Sticky Brakes

[Tam1314]

Hi folks, I have been away in Australia for a month only to come back to find that the person I trusted to start my car and move it back and forth every few days has let me down. The handbrake was on tight and the discs are really rusted, so obviously the car has not been moved. Started ok but the brakes were seized, I freed them off but they are still very jittery when braking.
Do you think they will go back to being ok with more use or does it look like they could be knacked.
Thanks
Tam

[stoney]

Should be ok after some use I would think If not cleard up in say 100m or so u will prob have to change them :(

[Craig]

When you drive down the road, pull the handbrake On Gently til you can hear the pads engaging (do this about 20/30mph) for about 20 secs and this should help to clean them up. Also park in gear with the handbrake off sometimes and that can help with the seizing ;)

[MINIme:)]

Sorry to hear this Tam but hope you had an amazing holiday. I didn't know this could cause damage. I do tend to pull my handbrake on pretty tight. Luckily I don't tend to have the misfortune of going to Oz for a month to leave it long though! and I have a great daily slip road for braking hard on to keep the rust down. That may be a flawed plan, I have no idea...

I regularly have the 'stick' when I start up in the morning or at night from parking wet. Should I be easier on the handbrake? I always park in gear.

hope yours sorts itself out soon :thumbs up:

[Gismo]

Sound advice from everyone, i only ever used the handbrake for it's intended purpose if it was parked on an angle.
I operated it every day i drove it to make sure it worked, but, on the level, always just parked it in reverse gear

[MINIme:)]

well I didn't know that. I always check it's really tight before getting out of the car, woops! (and then I lean back in and check it again :blush: ) I'll try and calm it down a bit ;)

[Tam1314]

I always leave the car in gear with the handbrake just on, the person that started the car for me must have yanked it on hard.
My drive is on a slight slope so can't really blame her for that but disappointed she never took it for a wee drive.
Was out for a drive yesterday and it's eased off a bit so will try Craig's advice about pulling on the handbrake while driving slow.
Thanks 😄

[Mon the fish]

You'll need a good bit of handbraking (without stretching the cable), as the Mini hardly uses the rear brakes in normal braking, so 60+ hard stops won't clear them

[Tam1314]

I have been applying the handbrake over the last couple of days and there is a big difference in the braking now, a lot smoother but still a wee bit noisy.

[Craig]

Good news ;)