Your car’s handbrake is actually a obligatory protection feature based on the highway code, in fact , it aims to quit your smart forfour, even on a slight slope. It must be independent of the main brake controls. It is also possible that as time passes the cable system of the hand brake will relax and you will not really pass the technical control or you might feel that it truly is no longer stopping your car. To cope with these challenges, we will look at how to adjust the hand brake on your smart forfour . To do this, first we will see the adjustment of a manual handbrake on smart forfour , then, in a second step, how to adjust an automatic handbrake, and then finally the price of the service performed by a professional.

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Adjusting a manual handbrake on smart forfour?

So we start out our article with the hand brake adjustment of a smart forfour in its manual version. This version works in a basic way with a system of cable and screws that allow you to manage the tension with the device and thus to modify the stroke with the lever of the handbrake. To act on it you should act on these screws to be able to expand the handbrake cable of the smart forfour . In any case, prior to adjusting the hand brake, you must make sure that your rear end wheels aren’t blocked during the adjustment. Please find under the detailed treatment to carry out this intervention:

  • At the level of the handbrake, remove the plastic console that covers it using the torx screws and clips.
  • Once done, you should see 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 to allow you to change the cable stress.
  • Now screw on the locking mechanism nuts in both sides, be sure to make the exact changes upon both sides to hold a balanced brake, and make sure that the hand brake lever of your smart forfour has a stroke of about three notches.
  • Tighten the locknuts and test the fastening of the wheels of your car, if it’s great you can reassemble the set, otherwise tighten again the tightening screws until you get an ideal configuration

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If you don’t have access to the handbrake flap of the smart forfour, the adjustment will be exactly the same but it surely will be done by passing under your car on the level of the handbrake lever. Make sure you set your car on the stand prior to any action.

How do I adjust the automatic handbrake of my personal smart forfour?

Second system of handbrake adjustment in smart forfour , this is an automatic handbrake, unlike the manual one, that one is done upon the brake drums or calipers, which is imagined to change automatically towards the wear of the brake shoes or pads. It may be that if you shortly have to buy brake pads, the handbrake will suffer power, listed below are the steps to consider to verify if the tension of your handbrake is the right one:

  • Realize that an automatic handbrake can’t be modified directly because it is supposed to adapt itself to the don of the pads or shoes of your smart forfour.
  • You can nonetheless verify that the system is operating properly by simply putting the automobile on the stand and looking at by driving under the car that the brake pads are still in good working order.
  • For drum brakes it can be required to disassemble the tires to verify your the shoes, we advise you to have it completed by a professional.
  • Remember to replace your pads if you need to.

What is the cost of adjusting the handbrake of smart forfour by a professional?

Finally, if you do not feel comfortable with this procedure, specifically since it questions a security element of your car, namely the adjustment with the handbrake of the smart forfour , we advise you to go to a technician that can adjust the handbrake for a about fifty euros . For those who have problems with vibrations when braking on smart forfour, do not wait to refer to our article which relates to this trouble.

If you want more tutorials on the smart forfour, go to our smart forfour category.