tr4u2 Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 i want to fit a 4A handbrake to my 4 as in 7 VC ,cannot find any photos clear enough to help anyone know how the cabling works, do you leave the original system in place on the axle and convert the lever to take a single cable? OR convert to dual cables, if so how/where do you anchor the cable fixing that usually bolts on to the 4A swinging arm casting regards Adrian salisbury Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mandarawessels Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 i want to fit a 4A handbrake to my 4 as in 7 VC ,cannot find any photos clear enough to help anyone know how the cabling works, do you leave the original system in place on the axle and convert the lever to take a single cable? OR convert to dual cables, if so how/where do you anchor the cable fixing that usually bolts on to the 4A swinging arm casting regards Adrian salisbury Hi Adrian this has def been up before, do a search. tr4 handbrake better than tr4a though! think twice! cheers John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
david ferry Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Adrian, Single cable and leave everything on the axle as it is. You will need to make a substantial bracket to hold the propshaft tunnel mounted lever. You will need to find a suitable cable from the lever to the axle. Failing that, you could take the easy option as I did and buy the well designed kit from Revington TR. Here's a link to the Revington kit. It does exactly what you are wanting to do, and what I will be installing on my TR4 rally car in the near future. I wonder if Jonathan Hancox had this fitted to his car by Manvers when they rebuilt it for him? I wouldn't be surprised if he did....why re-invent the wheel! Regards David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dale Moore Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Hi Adrian I would guess the best bet would be to get hold of the handbrake bits from a solid axle 4a How do you intend to graft the hand brake mounting to the tunnel? Moving the lever to a more conventional position will give more leg room, but the 4a has a reputation for a weak handbrake, exacerbated by the shorter lever and slightly rearward position, making it awkward to give it a good pull, if you know what I mean Ive only driven one sidescrren car (TS2) and although the position took some getting used to, it worked fine Regards Dale Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Moving the lever to a more conventional position will give more leg room, but the 4a has a reputation for a weak handbrake, exacerbated by the shorter lever and slightly rearward position, making it awkward to give it a good pull, if you know what I mean Ive only driven one sidescrren car (TS2) and although the position took some getting used to, it worked fine Couldn't have put it better. The handbrake change was one of a number of non-improvements made when the TR4A was introduced. It works reasonably well if perfectly adjusted but (IMHO) the earlier set-up is far superior. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
david ferry Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 The problem is that having built a TR4 rally car, it is very difficult to reach the standard handbrake lever once you are properly strapped into full harness seat belts. A propshaft tunnel mounted handbrake is the best solution. David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 (edited) Ah - I can see that might be a problem. I've only ever driven TR3A's without seatbelts, so I guess (being a little short in the arms), that I might have a problem if I ever get around to fitting the static seatbelts I have for my TR3A. I assume the works TR4s had the soon-to-be new TR4A handbrake arrangement, or did the works drivers have to go on the rack to stretch the limbs? [Memo to self: Must read Graham Robson's 'The Works Triumphs' which has been sitting on my bookshelves for several years ] Edited April 4, 2009 by BrianC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tr4u2 Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 many thanks for all your replies did'nt know revington did a kit, teach me to look deeper in future before i source a 4A bracket and weld it in place will mod this and lever to take a single cable for which i know a man who knows were to source a special regards adrian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 The Works TR4s have the handbrake on the prop shaft tunnel because the steel plate welded to the underside of the chassis (to protect the car on very rough roads) precludes access to the underside of the usual handbrake lever. The handbrake lever is NOT TR4A (there was no TR4A in 1962), but is of similar length. Because the handbrake works via a single cable to the usual TR4 arrangement on the rear axle, the brake is almost as powerful as that on a normal TR4 - in my MOT tests, I get the same reading at the rear on hand and foot brake. The weakness of the TR4A's handbrake design is in the use of 2 cables (necessary because of the wobbly wheels resulting from use of IRS), not the length of the handbrake lever itself. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
North London Mike Posted April 5, 2009 Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 The Works TR4s have the handbrake on the prop shaft tunnel because the steel plate welded to the underside of the chassis (to protect the car on very rough roads) precludes access to the underside of the usual handbrake lever. The handbrake lever is NOT TR4A (there was no TR4A in 1962), but is of similar length. Because the handbrake works via a single cable to the usual TR4 arrangement on the rear axle, the brake is almost as powerful as that on a normal TR4 - in my MOT tests, I get the same reading at the rear on hand and foot brake. The weakness of the TR4A's handbrake design is in the use of 2 cables (necessary because of the wobbly wheels resulting from use of IRS), not the length of the handbrake lever itself.Ian Cornish Ian I have also heard that on the early events, the drivers complained that their left leg was being banged against the knock off hand brake lever and asked for it to be moved? I know that on circuit work the left leg really starts to feel the pain a couple of sessions into the event. And in answer to David's question, YES, Manvers did build 7VC with the handbrake already modified Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted April 5, 2009 Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 I believe that all Works rally drivers, from TR2 onwards, found the normal position of the handbrake a bit of a pain. However, it's the large sheets of steel (both driver and passenger sides) welded on the underside of the chassis which made it impossible to get at the underside of the floor in that area. Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 This shot, of 4VC's chassis in 1992, illustrates the point I made earlier. Why white? because all the Works TR4s had their chassis painted that colour so that cracks and damage would be more obvious. All the steelwork shown, apart from the brace between the front suspension turrets, is welded together. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Britishbest Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 Hi Folks, does anyone know if a Live Axle 4A handbrake cable is the same as an IRS cable? or to put it another way....Where can I buy handbrake cables for my live axle 4a? Thanks Colt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 Worth asking Neil Revington as the Works' TR4s have handbrake lever on tunnel and a short cable to the compensator on the rear axle, and I imagine that the solid axle might have used such an arrangement. As far as I know, this short cable is a special, but Neil, who has had 4VC, 6VC and 3VC through is workshop, may know where to get one. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Britishbest Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 Thanks Ian. My car has 2 short cables like an IRS car but I cant tell if they are different in some way or not. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 Thanks Ian. My car has 2 short cables like an IRS car but I cant tell if they are different in some way or not. They are exactly the same as the IRS cars. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Britishbest Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 Perfect thankyou Stuart Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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