Rare Spares Handbrake Extender Universal Version for Ducato, Relay & Boxer

Product Information

The answer for us is lower seat boxes or remove the swivel base, either of which also has the benefits of bringing the handbrake closer to the end of my arm and making the driving position much more comfortable and car like. Out of habit I reach down and my hand does not bump into the handbrake lever immediately I know it is off - but as the Ducato lever is on the 'wrong' side, that method doesn't work and I think the brake is off Mary, we have a Rare Spares one, which works fine except when someone stronger than us pulls it on hard; then we can't get it off again. It has worked well for nearly 5 years, but we found it has a split in the plastic casing now, so doesn't work. So if you DO get one, be very careful with the tightening!

Once upon a time fly-off handbrakes were quite the rage, usually on cars with sporting pretensions. They were convenient when a car was driven in the type of competition where use of the handbrake had a positive value (eg. rallying and autotests). Otherwise they were something of a menace, being logically less fail-safe than the conventional type and often perplexing mechanics and MOT testers unfamiliar with the way they functioned. When my car went for its MOT I used to tape a sheet of paper to the fly-off handbrake explaining how it worked. I recall instances of 'broken' fly-off handbrakes being disassembled in the hope of 'repairing' them and of operating cables being snapped when a mechanic with gorilla-strength muscles vainly tried to get the ratchet mechanism to hold. It was vey well made/machined, fit well and was *easy enough to use(*once used to it)...and it can be easily dropped down to allow a swivel seat to rotate. I am not saying everybody will have the same difficulties as me, as we are not all built the same and will have the seat in the same position, So much for 'camper' chassis with motorhomes in mind - the 'designer' must have 'forgotten' to allow for the additional height of swivel bases which white van man does not need. button obviates the need to press the release button with the thumb. Instead, the whole arm is moved.

The one issue I did have(because I used to have the seat base set quite low?) was that when "on"(up), ours protruded above the seat slightly. This meant that it could get snagged on loose fitting clothing when exiting the cab(I found my Craghopper type walking trousers were prone to this)and if I wasn't careful, this could also risk it disengaging the handbrake... I refitted a smaller and "smoother" handgrip, that I had in the shed, as the original one was quite large and it would've looked untidy if I had cut it down also). I love it and my wife, who had great difficulty reaching the handbrake before, finds it so much easier, though she has only driven the vehicle once or twice since I fitted it. If you don't want to fit new seat boxes, which are not that expensive and simple enough to fit, try removing the swivel and see if the improved driving position is worth the loss of a swivelling seat? The table has been a work in progress from day one, and it's not an issue when we can eat outdoors, or on our knees, but often it's nice to sit so that we can both see out of the windscreen, which does get a bit "cosy"

The Kobran handbrake extender works like a sleeve fitting over the existing handbrake handle, the dimensions of the sleeve diameter are cylindrical with the largest dimension being the vertical diameter of approx 35mm and the shortest dimension of the cylinder being 30mm in the horizontal. I can now see perfectly out of the windscreen, and the speedo' is perfectly visible. My leg position is better, and I feel less as though I'm perched on the edge of the seat. Cost nothing, came with the van. Couple that to my drive being very, very steep & with a pinch point of about 1/2 an inch either side, it was driving me mad. Who the hell designed these bloody vehicles, they clearly hadn't heard of ergonomics? Nice to know you CAN get spares, but I was hoping that it would be a little cheaper. Husband (tightwad!!) thinks he can manage without......we shall see!! I can say that the operation of handbrake is now much easier, a bit odd pushing lever forward with thumb but you soon get used to it.However the Ducato is the only vehicle I recall driving that has the handbrake between the seat and the door, rather than between the front seats. It is also the only 'modern' vehicle I have had that has no warning on the dash to tell you the handbrake is on. I do however have a problem with the swivel on driver's side, as I can't turn it more than about 100degrees, whereas I'd like to be able to turn it approx 135degrees to use a centre post table for two; suggestions welcomed Longer Retaining Screws Supplied as std. Bulbous Handbrake Rubber grip means very tight fit. Modification may be necessary such as use of different mounting nuts/bolts or modification to the handbrake rubber grip.

It is also easy to work and I think it will make hill starts very easy indeed. As you already probably know the handle will drop down by removing the pin so that the seat can rotate. I will certainly look into these extenders as I am a short guy at best and reaching down to release it is not easy. There have been no incidences of extender catching on clothing when exiting cab whilst wearing jeans or shorts. Something like that in the Ducatos/Boxers (but mounted higher, so it could be reached by those of us not equipped with spider monkey arms!), would be ideal. Not sure,……….. my motorhome is the Fiat 2008 model so it is the new style, the hand brake extender is just slightly more expensive to buy for this model......

I fitted it today & apart from swearing at the spring falling out (fixed by my technical department, thanks Mrsambulancekidd& a spot of glue) I'm quite pleased with the results. Sorry if my description is unclear: it's the same problem as describing in writing how to tie a Windsor knot! Please note that the handbrake extender was origially designed to fit up to 2006 models on a Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer/Citroen Relay chassis, however it is possible to fit to later vehicles with some modifications. It also fits other vehicles, see the table below Also mine the captain’s chair still swivels when the handbrake is in the on Position! So that is no problem.

The handbrake is held in place by three bolts and it ought not to be beyond the wit of man to fabricate a spacer plate to raise the level of the handbrake and maybe even push it away from the seat a little to facilitate swivelling - it's only a bit of steel plate with 6 holes and three new nuts and bolts to secure it after all? I did feel a right Herbert hanging off my handbrake.I must be heavier than I thought judging by the bend on the handbrake. The price difference betwixt the two is akin to comparing one of Gerald Ratners drinks trays to something from Garrards. Engineered to last, rather than engineered to the minimum price/maximum profit. I had an issue with our 08 Ducato, which is fitted with swivels (don't know make) which I thought raised the driving seat too much for me and I'm only 5'8", what my upper body dimension is I'm not sure. I considered changing the base of the drivers seat but then discovered the two adjusters on the RHS of the seat base; and they made all the difference!So to that end, I've been searching for a handbrake extender, but the search for the gadget to fit my elderly motorhome was proving to be fruitless. and Post 2006 types). Note that the revised version remains externally visually the same as the previous Post 2006 The design is such that it should fit most vans, campervans and motorhomes, although we do know that Newer Ford Transits are not suited to our handbrake extender The Kobran handbrake extender can be used on RHD or LHD motorhomes (The retaining screws simply need to be unscrewed and turned around to ensure the silver washer type screw head is facing outwards). Not included in the first post was the fact that this extender is a bitch to fit, it was designed for last model and x250 has larger handgrip, this causes two problems.