Hand brake

[jock156]

I’ve noticed recently that parking on a slope when I pull up the hand brake as far as I can, the car will still start to move slowly down the hill. I’ve started leaving it in gear but have never liked doing that.

It will be a garage job as I’m feckin useless but is it a big job to adjust it? And rough cost please.

TIA

[Chris_D]

Nothing wrong with leaving in gear on a slope, even with handbrake disengaged it’s a more effective method of planting your car.

[PDJ]

You remove the wheel (it is easier) and line the wheel bolt hole up with the star shaped bit in the photo and with a screwdriver you flick it round one way and you get a better handbrake the other way it is worse the two star nuts are at 2 o'clock and ten o'clock each side

30 mins if you know what you are going

The picture show it with the disc/drum removed you do not remove the disc drum to adjust the handbrake

IMG_2797.jpg (10.47 KiB) Viewed 527 times

[enuff_zed]

You remove the wheel (it is easier) and line the wheel bolt hole up with the star shaped bit in the photo and with a screwdriver you flick it round one way and you get a better handbrake the other way it is worse the two star nuts are at 2 o'clock and ten o'clock each side

30 mins if you know what you are going

The picture show it with the disc/drum removed you do not remove the disc drum to adjust the handbrake

IMG_2797.jpg

Do you need to put the lock on the handbrake lever end as well?

I need to do this on my newly acquired 2.2i. jock156, if it's not an immediate issue for you, I'll work out how to do it on mine first, then would be happy to sort yours too. Could be a month or so though?
As said, leaving it in gear is not detrimental to the car as long as you remember before you turn the key.

[jock156]

Being a tight Scotsman I’ll leave it a month or so and pop over to yours with some beers (let me know which brand) and hopefully you can sort it

[enuff_zed]

Being a tight Scotsman I’ll leave it a month or so and pop over to yours with some beers (let me know which brand) and hopefully you can sort it

Happy to help if I can. That gives me some impetus to sort mine now then.
Abbott Ale or Ghostship are the usual preferred currency

[jock156]

Received & understood!!!

[enuff_zed]

Received & understood!!!

Until then, I have a couple of bricks you can borrow.

[colb]

At the lever end if you lift the gaiter cover up and away you will see a clip towards the rear that has to be pushed until it clips in place to take the tension off the cable at that end, this should be done before adjusting the wheel star adjusters. Using the adjusters move the star wheels to get the shoes to lock the drum then back off up to 7 clicks. Once both sides are adjusted return to the lever end and flick the clip so it unlatches and returns to its normal position so it tensions the cable again. You may have to adjust the star wheels more than once to get a decent locking handbrake, its not the best system. Just remember to use that tensioning clip when doing it and don't forget to trelease it when done.

[enuff_zed]

At the lever end if you lift the gaiter cover up and away you will see a clip towards the rear that has to be pushed until it clips in place to take the tension off the cable at that end, this should be done before adjusting the wheel star adjusters. Using the adjusters move the star wheels to get the shoes to lock the drum then back off up to 7 clicks. Once both sides are adjusted return to the lever end and flick the clip so it unlatches and returns to its normal position so it tensions the cable again. You may have to adjust the star wheels more than once to get a decent locking handbrake, its not the best system. Just remember to use that tensioning clip when doing it and don't forget to trelease it when done.

Thanks very much. Seems easy enough. What could possibly go wrong.
The bonus is, I have my new 'doer-upper' to practice on before I'm let loose on jock156's pride and joy.

[Zulu4]

I wonder why BMW came up with such a convoluted and antiquated hand brake system when other manufacturers have simply been using the brake pads to do the job for decades ?

[colb]

Quite a lot of manufacturers use the disc with drum for the handbrake, just designed to work better than BMW.

[enuff_zed]

At the lever end if you lift the gaiter cover up and away you will see a clip towards the rear that has to be pushed until it clips in place to take the tension off the cable at that end, this should be done before adjusting the wheel star adjusters. Using the adjusters move the star wheels to get the shoes to lock the drum then back off up to 7 clicks. Once both sides are adjusted return to the lever end and flick the clip so it unlatches and returns to its normal position so it tensions the cable again. You may have to adjust the star wheels more than once to get a decent locking handbrake, its not the best system. Just remember to use that tensioning clip when doing it and don't forget to trelease it when done.

Hi colb, daft question, does the handbrake lever have to be pulled up or released when you engage the clip?

[colb]

Good question, as far as I recall it was off when I did mine, had to get a long screwdriver on that clip and tap it back until it latched. Once the adjustments are made used same screwdruiver to flick the catch off the latch, spring pressure will put it back to where it should be and maintains the tension on the cable that end.

[enuff_zed]

Good question, as far as I recall it was off when I did mine, had to get a long screwdriver on that clip and tap it back until it latched. Once the adjustments are made used same screwdruiver to flick the catch off the latch, spring pressure will put it back to where it should be and maintains the tension on the cable that end.

Thank you.