Handbrake Lever - Likely Damage
Submitted: Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 17:18
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Member - Hughesy (NSW)
I've attached a pic of the handbrake cable set up for my Jayco (I hope it works). I've only just bought it so no damage yet but I can easily visage that the first time I go thru a steep hollow/dip the handbrake lever will become more crooked than a politician!!
How are other peoples handbrake levers setup on their campers??? As you can see it hangs down a good 4.5inches. I know the towball cops a flogging without the trailer attached. Its an ALKO setup.
Anyone got any ideas on how I can change the setup before I stuff it??
!MPG:18!
Reply By: Hairy - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 17:26
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 17:26
Gday,
Dont now how to say it without stating the obvious though....
Move it up higher....Your right , its too low.
Cheers
AnswerID:
259968
Follow Up By: Member - Hughesy (NSW) - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 17:36
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 17:36
I wish it was that simple Hairy ;) The handbrake lever is mounted to a plate that sits under the Trigg coupling. Without lifting the whole Trigg coupling you can't make it higher. I could cut the bottom part of the lever but then you would have very little movement in tensioning the brake cable and would render the handbrake useless. Any other ideas???
FollowupID:
521417
Follow Up By: Hairy - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:36
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:36
Try and take some more photos, I really cant see why you cant lift it up.
Keep in mind the only things to avoid changing is where the cable attaches to the lever (needs to be in the centre, preferably) and the distance between the pivot point of the handle and the end where the cable attaches to the lever needs to stay the same length (preferably).
Is there and reason you cant mount it sideways ( turn it 90deg and mount it above the draw bar) and run the cable down between the draw bar and over a little pulley?
Im sure there is a simple way.....just cant picture what you have without better photos.
Cheers
FollowupID:
521422
Follow Up By: disco1942 - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 21:59
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 21:59
He can't raise the hand brake on its own as it is part of the hitch. If he raises the hitch and the lever it will through the trim of his van out.
PeterD
FollowupID:
521456
Follow Up By: Hairy - Monday, Sep 03, 2007 at 17:23
Monday, Sep 03, 2007 at 17:23
My Mum always told me " there is no such thing as cant"
FollowupID:
521537
Reply By: the mightyQ - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:14
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:14
G'day Hughesy, yeah! I can only state the obvious but having the same Alko setup underneath my Trigg fitting. My the fitting is on top of the draw-bars.
With it being on top the hand- brake arm is level with the bottom of the draw-bars. i can only suggest you mount the Trigg on a plate on top of the draw-bars.
I take it as seen that this is a Jayco Outback, had one! same problem!
andy
AnswerID:
259973
Reply By: Hopper51 - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:29
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:29
Hi there Hughesy
Our 2006 Jayco O/B Expanda has a substantial piece of angle iron (4"x4"x5/16"?)
welded the A frame under the mount for the coupling. I often wondered what it was for - now I know - it is to protect the hand brake lever assembly.
cheers
Chris W
AnswerID:
259975
Reply By: Member - Terry G (NSW) - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:48
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:48
This setup was Jayco's response to complaints on their earlier models that the treg coupling sat too high and it was almost impossible to get a gooseneck that would keep the receiver high enough to give a level ride. Hence the hole in the A-frame and the lowering of the coupling. I think I have seen some of them like this with a plate welded across the top and the handbrake fastened to it with the cables running along the inside of the box frames. By the way, is that the way your Tregg normally sits or have you rotated it 90degrees to take the picture.
tessa
AnswerID:
259976
Follow Up By: Member - Hughesy (NSW) - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:55
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 18:55
Yeah spun it 90deg to take photo Terry. Might have to go for a different type of lever. Because the handbrake locks against the top of the Trigg you can't just move the handbrake but the hole lot. Could weld in a plate to mount the coupling and everything above the A-frame rails but think I'll look for another type of cable setup.
FollowupID:
521425
Reply By: MEMBER - Darian (SA) - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 20:33
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 20:33
Yep - the rocks will wreck it without protection. See....
http://users.picknowl.com.au/~darian/JackCampo/images/hitch.jpg
I used some
conveyor rubber to protect
mine on our Campomatic.
Not much point in trying to engineer a move up I thought, because I have already had to cut the handle off, swing it over and reweld it, to reduce height (for closing the vehicle's rear
barn doors).
AnswerID:
259989
Reply By: Bilbo - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 23:06
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 23:06
It's been my experience that most van handbrakes don't work very
well, if at all.
Mine's a near new Supreme Offroader and it's never worked no matter how you adjust it or the brakes shoes, or how hrad you jam it on. The van still rolls if it ain't dead level. Complete waste of time.
Find some rocks or take blocks of wood with you and chock the wheels prior to uncoupling.
I do it all the time now and bugger all that messing about trying to get the handbrake to work.
Bilbo
AnswerID:
260017
Reply By: Muddy doe (SA) - Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 23:37
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 at 23:37
As mentioned by Chris above, some angle iron or other type of plate steel welded below the draw bar would be required to protect the brake hardware in it's current position. Something below the draw bar to act as "sliders".
Muddy
AnswerID:
260023