dodgy handbrake

[jamesroools]

need some help, i need to adjust the handbrake on my cab, as it doesnt secure the car, even when you pull it up as high as possible (about 7-10 clicks), am i right in thinking i need to adjust the cable at the handrake end, turn the 2 10mm bolts anti-clockwise the same amount each, i think i may need to adjust the handbrake mechanism at the brake end, i have a 320i, so it has the drum brake system inside the disc, and i have no idea how to do this, its pretty urgent as it'll fail the mot otherwise
anyone help?
cheers
James

[Simon]

Hi mate, you need to lift the rear wheel off the floor, and remove one wheel bolt, with a torch look through the wheel bolt hole, and turn the wheel until you can see a what looks like a cog , you need to turn this with a small flatblade screwdriver until the there's resistance in the wheel, and then back off slightly, you should only use the adjustment inside the car for fine tuning, I would advise to slacken these off totally, as you usually find that lazy mechanics have used these to adjust the handbrake previously.

[jamesroools]

cheers simon, will have a go this weekend, i saw the same thing on www.bmwe34.net but i wasnt sure if the procedere was the same

[Simon]

cheers simon, will have a go this weekend, i saw the same thing on www.bmwe34.net but i wasnt sure if the procedere was the same

Yep, just had a look, same procedure! Turning the adjuster can be very fiddly, you have to know which way to turn it too!

[jamesroools]

cheers simon, will have a go this weekend, i saw the same thing on www.bmwe34.net but i wasnt sure if the procedere was the same

Yep, just had a look, same procedure! Turning the adjuster can be very fiddly, you have to know which way to turn it too!

i assume it needs to be turned clockwise?

[Simon]

cheers simon, will have a go this weekend, i saw the same thing on www.bmwe34.net but i wasnt sure if the procedere was the same

Yep, just had a look, same procedure! Turning the adjuster can be very fiddly, you have to know which way to turn it too!

i assume it needs to be turned clockwise?

Yes, but when you canhardly see or rech it, you end up turning it always or atleast I do anyway

[Brianmoooore]

The cable adjusters at the handbrake itself is not for "fine tuning".
This adjustment is only used when installing new cables, and if they have been adjusted since, then you will not get the handbrake to work properly as the handbrake shoes will have worn in the wrong places.
The correct adjustment is to just take up the slack in the cables, without moving the mechanism inside the handbrake off it's stop.

[Simon]

The cable adjusters at the handbrake itself is not for "fine tuning".
This adjustment is only used when installing new cables, and if they have been adjusted since, then you will not get the handbrake to work properly as the handbrake shoes will have worn in the wrong places.
The correct adjustment is to just take up the slack in the cables, without moving the mechanism inside the handbrake off it's stop.

It's how I've always done it, after adjusting the adjuster in the drum, use the cable nuts to give it the final bite, it's how it says to do it in the manual too...

[Brianmoooore]

If this is the Haynes manual, then it doesn't. It just explains it badly and confuses the issue in that unique way that only Haynes can.
It tells you to adjust the handbrake shoes properly first, and then adjust the cables for five clicks. This is an arse about face way of ensuring the cables are slack when the lever is down.
What it doesn't tell you is to back the cable adjusters off again before you adjust the shoes the next time.

[swindy]

I was a VW and Audi mechanic and I have to agree with Simon, when adjusting the rear handbrake, slacken off the cables so no outside interference and then adjust the shoes up to just under binding point, when that is achieved, re adjust the cables themselves. the shoes wear so you have to readjust them to get them closer to the drum, other wise you take more and more slack on the cable ultimately streching it un-necceserly. Yes the shoes do wear, that be the reason they need adjusting! The only shoe that wears uneven is what is called the trailing shoe, the lead shoe, usually the front one takes the brunt of the wear while the rear (trailing) one is just there for support.

The other way of adjusting is too remove the drum entirely and do it that way, can get fiddly, but still effective.

Regards Mark.

[Brianmoooore]

That's not agreeing with Simon (or rather his manual), that's agreeing with me.
The important part missing from the Haynes pro
cedure is to back the cable adjusters off first.
As I read Simon's post, every time he adjusts the handbrake on the hub adjusters, the cable get tightened a little as well, so eventually ending up with the actuator in the hub being off it's stop.
If you back the cable adjusters off every time, adjust the hub adjusters properly, then adjust the cables for five clicks, then you are ensuring that there is at least some slack in the cables with the handbrake off.
The main thing to remember, on which I think we are agreed, is that the handbrake is not adjusted (as I have seen done on several occassions by "professonal" mechanics) at he handbrake lever itself.
( Touring I bought a while back came with recent invoice for adjusting handbrake - four washers under each adjuster nut, and both screwed back as far as they would go ).

[Jesus325iTouring]

All I can say is...........

[Simon]

That's not agreeing with Simon (or rather his manual), that's agreeing with me.
The important part missing from the Haynes pro
cedure is to back the cable adjusters off first.
As I read Simon's post, every time he adjusts the handbrake on the hub adjusters, the cable get tightened a little as well, so eventually ending up with the actuator in the hub being off it's stop.
If you back the cable adjusters off every time, adjust the hub adjusters properly, then adjust the cables for five clicks, then you are ensuring that there is at least some slack in the cables with the handbrake off.
The main thing to remember, on which I think we are agreed, is that the handbrake is not adjusted (as I have seen done on several occassions by "professonal" mechanics) at he handbrake lever itself.
( Touring I bought a while back came with recent invoice for adjusting handbrake - four washers under each adjuster nut, and both screwed back as far as they would go ).

If you read my original post again, I did say to slacken the handbrake cables first though...

[hogweed]

If this is the Haynes manual, then it doesn't. It just explains it badly

NOOO!!!! I can't believe that!!!!

[Simon]

I forgot about the manual, no it wasn't the Haynes book of jokes, I used the Bentley, and I've just re-read it, and it also says to use the handbrake cable adjusting nuts to get the right contact with the drum, so I'm happy to continue using the usual procedure..talking of which my touring needs adjusting...