Handbrake stiff after checking brake fluid

[EarlParkly]

Hi all,

I may be asking what is an obvious or silly question, so apologies in advance.

At the weekend, I was checking various levels and I needed to take the cap off the brake fluid reservoir as the bottle is too cloudy to see the level through.

The level was fine so I duly screwed it back on. Afterwards, I went for a drive and I noticed that the handbrake only takes 2 clicks to be fully on vs 5 or 6 before.

It seems to hold the car still and it may just be that there was some air trapped in the system but I wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this?

Brakes in general seem just as responsive as before so I'm at a loss.

Cheers,
EP

 

[EarlParkly]

Sorry to be a pain but any ideas guys? I have an MOT booked tomorrow and would be nice to go in knowing whether or not this is a potential problem or not?

Thanks,
EP

 

[vroomtshh]

Opening the reservoir has no effect on the handbrake. The two aren't related

 

[EarlParkly]

I can accept that, but it's odd that I parked up, changed the air filter, fuel filter, pollen filter and oil filter. Then I opened the reservoir and screwed it back on again and the handbrake had changed. Just seems like a huge coincidence.

It's fair enough if that's what it is but it seems like too tidy an explanation.

 

[Nolando89]

The handbrake is only cable operated if I'm not mistaken so surely just a complete coincidence ? Possibly a stiff arm on the caliper if that's the set up on there. I would of thought that would cause the wheel to bind though.

 

[bruceR]

The handbrake operated rear brakes work on a ratchet type system to compensate for pad wear, so it sounds like it was just time for the rears to take up the slack.
I would check the amount of pad material and if it is OK then nothing to worry about but as said above, opening the cap won't create the problem.