Astra J / Mk6 Handbrake / Parking Brake Adjustment. Vauxhall/Opel Astra J Mk6 2013

[@dirkdingle7926]

Just did this about 20seconds ago,the other halve rolled her car into a brick wall was saying for ages her handbrake was slack now paying a fortune to get the back bumper sprayed new lamp etc this literally took me 15seconds to do thanks fella

[@andyroid7339]

sorry to hear about the wall incident but happy that you've sorted it now.

[@jamesharris9490]

Great video. Ive suffered for years with a loose handbrake on my astra but it was at the point where no matter how far up I pulled it it didnt seems locked in place. Watched this, went to car, took 3 mins and its now perfect. Thanks.

[@andyroid7339]

That's great news! So glad that this video has helped you.

[@zanegrey4364]

Thank you. You saved me a lot of head scratching. Easy job.

[@andyroid7339]

Thanks Zane, it's good to know that my vid has been useful.😃

[@normancassin6416]

Excellent. Saved me loads of grief. I put new cables in and this vid made me look as if I knew what I was doing😂😂

[@andyroid7339]

That's great news! Comments like this tell me that it was worth the time to make this video, knowing that I've helped out someone. Thanks.

[@lb2084]

Thank you so much . Brilliant video

[@davidwaters5348]

Found this very useful...just had the unfortunate pleasure of replacing handbrake cables on one of these ..Google nightmare lol...trying to get adjustment off fo reconnect calipers was funishhhhjhh

[@andyroid7339]

Glad you found this useful! Best Wishes.

[@thomasedward9065]

Have you got a link to the video has I think I need to swap my cable despite already adjusting it. Cheers

[@andyroid7339]

@@thomasedward9065 Hi, here is the link to my videos: www.youtube.com/@andyroid7339/videos I hope these are helpful. Best Wishes.

[@volt8684]

Hi Andy thanks for showing this. What it doesn’t clearly show (no criticism as I wouldn’t have clue) is as u push on yoke and real ease handbrake, should hear self adjuster ratcheting a few clicks thereby tightening which isn’t that clear on sound? However saved me and daughter a few Bob thanks for your efforts

[@andyroid7339]

Hi Volt, glad to have been of some help. I'd just changed both h/brake cables and adjusted them before making the vid (but was concerned enough not to consider adjusting the h/brake as I made the video - h/brake cable change is a relatively easy job - just got to lift the rear carpet area and even then seeing what you're doing is difficult). To other viewers - any questions, just ask and I'll try to answer them.

[@-Dash-]

The one on the early Astra `J` that I am looking at is slightly different to this... I have found out there are couple of different adjusters on the Astra J. This is the one you can adjust but there is also one that you cannot.

[@davelloyd4385]

Thanks for that mate. Just done mine, cheers.

[@andyroid7339]

Great! So glad that this was useful.

[@dominicmcmaster1294]

Best video by far

[@andyroid7339]

Many thanks Dominic. It's not the best but I noticed that there wasn't much else out there to help so made this vid. Hope it was helpful.

[@kevinmcadam2939]

Ive adjusted mine just slightly too far, but couldn't see a way to release it slightly. I'll try pushing on the tag and see i that works.

[@andyroid7339]

Hi Kevin, you're correct - push firmly on the tag (but slowly and deliberately - one commentator said that he somehow broke off the tag, which I don't think is too easy to do) and the ratchet should release. You could also move the yoke to help. Once it's loose, just adjust up again.

[@mohammadhalabi2973]

My cable's is losse so will this work on my astra to solve this problem?

[@amaanakbar339]

I have a 13 reg astra j 1.4 and the mechanism inside is different. I don't have the release tab

[@toyotoe3732]

Thanks. I need to replace the handbrake cables on my astra j. Do I need to remove the centre console?

[@andyroid7339]

Hi, in short, even though I've seen that you do in a Vx manual, no, you do not. Replace both cables - it's false economy to replace only one. Start by chocking the front wheels and releasing the h/brake, removing the rear of the console (as in video) and for some extra light you could flip up the h/brake gaiter cover. You will need to remove the rear seats (easy as they're designed to come out), lift the rear section of carpet as much as you can (this will involve partial removal of the panels under the door apertures - these just clip on so not too bad, just go easy so that they don't break). The carpet is lightly glued in places but easy to free up. Do this by pushing your hand under. You don't need to remove the front seats, just slide them forward. Once you've got up as much as you can (working toward the centre console, jam under 2 blocks of wood or something to give you some room, at the sides of the what used to be, the prop tunnel. Do all this first. Next, jack up the car (both sides in the air at the same time is easiest) and release both cables (note carefully the route they take, in and outside of the car, for the the routes of the new ones). Take a look at the cable h/brake end for reference and then release the cables from the h/brake end and as in the video, release the ratchet to make things easier for fitting. You'll need to feed the cables from the cabin outward (because of the grommets). I connected the caliper end first but if it's slack either end first should be OK. It is a bit fiddly at times but all possible. Once connected, the yoke balances itself. Just adjust the h/brake cable once everything is on. Any more qus - just ask. To comfort yourself, just take a look at what's involved removing the console!

[@toyotoe3732]

@@andyroid7339 Jamming the wood really helped to make some room. Thanks for that tip and detailed explanation.

[@conordornan1228]

Tried "pushing" the tag and it broke off... surely theres another way to slacken it off..

[@andyroid7339]

You broke off the 'tag'! What are you? One of the X-Men?!

[@conordornan1228]

@@andyroid7339 i am indeed, my mutation is resounding stupidity 😂 the whole self adjusting mechanism had siezed.. it pulled both cables so tight that I had to cut them off. Result: had to get a new handbrake lever and both cables today lol

[@andyroid7339]

@@conordornan1228 Oh Conor! So sorry to hear that you've had to go so far to sort out the problem. Is everything OK now? I'm surprised the h/brake mech dad seized as it's well protected from water etc. (maybe someone spilt a drink down there?). At least you now know that your car shouldn't fail its MOT on h/brake cables for a long while.

[@conordornan1228]

@@andyroid7339 I was fuming, couldve saved a few quid if I just replaced the lever. Im pretty sure theres a dodgy history with my car, got from the dealership about 6 months now, driving out of the lot the dpf light came on and within a month the clutch needed done. They fixed the clutch but im currently saving for a new exhaust system because their "mechanic" is a con man. Couldnt even align the steering which I was asking for weeks. Claimed he cleaned out the dpf yet after 20 mins i got the same fault code on my obd reader.

[@andyroid7339]

@@conordornan1228 not sure how good your mech'ing skills are but it maybe worth looking in the plenum chamber - see how much gunk there is in there. I also paid around £120 for something called Terra clean. Some people knock it but I honestly noticed a huge difference. I always add some DPF cleaner, injector cleaner in the tank with every oil change (which I do myself every 10k miles). Let me know if you're considering Terra clean - I'll tell you a good tip. Hope things get better soon.