Volkswagen Golf III (1992 - 1997) - 1997 2.8 Sticking handbrake on cold days

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Mon 2 Feb 2009 16:27
1997 2.8 Sticking handbrake on cold days - VR6
When very cold my handbrake seems to stick on. I haven't got the time to sort it out, or know where the problem lies to have a go myself. In the mean time are there any issues parking my car overnight in 1st gear with the handbrake off?
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Mon 2 Feb 2009 20:10
1997 2.8 Sticking handbrake on cold days - Woodspeed
Had this problem with my Mk2 and later Mk3 VR6. Seems to be caused by the small rubber "bellows" on the very end of the cable to the calliper either worn away or full of holes. Just a small amount of water gets in, freezes, and the cable jams. I used to not set the handbrake and leave it in 1st gear.
I remember trying to obtain just the little bellows (about as thick as a pencil and about 2 inches long) but VW could not supply. Had to buy the whole cable! In the end I got some Mk2 Golf cables from GSF for about £8 each and just pulled the bellows off and fitted them. Changing the cables is actually not hard, but ideally done from underneath and it is a fiddle.
Jack rear wheel, take off wheel, handbrake off, use pliers to pull cable off linkage. Bit of wash up liquid on the rubber, some bad language and it slips on. Refit. Job done.
I also took off the handbrake trim inside car to get at the cables, and trickled some oil down the cable - the logic being it would trickle down.
You certainly don't want to be pulling a dragging wheel down the road and hit a patch of ice. It will lock, and the figure of eight you make in the snow or pinball off 3 other cars is an insurance liability!
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