Handbrake relocation

[cliffy858]

i currently have a under the dash handbrake with 2 pot ap rear calipers and separate handbrake calipers and I want to move to a centre tunnel handbrake. What are people's thoughts on the ap rear calipers, are they worth keeping? Will the centre handbrake cable work with my existing calipers Or should I fit the Sierra calipers? Will the Sierra calipers bolt straight on to my current ears?

[Jonathan Kay]

There's lots of advice in the archives but I don't know a Guide or single source.

What type of rear axle?

Jonathan

[elie boone]

I guess it's a S3 and you have a round tunnel top ? then you will need to make a support for the hand brake lever and modify the hand brake cable.

on a SV there is room to place the hand brake lever next to the seat.

[Richard Price]

If you currently have AP callipers, and want to fit sierra callipers, you'll also need to replace the discs and dedion ears.

 

 

[OliverSedlacek]

Sierra calipers don't have much to recommend them, so I would stick with what you've got. Re-engineering a handbrake linkage isn't trivial as there isn't much room in an S3 tunnel for the bracketry.

[LesG]

There is some info in the archive about converting a MG Midget handbrake lever, which sits in the passenger footwell, close to the centre tunnel, and seemed quite easy to do. If I didn't have a friendly MOT guy who completely ignores my lack of handbrake (and doesn't even check the exhaust emission either), I would choose this conversion for my Sierra rear calipers (although they're going to be swapped for VW Golf versions eventually) 

[cliffy858]

Thanks for your replies, my car will be going to arch soon to have a new front and reskin so I guess they will be able to fabricate a bracket for my handbrake. If the Sierra calipers are no better then would i be able to use the newer style handbrake cable and center handbrake with my existing calipers. Also I want to fit a padded center consul will this fit over the existing tunnel without modification?

[Richard Price]

would i be able to use the newer style handbrake cable and center handbrake with my existing calipers

If you have AP two pots, then there is no provision for a hand brake built into the caliper.

Cars with these brakes often have auxiliary "spot" calipers to provide a hand brake. 

The sierra calipers are compromised because of the hand brake mechanism that leaves a piston with a flat face, so heat is transferred very quickly from the pad into the fluid giving fluid boil resulting in a soft pedal with heavy track use. This effect can be reduced by using expensive brake fluid, but, overall, the AP's will give superior brakes, but no hand brake. 

[cliffy858]

Thanks Richard, I have just had a look under the car in the garage and I'm going to keep the Ap calipers with the auxiliary handbrake caliper setup. Once I have a bracket made up in the centre tunnel I should be able to use the existing cable that goes to the auxiliary calipers and just shorten the one that goes to the pulley if needed.The ap calipers look in good condition and as my plan with this car is to use it on track with the reason you stated it seems pointless changing them.