75ZT Community

Hi

As most know now our handbrakes are not the best in the world due to the U bend on the compensator stretching thus making it less efficent than it should be this was found out by many members getting together and looking at a solution which i am glad to say we have found out and solved, to cut a long story short they can now be modified so they will no longer stretch and give us the handbrake our cars deserve.

No more keep adjusting at the handbrake adjustment nut because after a certain time the new or used one will be stretched yet again.

I have started this thread so members can find it more easily and get intouch should they wish to do this handbrake modification all you need to do is PM me and we can get you on the road to having trust in your cars handbrake holding on those hills again

PS i was shocked Sunday 16th October 2011 at the nano meet what a member told me, he had bought a new compensator from an approved place and when he got the bill or payed for it the cost was £27 with postal costs these should only cost the most £15.86

My exchange as got to be the way to go and its modified

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I have now managed to build up some stock thanks to members donations either after buying new and donating their old one or by members getting hold of a few from a scapyard and two i bought to start off with and therefore should be able to turn out these every few two -three days with the exchange once you have fitted your modifcated one.

From Monday 24th October 2011 i should have 8 of these ready to go out please PM your interest thank you Arctic

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New Compensator 3mm gap


After use and stretched which can vary from 7mm up to 17mm






Stainless Steel Modified compensator which will no longer stretch 3mm


Should you wish to read all about the start and solution of the handbrake mod please click link below
http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s ... hp?t=88200
Arctic.

PM sent.

Jumper wrote:PM sent.

PM returned with information to contact

HI William
Will be in the post to you in the morning please remember to send me back your old compensator once you have fitted the modified comepnsator cheers Arctic.

Anymore takers send a PM

Hi Steve. Did the compensator today, all went well. Many thanks. To cap it all Lewis Hamilton won at last. Not a bad day all round really. Old one posted tomorrow.

Hi William.
great news did one myself today as well will keep my eye out for the old one and once received will tick you off th returns list all the bset Arctic,

Oh fiddlesticks (or words to that effect)

Decided today to set about fitting the modified handbrake compensator so that I could, finally, send the old one back.

So stage one remove the two screws from the centre console – well on mine, moving the seats forward simply did not give access to the screws, managed on the drivers side but on the passengers had to remove the seat.

Broke one of the clips for the carpet trims, but had them in stock so no real issue.

All was going well until I lifted the carpets, puddles underneath, deep joy another job and not one for today.

However when I lifted the centre console, the compensator was nowhere in sight, would have needed to cut a large section of carpet out to access it – gave up in the end and went to the pub.

Of course had to refit everything to use the car, one of the carpet trims would not go back so needs replacing – more expense.

Looks like the carpet will have to come out to dry so will have another go at the compensator when I get the time/space/budget to do so.

All in all a pretty unrewarding day

Hi Colin.
Sorry to hear you are having trouble fitting the hanbrake compensator i fitted one my self today in 30.mins the front seats need to go forward as much as they can the drivers side can be also lowred if electric or manual helping that more once forward the side of the seat needs to be pushed down and a lond screw driver used to relase screws,

carpet trims should be slid off not pulled off carpet then peeled back as far as the seat belt anchor, once the console as be lifeted at the rear and supported a little bit of carpet can/sholud be cut to gain access to the front cable to be released. the bcak cables can only be accessed from under the carpet once lifted.

did you folow the compensator fitting instruction at the links below ? if ilived close i would pop round and fit this for you cheers Arctic.
mk-2-modifed-compensator-t4473.html

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s ... hp?t=95998

Hi Arctic

Yep I was following the instructions step by step

Certainly on mine (V8, with leather electric seats) the screw on the drivers side could only be accessed by having the seat all the way back and then pulling the seat base away. On the passenger side the seat is simply too high (no height adjustment) so the only way was whip the seat out.

Not sure if I broke the fir tree clip or if it was already broken but I had a spare anyway,

Once got the console up and lifted the carpet i could not access the compensator, but given the water I found underneath I may not have been focussed enough on the job at hand.

Looks like I need to rip the carpet out to dry it so that'll certainly make access easier, no seats, no console, no carpets.

I too wish I was closer to make use of the support of you guys up there - maybe I'll be able to make the next nano meet

Just by way of interest, on my passenger seat side the seat was too high and not being electric, couldn't be lowered. So I had a small Phillips driver which I had already bent about 1 inch from the pointy end into a right- angle. Bent that about twenty years ago for one job only and knew it would come in useful again. I didn't have to cut the carpet at all, I found I could ease the carpet back far enough by pushing carpet from behind and out of its corner moulded shape at the bottom of the tunnel. Difficult but do-able. I thought the carpet would be the usual tunnel piece flopped over with the floor piece flopped down but it's not! It looks like it's heat moulded! Now looks like hands had never touched and brake feels right but is only really full on at 6 clicks - but that's how I like it. The carpet trims benefit if the door/body seal is slipped off first so the lugs can be seen. All in all, a good job, thanks Steve.

Hi William if you modified compensator is on 6 clicks then you need to adjust at both rear wheel drums with the kurled nut this can be done by taking the wheel off and through one of the holes for the wheel studs with small screw driver but very hard best just to take drum off and adjust also clean out any dust at the same time once adjusted you can adjust at the handbrake nut back to the golden 25mm all the best steve.