Your car’s handbrake is a obligatory security feature according to the highway code, in fact , this aims to end your Ford Focus, even over a slight incline. It must be in addition to the main brake controls. It is also possible that with time the cable system of the hand brake will relax and you will certainly not pass the technical control or you might feel that it can be no longer stopping your car. To cope with these challenges, we will look at how to adjust the hand brake on your Ford Focus . To achieve this, first we will see the adjustment of the manual handbrake on Ford Focus , after that, in a second step, how to adjust an automatic handbrake, and lastly the price of the service performed by a professional.

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Adjusting a manual handbrake on Ford Focus?

So we start our document with the hand brake adjustment of a Ford Focus in its manual version. This kind of version performs in a simple way having a system of cable and anchoring screws that allow you to control the tension of the device and thus to modify the stroke of the lever of the handbrake. To act on it you will need to act on these screws to be able to stretch out the handbrake cable of the Ford Focus . In any case, before adjusting the hand brake, you must be sure your rear end wheels aren’t blocked throughout the adjustment. Please find under the detailed treatment to carry out this kind of intervention:

  • With the level of the handbrake, remove the plastic console that covers it using the torx screws and clips.
  • Once done, you should discover a trapdoor in your handbrake, open it to see the screw and cable system.
  • You will need to locate the locknuts and loosen them with a wrench tool to allow you to change the cable tension.
  • Now screw on the lock nuts upon both sides, make certain to make the same changes on both sides to keep a balanced braking, and be sure the hand brake lever of your Ford Focus has a stroke of about 3 notches.
  • Tighten the locknuts and check the locking of the tires of your car, if it’s very good you can reassemble the set, otherwise tighten again the tightening anchoring screws until you get an optimal configuration

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If you don’t have access to the handbrake flap of the Ford Focus, the adjustment will be precisely the same nonetheless it will be done by passing directly below your car in the level of the handbrake lever. Make sure put your car on the stand before any action.

How do I adjust the automatic handbrake of my personal Ford Focus?

Second approach to handbrake adjustment upon Ford Focus , this is an automatic handbrake, contrary to the manual one, this method is done on the brake drums or calipers, and is also imagined to adjust automatically towards the wear of the brake shoes or brake pads. It may be that if you before long have to get brake pads, the handbrake will lose power, listed below are the steps to consider to examine if the strain of your handbrake is the right one:

  • Be aware that an automatic handbrake can not be modified directly because it is purported to adapt itself to the have on of the brake pads or shoes of your Ford Focus.
  • You can still examine that the system is operating properly by putting the automobile on the stand and looking at by driving under the auto that the pads are still in good performing order.
  • For drum brakes it will probably be required to disassemble the brake systems to examine the state of the shoes, all of us recommend you to have it achieved by a specialist.
  • Be sure you change your brake pads if you need to.

What is the cost of adjusting the handbrake of Ford Focus by a specialist?

Finally, if you do not feel comfortable with this procedure, especially since it worries a security element of your car, namely the adjustment of the handbrake of the Ford Focus , we counsel you to go to a technician that can adjust the handbrake to get a about fifty euros . For those who have problems with vibrations when braking on Ford Focus, do not hesitate to consult our document which works with this issue.

If you want more guides on the Ford Focus, go to our Ford Focus category.