Handbrake getting hot when headlights are on??

[Defendozer]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone knows why the handbrake lever in my 300Tdi gets hot when I switch the parkers/headlights on? Bad earth somewhere?.. Also the dash warning light globe for the parkers etc is blown, could this be upsetting something? I know Defenders can have some pretty random electrical mishaps!!

Thanks, Remo

[Tombie]

You have earthing occurring through your brake cable...
Fix ASAP!

[Dervish]

Hahah, only in a Defender :eek:

Tombie is right. It sounds like the earthing point to the chassis (just outside of the battery box, next to the transfer case) is loose or corroded. Take it off, give it a good clean and reattach - preferably with a smear of copper grease over the top to stop it happening again. The earth connection to the motor must be ok if it is starting well.

I'm surprised your lights have been working at all with that much resistance in the circuit.

[JDNSW]

Agree with the above.

John

[85 county]

Hi all,
I know Defenders can have some pretty random electrical mishaps!!

Thanks, Remo

the real point is any other vehical would have stoped or cought on fire by now, but your still trucking

[PAT303]

The one on the back of the gearbox makes your blinkers earth through the brake lights,I'd clean that one too while your there. Pat

[redrovertdi]

there is also two small earth wires on the top front of the transfer case, if they arent in clean contact the fuel and temp guages will dance when you use the brakes

[Defendozer]

Hahah, only in a Defender :eek:

Tombie is right. It sounds like the earthing point to the chassis (just outside of the battery box, next to the transfer case) is loose or corroded. Take it off, give it a good clean and reattach - preferably with a smear of copper grease over the top to stop it happening again. The earth connection to the motor must be ok if it is starting well.

I'm surprised your lights have been working at all with that much resistance in the circuit.

Yes that's what I thought at first, however I checked that a while ago and it was fine, also had it off again a couple of weeks ago when I replaced the clutch so gave it all a good clean up but that hasn't fixed the issue.

Lights are maybe a little bit dimmer but nothing really that noticeable if at all.

Also worth mentioning is that it only appears to happen when the handbrake is released (ie lever down)...

[Defendozer]

there is also two small earth wires on the top front of the transfer case, if they arent in clean contact the fuel and temp guages will dance when you use the brakes

All other functions work as they should which makes me think it's something in the park/headlight wiring somewhere....

[Dervish]

Everything in the headlight circuit earths to the bulkhead (along with almost everything else in the vehicle). From there it works it's way through the bulkhead bolts into the chassis and then through the earthing point in the chassis to the battery.

Aside from the earth cable, the only conductive connection between body/chassis and motor is the handbrake cable. So if anything happens to the chassis earth, the path of least resistance is through the handbrake cable. It's likely that you only notice it when using the headlights as they are the only circuit in your vehicle pulling high current for long periods of time.

There really is nothing that would cause this other than the chassis earth point, unless your Defer was specced with a heated handbrake handle :p As you would've seen, the earthing connector to the chassis is a rather horrible P clamp thing over the cable to the gearbox; maybe it is bolted on to the chassis tight enough, but it has lost grip on the cable. Pull the clamp off and see how corroded/worn away the copper is underneath. It will only take 5 minutes and I bet it will fix your problem.

[Defendozer]

Thanks Dervish, that explains it all very well.
I'll give it a thorough inspection and clean up on the weekend and let you know what happens.

Cheers