handbrake adjustment

[nadz325i]

hi

does any one know how to adjust the handbrake, my 325i mot failed on handbrake less effort ,

thanks.

[Lordschleife]

Theres a screw under the cover of the lever in the car that you can adjust, I think you can also adjust the handbrake at the back of the car - not sure, as I havent done it myself

[cros]

With rear discs, the bottom of the shoes are pushed by the handbrake and the top are pushed by a static adjuster. If you only adjust the handbrake at the lever then you don't get full shoe contact and you'll get odd wear and a reduced efficiency handbrake.

You adjust this through a wheel stud hole with a small flathead screwdriver. Rotate the disc until a hole is at the 12 o'clock position and look in with a torch. Adjust the top until the brake locks up, and then back it off a bit.

Then put the wheel back on, and adjust the tension at the handbrake lever so that the wheel is locked at ~5 clicks of the lever. ...or just whetever feels right. Each side is adjusted independently.

[nadz325i]

thanks for replies guys, really helped, done it this evening and improved very much,

tomorrow off the mot garage broomeeeeeeeeeeeee hehe

thanks.

[325_track_day]

should u back the screw off on the lever before u start

[cros]

Don't think you'd need to - as long as the handbrake isn't causing the shoe to drag due to cable tension.

[325_track_day]

am i adjusting a screw as i cant see one at all at 12 oclock help, can see bit of a spring in a few places as i rotate wheel

[ian6pot]

Just done this as mine failed MOT for low effort
I found that the adjuster was more like 01.00 position in the wheel stud hole as opposed to 12.00

[325_track_day]

cant see ill turn up me torch a bit it as an 85 car but disks all round

[Brianmoooore]

Worth taking the rear discs off to make sure the shoes aren't knackered. They may well be if someone has adjusted the handbrake cables in the past. You will be able to see where the adjusters are and how (and if) they work then. Make sure there is no tension in the handbrake cables when the lever is fully down.

[cros]

On mine the adjuster was a barrel rather than a screw - not sure if there are different types. A screwdriver to turn it by the ribs did the trick.

[Brianmoooore]

The adjuster is like a sprocket for a chain, and you are looking at it edge on. It's adjusted by engadging the end a flat blade screwdtiver between two teeth, then using the wheel bolt hole as the pivot point of a lever to lever it around one tooth at a time.
I have a flat blade scewdriver with the last millimetre of the tip bent over at right angles, which I find a very usefull tool for all sorts of things. Using this on the adjusters, I can engadge a tooth on the bottom and turn it by pushing or pulling the screwdriver.

[325_track_day]

now im confused lol the handbrake does opperate the callipers yes, sounds like a small drum set of drum brakes help, (take of the disk is that just that one fixing on the disk face sorry to be such a numpty

[cros]

Even the disc brakes have a small drum brake inside them for the handbrake. The calipers are purely hydraulic. The disc is like a top-hat, and the drum surface is the inside of that.

[seanboy]

Would anyone be able to get A pic of this where it needs to be tightened as My handbrake just scrapped through its mot?
Cheers Sean.

[Brianmoooore]

If the handbrake is that bad, I would advise you to remove the disc/drum completely and checkout the condition of things inside. With the drum off, you'll be able to see how it works and practice adjusting it.
Slacken off the cables at the handbrake before you do the adjustment at the hubs, and then re adjust them afterwards.
I have a very small bulb soldered to a pair of wires that I push inside the hub through an adjacent wheel bolt hole when I adjust handbrakes. Nothing like a bit of light on the subject!

[Gwynleym10]

Some pictures

This is upside down...but this in under the disc


This is how it fits together - see the barrel adjuster at the top? and the lever at the bottom that is connected to the cable


That all fits inside the disc like so

[seanboy]

Nice one.

[bimmaman]

Can anyone tell me how to adjust the handbrake on drum brakes, or is it the same as above? My handbrake lever comes up quite a long way, although I haven't adjusted it under the gaitor yet... Which should I do first? Adjust it at the lever, or at the drums??

[Chris-W]

Don't adjust it at the gaiter! Those nuts are not for adjustment, just to take the slack up in the cables.

Adjust at the wheel in the same way.

[Gwynleym10]

I thought drums adjusted automatically? Been a while since I have been in a drum though..

[Brianmoooore]

I thought drums adjusted automatically? Been a while since I have been in a drum though..

They do, or should do, as I'm sure Chris knows! Bit of a senior moment??
If a drum braked car seems to need handbrake adjustment, the two drums should be removed and the mechanism checked out to ensure that it's working properly.

[Chris-W]

Sorry Gwyn, Mr. Moore. In my defence my wife has had me on a veg only diet for the last 5 days