so my car failed the NCT, 3 things listed

1. a reflector missing from bumper - my fault didn't think was a failure
2. rear driver side wishbone bush worn- ok fair enough no biggie i guess, just get garage to sort
3. handbrake- registered effort is 13% required is 16%, garage reckon its a pITA to get it right

any ideas if the handbrake adjustment is an issue?

Getting the handbrake adjusted isn't a big issue, just takes a bit of time.
When my Indy guys took my FF for its MOT last October, they drove the FF round the block once with the handbrake lightly applied to warm it up and it passed without any problems. The handbrake will hold the FF no problem on the level or a slight incline, but struggles on a steep hill (have to really haul it full up to get the 2.5 tonnes of Ff to stay still!). I don't really bother with the handbrake, just put it in Park and only use the handbrake on inclines or steep hills now, just to stop the Parking pawl from getting stressed or damaged.

They are having you on... handbrake adjustment is a quick easy job, take off wheel, remove plastic plug from disc, turn disc till the hole is about 5 o'clock, stick screwdriver in hole and flick the adjuster till it pulls up better...

Won't need much to get from 13% to 16% Pete
__________________________________________________
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Why did Land Rover do away with the transmission brake, never had an issue with my Landy or the 2 Classics, only had to touch the handbrake and it would put you through the windscreen
Still one saving grace is us pre-facelift owners don't have the nightmare of the stupid little flicky lever that replaced the handbrake on the later cars. The first time I came across this, shot in the foot design, was with a D3, was always going back because it didn't work, or had seized on. Utter utter , fit for making your plants grow  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Completely different parts on the FF to the D3 & RRS Miggit... Very rarely go wrong on the FF (unlike the others!)

Well it's good to know that the FFRR have better flicky parking brakes than the D3 and RRS, still don't know what was wrong with a lever and a button, has worked perfectly well for donkeys years. Come to think of it haven't they done away with the gear lever too? Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

oh ok thanks everyone

guy in garage was saying it a pita to get it right

There's probably not much wrong with the adjustment of your handbrake, the chances are the collection of dirt in the drum is probably causing the shoes / drum to slip.
Imo you really need to take the drums off, clean everything out, clean the pads with a course emery and re-assemble.
You will probably find the handbrake will be ok then without adjustment. I had a similar useless handbrake, cleaned it out, never a problem since.
By the way, I agree with your garage the handbrake adjustment is a pita to get absolutely right.

Garage guy just wants to pad the bill a bit  MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

I haven't played with the handbrake yet, come to think of it, don't think I've used it either. But it should be fairly easy to adjust, just looked at Rave, well easy to adjust.
With the bung removed from the disc and the hole at 6 O'clock, insert a screwdriver and wind up the shoes until resistance is felt, on / off twice with handbrake to centralise the shoes, and check for movement. Keep doing this until the disc will not move with the handbrake off, then back off the adjuster 8 notches, on / off with handbrake and check that the disc moves freely, done  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

miggit wrote:

Well it's good to know that the FFRR have better flicky parking brakes than the D3 and RRS, still don't know what was wrong with a lever and a button, has worked perfectly well for donkeys years. Come to think of it haven't they done away with the gear lever too?

Its called progression sir

They work soooooo much better than the old system!!!

The issue with the old system was the axle articulation! The cables would move between access height and off road height so when applying the handbrake, the lower the car, the higher the lever would need to be pulled up!

Little bit of homework for all the members reading this with a manual handbrake! Park on a hill. Put your car in off road height. Pull the handbrake on (not really really pulling it) but enough to hold the car whilst the gear lever is in Neutral, then lower your suspension to access height and see how many start to roll...

Thats why we now have elec handbrakes!

stcstc31 wrote:

3. handbrake- registered effort is 13% required is 16%, garage reckon its a pITA to get it right

any ideas if the handbrake adjustment is an issue?

Yes it can be a pita to get right. Also, depending how many times yours has been yanked up? The cables could very easily be fooked by now sir!

Oh so your saying that it's a similar botch job to the Citroen set up, only we have to put it in park to get the key out...
Because the Citroen system acts on the front discs, if you don't really apply the handbrake fully, and then some, after about 20 minutes it just goes off on a jolly all by it's self Mothers 5 day old Citroen BX TZD (top of the range) went for a 250 yard jolly down a 1 in 2 Cornish lane Almost a writeoff , She left it in gear after that

And I still maintain my original question, what was wrong with the transmission brake? That would hold the car and a 3 ton trailer on a steep hill no problems, and didn't care how high the suspension was. The only hick up was when you changed a wheel without chocking the others  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Nothing at all wrong with a transmission brake.
It always used to amaze me how the brake on my Discovery used to hold without any bother at all even when the shoes and drum were covered in oil from the inevitable oil leak from the transfer box.