So I have posted a few issues I have had with my 08 Mini S on here, and each time you guys have managed to come up with the answer!

This however, is a tricky one I believe:

The handbrake of my car has gone a bit crap... Barely feels like it is on at all. I adjusted it (tightening the nut on the handbrake cable tensioner connected to the handbrake lever) and that doesn't seem to help much.

I lifted the rear of the car on jacks, put the handbrake on, and discovered something interesting: one wheel is LOCKED on, the other though pretty much spins as if almost nothing is holding it.

Basically, when I pull the handbrake, only one wheel is getting held. Now when I use the regular brakes, the car seems to brake straight and true in an almost perfect line.

So what do we think? Is it possible one brake line has become more stretched out than the other?

 

Generally they hand brake works via a cable.... sounds like there is an issue with one of the cables

 

While that side is jacked up, have someone else step on the brake pedal. If the caliper is frozen, it won't stop movement. Check the slide pins also. How is the wear on the rear pads?

 

the parking brake is different then the service brakes, if the cable on one side isnt actuating the emergency part of that brake it will spin freely and give you the gimpy hand brake, take the side not working apart and see why it isnt working, either the cable is snapped at the end or that sides e brake pad is worn off to the point of no adjustment, the rear brakes on the car will give more pedal feel than a sense of tracking, if the front had one side worn worse than the other that is when you would notice it steer to one side or the other . How does the pedal feel? and how is the fluid in the master cylinder?

 

Pedal feel doesn't seem unusual to me (however, that doesn't really mean much because I could have just got use to it over time). One thing I have noticed, and this is very hard to describe; but when you look at the brake cable going to the caliper, it seems to pull a lever looking thing (almost like a switch) that I assume locks the brake pads down. Well on the side that doesnt seem to be locking on, I have noticed that that "switch" or lever (whatever you want to call it) seems to stay on after you release the handbrake. This is why I dont have the handbrake very tight on the adjustor, because the pad on one wheel seem to lock on and then starts cooking and I can smell it after a few minutes of driving.

 

It could be a rear caliper. You can see where the cable hooks to the caliper. Is it getting pulled? Is the cam on the back moving? Did the one cable break? I see this on the Gen 1 cars all the time, but not too many gen 2 cars yet, but it can start to happen based on your car year.

Chad
Detroit Tuned

 

It is moving, but its almost as if it is not moving as much, and it seems to get locked down in the on position if I have the handbrake set too tight?

 

My '08 did this last winter. Most likely, one of the cables has seized. Adjusting will just make it worse.

Replace one or both brake cables - that fixed mine.

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How tough is it to replace the cables?

 

It's not too hard. But you really need to have the car on a lift to get to them easily.

Some jobs are just worth paying a mechanic to do in a shop. This is one of those. My cable was replaced by the dealer under warranty, but it didn't take them long to do. No reason to take it to a MINI dealer - - any (competent) mechanic would have no problem with this and it would save you many headaches over doing it yourself.

Just my opinion, of course.

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There is no "e-brake pad" on these cars. The e-brake works the standard brake caliper to hold the wheel.