Fitting the Facelift handbrake on earlier Mk1?

[Toyohta]

I have just become the owner of a Mk1 Toyota Auris TR (09 plate).

I have already seen some great posts on your group for adding cruise control and folding mirrors and lots of other helpful things that I might look to take advantage of!.

One of the first things though that grinds my gears is this banana shaped handbrake nonsense with the button on top of it!.

I’ve had a search and read through the posts on this that I could find here and I’ve found a few members who seem to have mentioned maybe anecdotally replacing the handbrake, but light on detail really.

My question is therefore can you just go ahead and easily unbolt the old banana shaped handbrake off the early mk1 and replace it with the newer style traditional straight handbrake from the facelift version (does it physically fit in the same holes) and also does this type foul the centre console when released?

Looking at them on eBay the mechanisms look similar, perhaps with the electrical connector in a different spot, but would certainly value someone’s input who has actually done it.

Much obliged!

[Toyohta]

Surprised I didn’t get any feedback here!.

Here’s an update for anyone reading this in future, thinking of trying it.

The short answer is that although it does physically line up and fit into the threaded holes in the floor - NO it does not fit a MK1 Auris non facelift (at least not without potentially swapping out the whole centre console and dash for the facelift).

If the pics uploaded, you can see what I mean, the handbrakes are clearly different lengths; but crucially sit at different heights when released.

This means that the “normal” style handbrake does indeed foul on the centre console and does not sit low enough to even close the warning switch. There is also some daft bracket in the way at the back of it (but I bent that up as you can see in those pics). 

The balancer assembly the handbrake cables went into also looked a little different, so if it had fit, I suspect I’d have had to swap that over as too.

Ah well, all back together now, and will have to put up with the banana-brake!.

[TonyHSD]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I had not noticed that centre consoles are different,  but now seeing  your pictures yes all comes very obvious. Well, at least you have tried and seen it from a first hand. Your post will be helpful to others. 👍

[furtula]

Maybe repainting the button and the top part in black will make it less ugly for you.

In my case, someone had a nasty habit of scratching the button with fingernails (female ex owner) and the chrome plating was gone. 

I took it out, sanded it, primed with plastic primer, painted black, normal rattle can paint, and been 4-5 yrs now, still holds up.

[Toyohta]

Good tip!. It’s not so much the look of it that bothers me, and the condition is fine. It’s the actual function!. I have the seat up almost as high as it will go, and it then makes it incredibly difficult to get the handbrake off when I have it pulled up all the way, where it’s not far off the vertical (which I have to do on my drive as it’s on a slight incline).  I’ve never known a handbrake like it. Never seen any other cars with it, I’m not sure what they were thinking!.

 

Some of the ergonomics are really questionable on these - the handbrake and armrest are next to useless when you have the seat all the way up. Then to access the onboard computer info you have to use the button that they’ve hidden right the corner of the dashboard behind the steering wheel - why!?. My old mondeo has it on the end of one of the stalks - nice and easy!.

I don’t even find the stereo buttons on the steering wheel to be in that convenient a place and they are quite small and fiddly. The wing mirror controls are also hidden out of view down below the dashboard so that’s awkward to adjust if you need to just move one a bit while driving. 

I don’t find the drivers seat that comfy either, I’m a reasonably portly gentleman; so that might be part of it but the backrest seems to dig in a bit and I don’t quite seem to “fit” in the centre of the base. Perhaps the foam has collapsed a bit and some metal is poking through on the backrest.

I’m sure I have a ghost that keeps moving the rear view mirror as well, as I seem to have to adjust it every time I get in it and every so often thereafter!.

 

Other than that it’s been very well looked after before my ownership and drives nice and is a lovely thing on the whole 😂

[furtula]

Maybe you need to tighten it. Even when mine is pulled all the way, it far from being in vertical position.

I do agree with all the things listed, maybe the armrest bothers me the most, but the car makes it up with reliability.

 

[Toyohta]

Yes quite possible. When I had it to pieces the adjusting nut seemed to already be quite a little way down so I didn’t mess about with it. 
 

It had new rear discs and pads before I bought it, so I suppose it’s possible it needs adjusting now as the pads are bedding in.

Its due its MOT and a service next month, so I’m going to ask the garage to have a look at it for me and see if they can adjust it up a little better.

[furtula]

Just changed the pads this morning and the handbrake was as you say, pointing straight up, and it's rather hard to operate it.

It just needs tightening up, i did mine this morning and it's quite a difference, you only need few clicks before it can't go any further.

The adjusting nut is quite a way down by default, same on mine.

Just get a small ratchet and a longer 10mm socket, pop it on, and adjust.  Ideally on a bit of uneven ground so you can test it. Or pop it on a jack and try to spin 1 wheel.