs of pliers or crescent wrenches or one of each. A flat screw driver for prying.

To begin - there are 13 screws that you will need to remove to remove the console and the center module under the dash. For all of these except two (under the ashtray) you will use the T20 Torx screwdriver. The two under the ashtray you will use the T25. The T30 is ONLY used to tighten the screw on the shifter. While the replacement of the shifter is already well documented, I only add this information.

First you must remove the console and the center module. I suggest (although I didn't do it this way) that you do the center module first. Pull forward and out on the colored panels (gray in my car) on either side of the module and set them aside. Pull out the two carpeted panels behind and on either side of the module. There are 4 screws (two on each side) that hold it in place. One in toward the middle front and the other is at the far back. Once these are removed, the module simply pulls out. Set it aside.

You can start at the front or back of the console - your choice. I started in the back. Open the storage bin and pull out the rubber bottom. Under it you will see a screw in the center back. Remove it. Pull out the little coin holder thing in the front. Under it you will remove another screw. Then with a flat screwdriver pry up the plastic floor of the compartment from the back where you removed the screw. You will see the back of the brake mechanism where it attached to the cables. There is another screw here for you to remove. Then remove the ashtray. You will see two screws. Use the T25 screwdriver to remove these. Once you have taken these out pull out the module that holds the ashtray and houses the window buttons and seat heater buttons, if you have them. You will need to disconnect all of these. There are plugs that just pull out. You will also need to unplug the light for the ashtray. Put this aside. The plug for the left window is white and the right window is black….remember. I don't have the seat heaters so I can't help you, but they are probably similar. Under this is another screw for you to remove. Remove the shifter. Use the flat screw driver to lift the bottom of the boot and then pull on the top of the shifter until it pulls off of the shaft. It you have a shifter other than the base shifter, you will need to use the T30 screwdriver to loosen a screw under the boot in the front shaft of the shifter. In front of the shifter (normally under the center module) you will find the last screw. You need to also remove the plastic panel that is in between the handbrake and the drivers seat. It just pulls out. The console should now be free. With a little maneuvering to get it around the handbrake, shifter shaft, etc remove it and set it aside.

The new handbrake is more than just the handle. It includes the metal base and mechanism that attaches to the cables that set and release the rear brakes. Study the handbrake that is in the car. Remove the plug that attaches to the button that turns the light on the dash on and off when the handbrake is engaged or disengaged. It is right under the handle. Push in on the white plastic piece to release a tab that holds it in.

There are four bolts that secure the handbrake base of the car. Remove these with the socket wrench. Two are regular nuts (driver's side) and two have tall shafts on top of them. The one on the passenger rear also has a clamp that goes over it to hold some cables in place. Remove the clamp first with the socket and then the tall nut. Once the nuts are removed you can lift the handbrake upward although it is still attached to the cables. The cables are attached to a sort of circular metal pulley looking part. One cable wraps under right and one wraps over left. Once the handbrake is free these cables will slack. There is a metal collar that goes around the curved side of the pulley to hold these cables in place. Use a flat screwdriver to pry it off to release the cables. The cable can then be removed and the old handbrake can be set aside. You will notice a threaded shaft that points toward the rear of the car that goes through the pulley. It has a metal collar and two nuts attached to it. This is what is used to adjust the tension (engaged and disengaged) on the cables. It is VERY IMPORTANT that the tension be adjusted properly. If it is TOO tight the brakes won't fully disengage when the handle is lowered. If it is TOO loose, then the brakes will not hold when the handle is pulled up. I do not mean to make a bigger deal of this than it is, but it is important and I want to make sure that you are paying attention. I studied the amount of slack and tension on the old handbrake before I removed it so that I was familiar with the way it looked. I also made sure the amount of threaded shaft sticking rearward beyond the last nut on the new handbrake matched the amount that had been sticking out on the old handbrake to estimate the proper amount of tension. When the handbrake is pulled up (engaged) the cables should be tight. When released they should have some slack.

Reattach the cables to the new pulley and clamp the collar on to secure them. Then adjust the nuts in until there is proper tension (in both positions) on the cables. Then using the pliers or crescent wrenches (one on each nut, tighten them in opposite directions to ensure the pulley position is secure. On the factory unit that I removed they had amked the nuts with what looked like nail polish. I think that this was to give a reference point to the position of the nuts when they were first put on for future adjustment. You may want to put a magic maker line on the new nuts for the same reason. (or nail polish if you are so inclined.)

YOU ARE DONE. Now just follow all of the above procedures in reverse to finish! Afterward test the dash light for the parking brake, the windows and seat heaters and the ashtray light to be sure that everything is working again. If I have forgotten anything, I am sorry. It is a lot to remember. It is really not a bad task if you feel comfortable doing these type of things. If not find someone that can help or take it to dealer or a mechanic. HAVE FUN!

Also I took pictures of this, but it will be few days before I can post them.

Sorry this SO LONG Pete!!

Re: Handbrake Replacement UPDATE...Something I forgot!!
Posted by larry on Friday, 30 January 1998, at 3:05 p.m.

I forgot!! On the metal base of the old shifter you will see two bright blue plastic washers (I call them washers, they are plastic pieces that fit over the two holes) on the base that console screws go into (they are threaded. You will NEED to remove these and transfer them to the base of the new unit or there will be nothing to re-attach the console screws to once you replace it! Sorry I forgot about this until now. That is all....I think.

Handbrake Replacement - CAUTION!
Posted by larry on Sunday, 1 February 1998, at 2:08 p.m.

Here is follow-up to my previous post on the handbrake replacement. First, as I am sure that some of you have already figured out, there are 11 screws to remove the center module and console, NOT 13 like I stated. OK that's why I am NOT a mathmetician. Also a word of caution....I learned the hard way. The new handbrake has a leather base (in your interior color) and is therefore slightly thicker than the base of the original. After installing mine I noticed that it scraped (slightly) against the sides of the console surrounding it when I pulled up on it. I check to see if perhaps I had not gotten the console put in straight or perhaps back too far, but found that it was properly installed. My wife and I were out in it yesterday with the top down and we stopped at the cleaners. I got out and left the car running while I ran in. I engaged the handbrake of course and when I got back she said, "what happened to your new handbrake?"!!! I found out that on the lower side toward the passenger that the leather had been torn. Evidently when I pulled up on it there was enough resistence on that side that it tore the leather. I later found out that the leather is EXTREMELY thin and fragile. Today I dismantled every thing...I am getting good at this. And sure enough it had torn. Unfortunately it was also bad enought that I could not just pull it back up and glue it in place. I ended up taking some from the rear lower part of the handbrake that never shows and patching it. I also had to file the plastic on the console around that part of the handbrake to prevent it from reoccuring. Once back together it no longer scrapes. Unfortunately you can tell where I patched it...but you really have to be looking for it notice. Luckily it is on the side that I never see.

[ Home ] [ User INFO ] [ Boxster Board ] [ Archives ] [ Sponsors ] [ Museum ]
[ Events ] [ Polls ] [ Links ] [ Classifieds ] [ Boutique ] [ Pete's Page ]