Member Since: 10 Sep 2017
Location: South Staffordshire
Posts: 11
Disco 3 - EPB Shrieking Banshee Club!
I can safely say; I am now a fully fledged member of the EPB Shrieking Banshee club
My EPB squealed and took several attempts before it would release - it was then perfectly fine, even after spending two weeks parked up with very little use whilst on holiday (digging canals). Then, one fateful (or hateful?) night, I had the squeal again - managed to make it home and applied the EPB with no issue.
Here's where the fun starts ...
The next day, after doing some late night research, decided that adjusting my shoes was the way forward. As I have a sloping driveway and live half way up a hill, I thought it best to relocate the beast to a more suitable location ... Only to be greeted by the operatic screaming of my EPB module, accompanied by joyous flashing warning lights and fault warnings.
So, there was only one thing for it. I set about chocking the wheels with enough bricks to build a bungalow, jacked and supported the rear driver's side, only to find the wheel moved freely (Well, as much as possible whilst in gear)
Set about tackling the passenger side ... the brake shoes were well and truly on! Not even a fraction of movement from this one.
The solution? Crawl underneath and manually unwind the EPB Module - From my experience, if you need to do this, the best and easiest way of undertaking this is to remove the spare wheel, unbolt the EPB module bracket and flip the unit over and work on it from the spare wheel well. Have fun with the bolts, because access is a bitch and they'll be rusty as !
Thankfully, this did allow the disk to turn but there was still a ton of resistance. The next step was to remove the disk (again, easier said than done) After belting 7 shades out of the disk to loosen it off, I delicately inserted a long screwdriver and wrecking bar on opposing sides between the disk and hub assembly - Finally! After a good 5 minutes of wiggling, prying, grunting and expletives the disk was off ... revealing just how seized the brake shoes were.
I fitted the new brake shoes, new disks & new brake pads, adjusted shoes (an absolute doddle thanks to Bodsy's Brake Bible! ) and relocated to my top secret workshop aka the car park at work.
Removing the driver's side disk & shoes was an absolute breeze and revealed these shoes had also seized (thankfully in the 'off position')
(They've clearly never been serviced )
Installed the new shoes, disks & pads, adjusted shoes and with high hopes attempted to apply the park brake ... guess what? There was a whole new squeal from the EPB module! Fortunately I hadn't re-sealed the actuator (it's almost as if I knew ...) and discovered that no matter whether you were applying or disengaging the park brake, the unit would completely unwind itself and jam.
Admitting defeat, I pottered home to cry/drink/contemplate the meaning of life and research how many organs I'd have to sell in order to replace the actuator ... Anywhere Between £500-£800 for a new unit, £400-£500 for a refurbished unit ... then I struck gold! £150 to repair/service YOUR actuator unit ... all you had to do was remove the unit with the 3 cables attached (2x brake 1x emergency release) and ship it off to them.
Naturally the next day I set about removing the EPB module & cables ... and yes, it meant having to completely dismantle the brakes/disks/shoes all over again
As with the bracket, you will find that the bolts holding the cables are completed rusted and seized, and you will inevitably end up with rounded off heads in the most inaccessible of places - I resorted to drilling out one side, and cutting the head off the other bolt from the underside. In hindsight, if this happens to you I'd suggest using a serious of different sized drill bits, an extension bar and drilling the bolts out through the wheel arch (you may have to remove the wheel) Either way, take it steady as there are plenty of pipes and cables in the way you could easily mangle.
Unfortunately, the repair of my unit cost an additional £130 to repair as the driver's side cable was and the force sensor ribbon cable was also - Still cheaper than any of the other options, and a fast turnaround! (Message me if you'd like the Seller's details)
Whilst waiting for my EPB module to be repaired and returned, I decided to clean up and re-spray the mounting bracket, and drill out the the fixing points - replacing them with bolts and ny-lock nuts
... Continued ...
So, the moment had come - squeaky bum time!
After Installing the actuator, reassembling the shoes, disks, brakes & wheels, reconnecting the module and re-inserting Fuse 41 (not quite as good as Sum 41 ) I crossed my fingers and clenched my buttocks expecting the worst...
It's alive! ... IT'S ALIVE!!!
It may have taken a lot of time, energy, scraped knuckles and shaved a good few years off my life (probably from all the crap I've inhaled/ingested that fell from the underbelly of the beast) but the b d beast is finally back on it's feet
Now I'm just awaiting delivery of a new tyre
I don't really fancy off-roading with a biscuit, it'll get all soggy! "Buy a Land Rover" they said ...
"It'll be fun!" they said.
2006 D3 TDV6 S (Manual) in Java Black
- D4 rear light upgrade
- Interior LED light upgrade
- EGRs blanked
Last edited by MistaDucki on 24th Oct 2017 11:38 am. Edited 2 times in total
15th Oct 2017 4:26 pm
johnlad
Member Since: 02 Dec 2016
Location: blackpool
Posts: 406
Was it the boys in Blackburn who did the module repair?
I had them do mine and re fit and set up brakes, all in £350, I think it's a bargain
15th Oct 2017 5:12 pm
MistaDucki
Member Since: 10 Sep 2017
Location: South Staffordshire
Posts: 11
johnlad wrote:
Was it the boys in Blackburn who did the module repair?
I had them do mine and re fit and set up brakes, all in £350, I think it's a bargain
It certainly was! They really do live up to their name of 'Top Notch Parts'
Without doubt, an absolute bargain and quality service! "Buy a Land Rover" they said ...
"It'll be fun!" they said.
2006 D3 TDV6 S (Manual) in Java Black
- D4 rear light upgrade
- Interior LED light upgrade
- EGRs blanked
23rd Oct 2017 4:25 pm
rich11235
Member Since: 19 Dec 2010
Location: Henfield, West Sussex
Posts: 22
Hi can anyone give me the details of the magic boys in Blackburn? I have red and yellow EPB warning lights, park brake not functional warning. Have taken cover off actuator, wound brass rod back and forth, pulled emergency cable and relatched, not a sausage. I am guessing next step is actuator and cables out and repair, or replacement with new
4th Nov 2017 4:40 pm
johnlad
Member Since: 02 Dec 2016
Location: blackpool
Posts: 406
Member Since: 19 Dec 2010
Location: Henfield, West Sussex
Posts: 22
anybody recognise this?
Ok, what's this bit for? Trying to refit the EPD actuator and cables. It came off in me hand, honest guv. Suspect its some kind of plastic moulded cable tray/bracket from the drivers side, but can't for the life of me work out where it fits
3rd Dec 2017 6:36 pm
MistaDucki
Member Since: 10 Sep 2017
Location: South Staffordshire
Posts: 11
Evening Rich!
You’re correct that it’s from the driver’s side (UK).
If you follow the cable from the actuator there should be a hole in the side of the chassis which this part fits into (round peg, round hole) close to where one of the bolts is for the EPB cable, just before it disappears behind the bodywork. It should also clip around/onto another cable/pipe.
I’ll take a picture of mine in situ in the morning (if I remember) "Buy a Land Rover" they said ...
"It'll be fun!" they said.
2006 D3 TDV6 S (Manual) in Java Black
- D4 rear light upgrade
- Interior LED light upgrade
- EGRs blanked
3rd Dec 2017 6:51 pm
Fitzy73
Member Since: 09 Feb 2014
Location: Truro
Posts: 2407
Mine is in being mended, and is probably going to cost about £1,000 fitted, before I even get to the new steering rack also being fitted Andy
3rd Dec 2017 7:29 pm
rich11235
Member Since: 19 Dec 2010
Location: Henfield, West Sussex
Posts: 22
Hello MistaDucki, I don't supposed you managed to take that photo?
Is it close to the furthest forward of the two bolts? The hole seems oversized for the plastic boss - i was expecting a push fit (not a p*ss fit)
9th Dec 2017 2:19 pm
MistaDucki
Member Since: 10 Sep 2017
Location: South Staffordshire
Posts: 11
It sounds as though yours fits about as well as mine!
Apologies for the sub-par photo!
Haven’t got the car jacked up and I was getting snow in many unspeakable places "Buy a Land Rover" they said ...
"It'll be fun!" they said.
2006 D3 TDV6 S (Manual) in Java Black
- D4 rear light upgrade
- Interior LED light upgrade
- EGRs blanked
9th Dec 2017 2:35 pm
rich11235
Member Since: 19 Dec 2010
Location: Henfield, West Sussex
Posts: 22
Thanks MistaD, yep, that's the place. Annoyingly I'd tried that a couple of times and concluded it can't be that much of a sloppy fit, it must go somewhere else. apologies for making you lie down in the snow!
While I'm on, I fitted new PB shoes from Britpart, and I have these small springs left over. I don't recognise them from anywhere, maybe they are for another application of the same shoes (but that seems odd as there can't be many other than Disco and RRS that use these shoes?). Anyone else come across this? Or have I been a muppet and left something out?
9th Dec 2017 5:48 pm
Wyn
Member Since: 15 Jun 2015
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 56
When i changed my park brake shoes with a kit from AF i'm sure it had a few extra springs.
I just chucked them away and it's still working 2 years later.
9th Dec 2017 6:11 pm
MistaDucki
Member Since: 10 Sep 2017
Location: South Staffordshire
Posts: 11
I feel left out now!
I didn’t have any additional/left over springs with my EPB shoes.
Mine were from a LR parts shop on eBay "Buy a Land Rover" they said ...
"It'll be fun!" they said.
2006 D3 TDV6 S (Manual) in Java Black
- D4 rear light upgrade
- Interior LED light upgrade
- EGRs blanked
9th Dec 2017 7:44 pm
rich11235
Member Since: 19 Dec 2010
Location: Henfield, West Sussex
Posts: 22
well finally its all back together and appears to work. I can wholeheartedly recommend the boys in Blackburn - Top Notch Parts. Saved me an absolute fortune. Thanks to others on here who helped with advice
16th Dec 2017 6:35 pm
rich11235
Member Since: 19 Dec 2010
Location: Henfield, West Sussex
Posts: 22
that didn't last long
Ok, I'm back (Happy new year by the way)
My replaced/rebuilt EPB actuator has lasted all of about 2 weeks.
It now intermittently faults on "Park Brake Fault - System Not Functional" and red+yellow PB warning lights, plus refusal to release PB. Sometimes this can be recovered by letting the car go to sleep and then trying again. This tells me that it seems to be an intermittent fault detected by the EPB module
A couple of things:
1) unfortunately due to me missing the fact that the aluminium hook was almost worn through on one side, the cable has run for a few tens of miles rubbing on the inside of the wheel (I cursed myself for mistaking the noise of the wheel balance weight rubbing on the cable for a stone trapped in the tyre tread. More fool me). The outer part of the cable has a rub mark but I didn't think it had got through to the inner - but then the fault started so maybe I'm wrong? Does anybody know how the "force sensor" within the EPB module works? I am guessing it detects the "correct" amount of force to be applied in either the "apply" or "release" direction and flags a fault if a limit is exceeded (I'm assuming the force threshold for the "release" direction would be much lower than for the "apply" direction). I guess therefore the potential extra drag of a damaged cable in the release direction might throw a fault. The intermittency of the fault does seem to be sensitive to me giving the cable on that side a waggle - so maybe the force sensor is picking up some signal via the motion/flexing of the cable?
2) is the EPB shoes bedding in procedure literally just that - i.e. conditioning the friction material of the shoes? or does it also do some EPB module calibration activity (i.e. calibration of the force sensor as described above?)
3) does anybody know how to de-activate PB auto-apply on a MANUAL vehicle? I have tried "hold down EPB switch while removing the key" but it does not work. Is it actually possible on a manual? I'm guessing maybe it is on AT (where I imagine you can't get the key out if its not in P on the prundle) but maybe not possible on an MT for safety?
4) does anybody know how on earth the auto-apply still manages to work even with the Fuse 41 removed? I successfully released the PB, pulled the fuse with the key still in (to defeat auto apply) and thought I had succeeded in isolating the PB while I work out what's wrong with it. It worked, for a bit (PB isolated, not auto-applying), but then after about the 8th or 10th ignition cycle it auto-applied again. Even with the fuse out? Mnh? I then had to replace the fuse, got the bongs of doom/Park brake not functional, put the car to sleep again, successfully released the PB, and pulled the fuse again. I'll be interested to see if it auto-applies again with the fuse out
My current thought is I probably need to replace at least the damaged side cable. Which means more lying on the cold hard ground (to quote Taylor Swift)...
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
(Well, as much as possible whilst in gear)
) and relocated to my top secret workshop aka the car park at work. 
£150 to repair/service YOUR actuator unit ... all you had to do was remove the unit with the 3 cables attached (2x brake 1x emergency release) and ship it off to them.
) I crossed my fingers and clenched my buttocks expecting the worst...
