SOLVED? Handbrake Cable Lengths - utterly confused!

CrispyEdd said:
Please donreport back regardless as its useful info on this topic. Good luck
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Will do so. It will be postponed a little due to it being well below -20C here suddenly. Removed some of the interior bits which included the seats to make space, and one of the plastic covers on the rear of the guide rails snapped due to it being so brittle. Don't want other bits to break too. :(
Next week it should be a fair bit warmer.
 
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Just removed them from the car. It was a pain as one of the was rusted in the bracket.
The 1057 mm (721G) matches well in length, although a little circlip seems to be off by about half a centimeter.
The 1075 mm (722G) one that I removed from the car is far longer though. From my estimate ~1095mm. It has the correct part number on it and seems original to the car (23/04 date stamp, same as other one). Did it stretch this much somehow?
Has anyone else seen this before?
 
Just on this my new TDI90 handbrake has a strange pull on the handle. When you pull it up to the first click there is NO tension on it at all, you're just lifting the lightness of the handle and illuminating the handbrake light. Only after this does it then take up the tension in the cables and apply the brake, second click onwards.

It sounds like the slack needs to be taken up but before I tackle it, does anyone have these symptoms? It's passed a service and MOT in this state.
 
I would not be too worried about the free play as long as the handbrake operates correctly and it is difficult to rotate the rear wheels at 3 clicks.
 
Foghorn said:
Just on this my new TDI90 handbrake has a strange pull on the handle. When you pull it up to the first click there is NO tension on it at all, you're just lifting the lightness of the handle and illuminating the handbrake light. Only after this does it then take up the tension in the cables and apply the brake, second click onwards.

It sounds like the slack needs to be taken up but before I tackle it, does anyone have these symptoms? It's passed a service and MOT in this state.
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Maybe worth checking if it's slipped out of its brackets. There are two it could slip out of on both sides, a little 'loop' and a 'clamp' that is attached to the car with two screws.
 
The two different Cables were replaced by one single length cable, the longer version, as you can also comprehend in etka. You do not really need different cables. The longer version fits both sides, several parts catalogs nowadays just list the longer cable for both sides, referring to audi parts catalog. i fitted two

ATE 24.3727-0100.2​

on both sides an it works perfect. The normally shorter side so has a slightly bigger diameter in the corners, but it fits flawlessly and works perfect.
 
A2_HL_jense said:
The two different Cables were replaced by one single length cable, the longer version, as you can also comprehend in etka. You do not really need different cables. The longer version fits both sides, several parts catalogs nowadays just list the longer cable for both sides, referring to audi parts catalog. i fitted two

ATE 24.3727-0100.2​

on both sides an it works perfect. The normally shorter side so has a slightly bigger diameter in the corners, but it fits flawlessly and works perfect.
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Doesn't it then only engage one of the two sides, or that side much more strongly?
 
No of course not, the length of the cable does not affect the breaking power. I had to change it for mot because mot failed because of the parking breake, and so i had had the brakes tested right after installation of the new cables, same numbers on both sides.

(i changed the complete rear breakes, including drums and pads, converting the wearn out magnesium drums (320kkm) to steel drums on 1,2 tdi)
 
A2_HL_jense said:
No of course not, the length of the cable does not affect the breaking power. I had to change it for mot because mot failed because of the parking breake, and so i had had the brakes tested right after installation of the new cables, same numbers on both sides.

(i changed the complete rear breakes, including drums and pads, converting the wearn out magnesium drums (320kkm) to steel drums on 1,2 tdi)
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It does though if one is engaged fully, whilst the other one only partially (or not at all) and can't engage more because of the other brake.
Imagine if the length difference was such that one was fully engaged whilst the other's cable was still slack. You would only have half the braking power.

Does your 1.2 have the smaller fuel tank? Then they are meant to have the same lengths on both sides.
 
BearMcPear said:
It does though if one is engaged fully, whilst the other one only partially (or not at all) and can't engage more because of the other brake.
Imagine if the length difference was such that one was fully engaged whilst the other's cable was still slack. You would only have half the braking power.

Does your 1.2 have the smaller fuel tank? Then they are meant to have the same lengths on both sides.
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By the smaller tank, so you mean by 1.2 or ‘normal’ a2 standard? 1.2’s came with either 34L (smaller in normal a2 language as apposed to 42L) or 20L in 3L guise.
 
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Erlingtheyounger said:
By the smaller tank, so you mean by1.2 or ‘normal’ a2 standard? 1.2’s came with either 34L (smaller in normal a2 language as apposed to 42L) or 20L in 3L guise.
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Ah I didn't know about the 20L tank. The 34L one has equal length cables for the non 1.2's at least.
 
No, the length does absolutely not affect the breaking power. why should it?

It'a a simple bowden cable, why should there be less power because of 20 mm more length on one side, it has no effect, als long as all the cables and the y-part are ok and well lubricated.

@BearMcPear You probably did not understand the system. Compare it to a bike, you have a rear brake and a front brake. There ist not less power because of the longer cable. Its the same on the car, there are bothe brakes together on one brake handel, but the length different has a very minor to none effect on the braking power.

Yes, I have the 20l Tank, but the longer cables fit on both sides on all A2 with brake drums.
 
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Length of the cables does not matter if the difference between cable length itself and bowden length is same for longer and shorter version. Or in different words the throw, the free play is the same.
 
A2_HL_jense said:
No, the length does absolutely not affect the breaking power. why should it?

It'a a simple bowden cable, why should there be less power because of 20 mm more length on one side, it has no effect, als long as all the cables and the y-part are ok and well lubricated.

@BearMcPear You probably did not understand the system. Compare it to a bike, you have a rear brake and a front brake. There ist not less power because of the longer cable. Its the same on the car, there are bothe brakes together on one brake handel, but the length different has a very minor to none effect on the braking power.

Yes, I have the 20l Tank, but the longer cables fit on both sides on all A2 with brake drums.
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I agree that 20mm doesn't really matter, but the bicycle example is not actually relevant. On a normal bicycle your brakes are not linked.
If the cable length did not matter, Audi wouldn't have bothered to create a new part. VAG hates that more than anything.
 
BearMcPear said:
I agree that 20mm doesn't really matter, but the bicycle example is not actually relevant. On a normal bicycle your brakes are not linked.
If the cable length did not matter, Audi wouldn't have bothered to create a new part. VAG hates that more than anything.
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Agree with the general point on parts @BearMcPear however I think they threw that baby out with the bathwater on the A2 😉
 
BearMcPear said:
I agree that 20mm doesn't really matter, but the bicycle example is not actually relevant. On a normal bicycle your brakes are not linked.
If the cable length did not matter, Audi wouldn't have bothered to create a new part. VAG hates that more than anything.
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Biccyle with just one handle I wrote ...
 
Erlingtheyounger said:
By the smaller tank, so you mean by 1.2 or ‘normal’ a2 standard? 1.2’s came with either 34L (smaller in normal a2 language as apposed to 42L) or 20L in 3L guise.
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For the 1.2TDI interested (not too many here perhaps) I can add that for the non "3L"-versions the tank size was an open choice, 20 or 34L. I have one of each, and then also one 3L.. Dont ask me why, my partner does and there is no logical answer.
 
Joga said:
For the 1.2TDI interested (not too many here perhaps) I can add that for the non "3L"-versions the tank size was an open choice, 20 or 34L. I have one of each, and then also one 3L.. Dont ask me why, my partner does and there is no logical answer.
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The reason is the 3L classification in Germany, for the classification the tank has to be half full, so that was another 10kg less weight. The 34l on 3L wasn't available from the beginning, it came later, so be happy if you have one of those.
 
Some interesting points made on this post and can understand the logic by many from my own experiences.

The bicycle reference is a good one for me, I've always found the overall brake cable length makes no difference from an efficiency point but still have them as short as possible for asthetics. The inner cable length between the outer cable stop and the brake caliper is pre determined and that's all that matters ... if you run a longer cable the outer cable has a corresponding increase in length.

As for Audi having different part numbers for different sides and models, well possibly because it was an expensive premium car and they went for neatness and asthetics.

My own experiences are documented further up and to recap, mine were genuine Audi parts installed at some point by a dealership on the wrong sides but still worked fine. Now using aftermarket of the same length and still working fine.

Just my two cents based on working on my 1.4 BBY with a 42l tank.
 
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