The most likely cause for a handbrake to fail an MOT is effiency and this in turn is most likely caused by poorly adjusted brake shoes if your car has drum brakes or handbrake drums.
How to improve it.
Manual Adjustment
1. remove the road wheel
2. locate the adjuster/s. Some operate a snail cam for each shoe others utilise a ratchet mechanism.
3. Tighten the adjuster until the wheel locks and then back of till it just turns freely. There should be a small amount of drag.
4. Move on to the other wheel.
Auto Adjustment
These shouldn't need attention but they do sometimes stick. If they do you can make them adjust up as such.
1. Remove the road wheel
2. Remove drum.
3. Now SLOWLY depress the brake pedal you should hear the adjuster clicking out as the shoes move.
4. After 3 or 4 clicks refit the drum. You may need to back off the adjuster if so a flat bladed screwdriver will do this.
5. Drum and wheel back on test the handbrake it should be better.
Another trick for testing your handbrake is this. If you can sufficiently tighten the wheel nuts with the handbrake on and the wheel off the ground then the handbrake is likely good enough for the MOT
How to improve it.
Manual Adjustment
1. remove the road wheel
2. locate the adjuster/s. Some operate a snail cam for each shoe others utilise a ratchet mechanism.
3. Tighten the adjuster until the wheel locks and then back of till it just turns freely. There should be a small amount of drag.
4. Move on to the other wheel.
Auto Adjustment
These shouldn't need attention but they do sometimes stick. If they do you can make them adjust up as such.
1. Remove the road wheel
2. Remove drum.
3. Now SLOWLY depress the brake pedal you should hear the adjuster clicking out as the shoes move.
4. After 3 or 4 clicks refit the drum. You may need to back off the adjuster if so a flat bladed screwdriver will do this.
5. Drum and wheel back on test the handbrake it should be better.
Another trick for testing your handbrake is this. If you can sufficiently tighten the wheel nuts with the handbrake on and the wheel off the ground then the handbrake is likely good enough for the MOT
