I have recently had problems with the handbrake sticking on my 08 reg FL2 with 95k miles so I have just stripped down my rear brakes and discovered that the brake lever thingy inside was seized on one side. Apart from spending about 2 hours getting the first drum off (which I did eventually by first completely unwinding the adjuster through the hole in the drum) it only took a few minutes to clean it all up, unsieze the lever and sort out the problem. However on close inspection I couldn't see how this mechanism could possibly be self adjusting. Any views? (perhaps it doesn't need to be as the wear rate should be very low on a parking brake)

No, they are manually adjusted - the opposite to how you let them off! Just adjust them up until the disc can't move, then release them until the disc turns. Job done.

Did you replace the brake shoes too? I did on mine because the shoe linings were cracking up - a common problem when they stick on and overheat. It might just be the picture but it looks like your ones are cracking up too - the left one in the middle picture. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Last edited by Steve D on 14th Nov 2013 6:42 pm. Edited 1 time in total

No they weren't cracked, I cleaned them up with a wire brush and they looked OK. However as I now know that they definitely aren't going to self adjust I will have to get the wheels off again to do it manually!

I've had bad luck with my handbrake. Women!

http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic14837.html

http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic15250.html Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Hi everybody, new to the forum. I had to replace the rear discs and pads on my friends 07 FL and on inspection the levers were seized on both sides where the cables go on. This had caused the handbrake shoes to stick on and crack badly. A while with a wire brush and good old WD40 sorted this out. Everything now working as it should.
Also replaced the front brake disc and pads at the same time, it has now got drilled and grooved discs all round.
Brake pedal does now feel better.