x-brake adjustment

[Saffy]

My xbrake had always been near end of adjustment with the x-brake supplied replacement cable. Handbrake been lacking of late and biting only when lever fully up so guessing cable naturally stretched again. Trouble is it run out of adjustment on the threaded rod, and cable has always been fitted to the outer hole too so no help by relocating it. So following that scary bit of instructions (which I'd always ignored before) I did the 'coarse' adjustment on the calliper by undoing the locked bolt and rotating the lever arm over by a spline or two . With the arm in it's new position I found the nuts needed to be totally moved to the beginning of the adjustment rod, and the cable fixing moved inboard to the middle hole so lots of room for adjustment in future. Talk about major difference! Better than it been...EVER!.... much regained love for the x-brake.

I think the issues I had are due the fact my handbrake lever is modified beyond standard. It's got and extra rod linkage going to some sort of (now defunct) actuator for the airbrake system LRSV installed . I knew it was modified but I've never seeing a standard 300tdi defender handbrake lever before so didn't know the mod had an effect making the handbrake cable too long, seems obvious now.

[Axetamer]

I've ran mine on the middle hole since I put it on, and as like  you had to adjust the arm around, I also drilled another couple of holes to tighten up the spring a bit, I'm on my second set of pads the first set wore quickly due to a dodgy output bearing and sibbertoft grit. I've also tagged the fixed pad in 3 places with the mig, stops the rattling permanently. I'm like you.... very pleased

[topless matt]

Like you, i have only had a problem with needing to adjust the caliper arm to tighten it up a bit.
Very impressed with my x brake, think it is wonderful.

[Saffy]

Right well the easiest thing to do is to ............

Adjust the cable to the slackest setting on the adjustment nuts, if you unscrew the one nearest the calliper all the way off the thread it will make it easier and remove from the x brake housing slot.
Looking at the back of the brake, release the tab lock washer so that you can undo the bolt in the middle of the calliper..13mm IIRC.
Undo this 6 full turns.
Pull the actuating lever for the brake towards the rear and off the splines, turn it clockwise a spline or two.
Screw the bolt back in the 6 full turns to hold the actuating arm in the new position.
Refit the cable in the housing and pull the handbrake lever, you are aiming for 6 clicks to be tight!
If it is still too loose then repeat untill you get the desired tension on the handbrake lever.
Then you will have a full threaded adjustment available to you again.

The pads should last you doing this about 8-10 times depending on the amount of abrasive that gets onto them.

Hope this helps
Matt

I know why you edited but hope you don't mind me quoting the original,  as it still a good post for future reference and others as until I went back to the x-brake instructions yesterday I had forgotten all about the option to rotate the lever arm and was thinking about a new cable - cheers.

[topless matt]

No worries, i hadnt read your post properly before commenting....... :oops:

Oh well, at least it is useful to people  :lol:

[TDi90]

Like you, i have only had a problem with needing to adjust the caliper arm to tighten it up a bit.
Very impressed with my x brake, think it is wonderful.

this.

[Saffy]

Like you, i have only had a problem with needing to adjust the caliper arm to tighten it up a bit.
Very impressed with my x brake, think it is wonderful.

this.

this :

Right well the easiest thing to do is to ............

Adjust the cable to the slackest setting on the adjustment nuts, if you unscrew the one nearest the calliper all the way off the thread it will make it easier and remove from the x brake housing slot.
Looking at the back of the brake, release the tab lock washer so that you can undo the bolt in the middle of the calliper..13mm IIRC.
Undo this 6 full turns.
Pull the actuating lever for the brake towards the rear and off the splines, turn it clockwise a spline or two.
Screw the bolt back in the 6 full turns to hold the actuating arm in the new position.
Refit the cable in the housing and pull the handbrake lever, you are aiming for 6 clicks to be tight!
If it is still too loose then repeat untill you get the desired tension on the handbrake lever.
Then you will have a full threaded adjustment available to you again.

The pads should last you doing this about 8-10 times depending on the amount of abrasive that gets onto them.

Hope this helps
Matt