Lotus Esprit Series - Service Arid Repair; Rear Brake; Resetting The Adiustable Piston; Operation of the Handbrake

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BRAKING SYSTEM
Page JR
REAR BRAKE
Each rear broke hos o sliding
coliper operated by a single hydraulic c
y
linder or hand -
brake cable, located on the outside of the disc. As there is only one hydraulic
cylinder in each brake, no bridging pipes ore required, this will reduce the risk of
fluid vapourization.
O
p
eration of the hondbrake
The operational force from the handbrake lever is tronsferred via an actuating rod,
through a
compensator, which couples the two cables to the rear brake calipers.
Adjusters on each cable are accessible from inside the vehicle.
The hondbrake, when operated, pulls the lever on the caliper (see fig.4) in the
direction of the arrow. This forces the outer pod on to the disc and through the
sliding caliper pulls the inner pod onto the disc, the force
is balanced between the
-
-- ,.,U">.
As the pods wear the mechanical link (adjustable piston) to the outer pad is outomatic-
ally adjusted. When a predetermined amount of pod wear has taken place, a ratchet
system
extends the mechanical link as the brakes are hydraulically operated, keeping
the
haridbrake system in constant adjustment.
Resetting 'the adiustable piston
When new pads are fitted it is necessary to return the mechanically link (adjustable
piston) to its original start position.
The
adjusting mechanism is a notched spigot onto which four ratchet arms bears and
four longitudinal slots in the spigot allows the piston heod to be returned to the start
position.
This is achieved by turning the piston head 45', in either direction (see
fig.4b) and pushing the piston back. Return the piston to the original positior) so the
notched spigot engages the four ratchet
orms.
Service arid repair
Apart from regular inspection of the pads for wear, which should be carried out every
8,000 Km (5,000 miles) the caliper requires no further attention.
It
is recommended, however, that when the vehicle has completed 64,000 Km or
three years use, whichever occurs first, ttie calipers should be overhauled. The
broke fluid should be
changed every 12 months.
ESPRIT
Issue 04/78