Hand brake (Parking brake) cable tension setting system

Accurate setting of hand brake (parking brake) cable tension

Sets tension with handbrake in the released (off) position

Sets tension at the equivalent pre-defined 'click' position

Tension setting target switchable between vehicle models

Pre-stressing of cable and braking system possible

Interfaces to either electric or air power tools

Can use your existing nut-runners

Low cost universal system

The 'quality' of a handbrake setting is defined by the effort required at the lever to raise it to a defined click or notch position. At this setting the tension within the brake cable (and consequently the effect of this tension on the braking system) must be sufficient to generate the required handbrake holding force for the vehicle.

This can be achieved by setting the handbrake lever on the required notch position and then winding down the cable adjuster until the tension within the cable is correct. The disadvantage of this system is that the lever must be placed in the correct position prior to tensioning and released after tensioning. In a high volume manufacturing plant this is not easy to achieve RELIABLY.

Alternatively some systems which set the cable tension with the lever in the released position tension the cable at a low value and small extension of the braking system hoping that the tension and extension will extrapolate to the correct values when the lever is pulled onto the correct notch position.

The CLAVIS setting tool deflects the cable to the equivalent 'click' position and subjects the cable to the demanded tension when the correct setting point is reached. A transducer within the tool monitors the setting operation so that the control cabinet is able to shut off the nut-runner at the precise point at which the correct cable tension is reached. The control cabinet has two simple controls. One control defines the equivalent 'click' setting position and the other defines the required tension within the cable.

The target cable tension may be reached from either a slack cable starting point or an over tensioned cable position. The over tensioned cable position is sometimes adopted so that the whole braking system is initially stressed to remove any elasticity from the system.

The CLAVIS tool is universal and can be used on any exposed handbrake cable. Different cable tensions between vehicle variants are accepted by a selection switch on the tool. The control cabinet is able to interface with any type of nut-runner, including existing pneumatic tools. Like all CLAVIS production line tools, it is CNC machined from a solid billet of aluminium for a combination of ruggedness with light weight.

A typical system package, includes 2 tools and cables (one tool and cable as a spare) and the control cabinet with the specified nut-runner interface.

Systems for evaluation are always available on request.