Handbrake not working on left rear wheel..

[SilentDeath]

1995 fiesta 1.6SI.
Thanks for reading. I tryed to describe it the best i could so hopefully someone knows exactly whats wrong. Im gonna phone up a garage tomorrow and knowing what the problem is without having to repeat all of this will make it a lot easyer.
Im guessing when i last took it in last tuesday, they didnt put something back properly. The footbrake also feels much more spongy before which varies while driving (but it works, so not an issue, except its worse and i payed for it ). before it was always constant.
They replaced the brake hoses, rear cylinders and fluid.


I really dont know too much about this so any input is appreachated.


I usually pull the handbrake up 3 or 4 notches when parked. My car has an automatic adjuster thing that is activated by the foot brake.


When i was parking last night on a hill i noticed at 3 notches my handbrake leaver became lose and clicked all the way to 6 or so notches with no effort and a resonable noise. However it was still holding the car without any movement backwards on a steep hill (30 degrees maybe). I decided to move it to a flat space just incase it lets go.


After some tests today this only happens when the foot brake has been recently depressed - activating the automatic adjuster which is going lose after 2 notches. I really dont know the mechanisms relating to the handbrake except that it has a cable and leaver, and is independant from the hydraulic system.


I jacked up both rear wheels and tryed to spin the wheels with handbrake at different positions. We were trying to turn it by hand so under the weight of the car they might still turn when they appear locked solidly.


The right brake/handbrake works perfectly as expected every time, locking the wheel solid after 1 or 2 notches - independant of how broken it feels.


On the left side, it only locks the wheel sometimes:
when the handbrake is not broken, it usually needs 4-5th notch to be solid but sometimes it doesnt lock.


If i press and release the foot brake, the handbrake will always go lose after 2 notches.
At 1 or 2 notches sometimes its enough to lock the left wheel but we found sometimes it doesnt.
After 2 notches, when it goes lose, the left wheel is free as if the handbrake is not on (but the right side is still locked).

After doing this i found the handbrake is now almost useless and the car always rolls so i had to park it back in the garage untill i can get this fixed.


My haynes book was a waste of money it doesnt cover the handbrake or anything else that i needed to look up in much detail.

[Howard]

It's going to be something in the mechanism of the drum brake on the offending wheel I'd say

[filbert]

The teeth of the self adjuster have worn, take it back and get them replaced