THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

Apologies if this has been covered before....but does anyone else find the Handbrake scary?? maybe its just mine has a hair trigger or I am not using it correctly? (back in the 70,s I had a Mercedes 200D with a similar handrake, that semed ok) But my problem is that I have noticed that it doesn,t take much to knock the Brake off, the lightest touch and it is gone. With my dogs running around in the truck It,s going to run away for sure one day (and my dogs haven,t learned to steer the damn thing yet) Maybe you folks can give me some pointers on how to make sure it stays on? (I,m not complaining about its efficiency...it is really good on steep hills.) But when it is pulled hard on!!!!! it just takes the lightest tap with a finger to free it.

It depends on which way the handle is facing. Flat (totally in left/right position) it can be dislodged very easily. In the vertical (up/down position) it holds fine. Where is your handle?

Morris

My Handbrake is situated to the right on the gearstick on the wall of the engine air channel. (I will post some pics tomorrow) It is almost vertical (just pull up) and is easy to use. I tried it again in many positions leaving the "unbrella handle Pointing directly forward, it is on good and tight, but again only needs the lightest tap of a babys finger to push it to left or right by the slightest degree where it disengages instantly. Is there any thing I can do to make it harder to disengage it. (I used to have a "fly off" handbrake in an old Triumph Spitfire, I wish that one would have disengaged as quickly as the Pinzgauer one!!!!!) (This is a Pinzmeister diesel conversion and the Handbrake has been re-positioned but the cable run and the wheel are all free running.) All my adult life I have been freeing off seized handbrakes on all kinds of cars....now I want one to stiffen up, its just a new challenge at a later stage in life.

Chapter K, Page twenty seven, item two would answer your question.

Thanks for trying to help Erik, but I only have the user manual in English, I do not yet have a copy of the workshop/Repair manual which you must be referring to.

I'll send you a workshop manual and parts book on CD, must say I didn't notice any problem with the handbrake when I road tested it

pinzmeister-uk wrote:I'll send you a workshop manual and parts book on CD, must say I didn't notice any problem with the handbrake when I road tested it

Did you show him how to use it? Sounds like operator error.

I think it may be some kind of operator error, I did have a similar handrake on a 1972 Mercedes that I once owned. For Nigel, there is no problem with the efficiency of the brake, it holds well even on the steepest hills, its just the effort to release it seems to be about....."the lightest touch of a feather"...here is an example...the other day I was out with my dogs, the dog lead was sitting on the engine cover, it slid over against the handbrake, and just the touch of the dog lead, knocked the brake off and the Pinz started to roll. Lucky I was still in....if I had just jumped out!!!!!!!

Sounds like something is dangerously wrong here ! As far as I am aware, the handle should be in the vertical position when both "off" and "applied". Turn a quarter turn anti-clockwise to release. No hair trigger sketch !!!

There should be a decent amount of "twist" in the cable. About 5 turns WITH the lay of the cable. Easy to do. Remove clip and pin from clevis at "rear" end of cable. Twist the clevis/cable in an a/clockwise direction (viewed from back end). With the tension retained (use a screwdriver to stop the clevis wizzing back), engage it back on the rear lever assy. and replace pin and clip.

With the cable disconnected, take the opportunity to inspect it and if OK, lather it in grease, Waxoyl or similar. You DON'T want a rusty cable to go twang when you are sat on a decent incline !

cronapress wrote:Sounds like something is dangerously wrong here ! As far as I am aware, the handle should be in the vertical position when both "off" and "applied". Turn a quarter turn anti-clockwise to release. No hair trigger sketch !!!

There should be a decent amount of "twist" in the cable. About 5 turns WITH the lay of the cable. Easy to do. Remove clip and pin from clevis at "rear" end of cable. Twist the clevis/cable in an a/clockwise direction (viewed from back end). With the tension retained (use a screwdriver to stop the clevis wizzing back), engage it back on the rear lever assy. and replace pin and clip.

With the cable disconnected, take the opportunity to inspect it and if OK, lather it in grease, Waxoyl or similar. You DON'T want a rusty cable to go twang when you are sat on a decent incline !

Mine is at two different positions "off" and "applied" it isn't a hair trigger but is easy to disengage and I don't have to return the handle to the "off" position just rotate the handle and it returns its self.

Not sure about the handbrake problem, would have to see it in action, but I would add that whatever vehicle I am driving I would leave it in gear when parked so if the handbrake does fail the vehicle won't roll too fast if at all.

You need to disconnect the cable from the lever at the back and add 3 or 3 twists to the left on the cable then re-attach
Many people forget to re-tension the cable after disconnecting for other service

Thanks Jim, I will get to that cable twisting thing first light tomorrow, I,ll come back during the day with a report on progress. This Pinzmeister conversion is so damn good and I am enjoying her so much, any adjustments give me more chance to get up close and personal.

First light!!!I should be so lucky, I had a leaky injector return pipe and an injector that was leaking compression, so I took it out cleaned everything up, then replaced the return pipe........so finally I took out the clevis pin, turned the cable 3/4 times and put it back, so much better, I took the pin out and turned it a couple more times and now the handbrake is much harder to release accidentally and takes a more positive action to release, I am much happier. Thanks Jim, If I learn something new about my Pinz every day, maybe by the time I,m 70 I,ll know half what you know.