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Figured some of you would have some direction for me. The wife's Thing keeps popping the spring in the parking brake at the handle. I paid to have it fixed/replaced last year and it did it again yesterday.

I can probably figure out how to fix it (and I understand this isn't exactly the right forum for it) but has anyone else had this problem reoccurring and does anyone have a suggestion to permanently fix it? (hacks, minor alterations).

Please no fabrication ideas or replace it with stock suggestions. I cannot do welding and/or metal work and replacing it would be a given. I would welcome better options to the handle mechanism as long as it doesn't also include completely changing the entire parking brake system.



**sorry, wrong forum. Please move to appropriate

Last edited by Chris MacDonald
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Chris, I had this happen on an old bug convertible a long time ago.  The spring makes the hook pull on the little ratchet, and then pushed on it to release when we push the button. The pivot for the ratchet had worn enough that the ratchet could wiggle sideways and the hook would slip off the ratchet.  I managed to shim it with copious amounts of swearing (it took several tries to get it to stay put).  I know you said you didn't want to replace it, but only the handle needs replacing and it's stupid simple to do.  I think all the bugs and things had exactly the same handle.  The easy fix really is to swap it out for a new one like this for a whopping $28.49  LINK

Just undo the cable adjustment nuts, pull out the pivot pin for the whole handle, put the new handle in, swap over the cable attachments, re-adjust and then forget about it for the next 50 years.  It'll take about 1/10 the time of getting the old part shimmed up so it doesn't slip because you have to take the handle off to do the shimming anyway.  I had it off and on a bunch of times before I'd gotten a good fix.  If I hadn't been a poor student (in both senses) I would have put on a new one.

Last edited by JMM (Michael)
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