Ducato Handbrake extender

Cymro wrote:I have one. Its like this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184792039882?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338624526&toolid=10001&customid=b0666571fd1549bec8dc28c1a283adce

I agree with Molly3's comments. But it's easy to stop it from fouling the rotating seat by inserting 2 washers - see a thread by Gromit. And yes, I have caught my shorts on it a few times whilst getting out, but without damage to me or the van - only to my dignity!

I wouldn't be without it. 

Cymro

Cymro wrote:Forgot to address your concerns about fly-off, Bigplumbs. It's like a racing handbrake. If anything it makes hill starts (on manual gearbox) easier because there's no need to lower it: it just drops, and you concentrate on the other things.

There is a knack to using it without clicking all the ratchets when pulling up the handbrake (by holding the lever forwards whilst simultaneously pulling it up, then - when brakes are on - easing the lever back to the locked-on position. That holding the lever forward depresses the handbrake button. You soon get use to it.

On my van (Peugeot, not Ducatto but I assume identical?) when the driiver's seat is swivelled, the seat box does brush against the handbrake lever. By adding a washer or two to the bolts at the base of the lever, the lever can be angled towards the door when applied, thus not being pushed by the seat box. I usually park with handbrake off, all wheels chocked. For that I lower the extender (removing the axis pin). The seat is clear of the lever then.

Cymro

Paulmold wrote:https://www.outdoorbits.com/kobran-motorhome-handbrake-extender-p-173.html

Cymro wrote:

Bigplumbs wrote:
On the hill start I want to pull up on the brake, Hold it there and then ease it down as the gears/clutch bites. Ie do a normal Hill start. I am rather confused how you push it forward to disengage the button but also pull back.

 
Sorry if my description is unclear: it's the same problem as describing in writing how to tie a Windsor knot!  

First, let's assume there's no extender. You come to traffic lights on a hill and stop using the footbrake. You press the button on the handbrake lever (to lift the lever without clicking the ratchets) and then you either (1) hold the lever up with your thumb still depressing the button [if your stop is likely to be brief] and then lower the lever as you engage clutch and move on; or (2) having lifted the lever so the brakes are on, you release the button such that the handbrake remains engaged until, eventually, you depress the button and lower the lever as you engage the clutch and move on. So (1) is for a brief stop, and (2) is for as long as you like.

Now doing those with an extender, for (1) you pull the extender grip backwards (so that the lever button is depressed) and lift the lever whilst continuing to keep the grip backwards: no ratchet sound, and lever not locked - so when you're ready to move off, you just lower the lever - at all times keeping the grip part rearwards. But for (2) you again hold the extender grip backwards, so that whilst lifting the lever there's no ratchet sound; and when the lever is fully up (so the brakes are engaged) you ease the grip forwards (which releases the button). That has the effect of releasing the button so as to hold the lever in the brakes-engaged position.  When you want to move off, pull up the lever a little and, moving the grip backwards you either gently lower the lever (as for a hill start) or simply drop the lever for a racing start. Don't do many of the latter in the Nuevo!

It works. And it eliminates the need to reach all the way down to get to the lever.

Cymro

groundhog wrote:It is,