On my very first driving lesson, the the instructor made me hold the button in on the handbrake lever whilst applying instead of just pulling it up on the ratchet. I've just done it ever since. What do the members do?
Applying handbrake Poll
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I have always held the button too. To me noise = wear and in this case it’s totally avoidable. Weather it makes any odds in the real world... who knows.
Marlon said:
I thought you had kicked off this poll having said yours needed doing. I assume that yours has worn in the spot where the handbrake is normally applied; and since you hold the button in and its got worse since you've had the car - is this about load on the ratchet when the car is parked. I hold the button in when applying the brake but also live in flat (ish) Norfolk. When I was living in the north (west and east as it happens) the handbrake was really resisting a trip down hill rather than some youth leaning on the back of my car when its parked.
So is the constant use on hills (of the north in your case Marlon) also an aggravating factor?
Crazy Harry said:
No idea why mine's buggered - its got progressively worse over the last few years, so now I'm struggling to get any grip pulling it to its highest point - was told its the ratchet thats worn out. Its flat in Preston, I rarely park on a hill and don't do handbrake turns
Is it odd to say I don't know, its such an instinctive thing I don't think about, I kinda think I do as the way I hold it my thumb is on the button but I honestly don't know if I press it in every time :lol: :lol:
I've never pulled apart a BMW handbrake, but I did have a Volvo 240 one apart last year. I would imagine that, in principle, they are the same or similar. The ratchet comprised a stationary toothed wheel and when the button is pushed in, it pulls a trigger out of the way of the teeth against spring pressure. With constant use, I guess that the teeth and the trigger would wear out, but it might take 100 years!
Nevertheless, I was told to push the button in and that's what I always do.
Nevertheless, I was told to push the button in and that's what I always do.
Some years ago a traffic cop showed me the ratchet out of a car that had run down a hill and killed a child. Other than the teeth at the top of the wheel they were all extremely worn down. The handbrake just couldn't work effectively; a result of not using the button.Zedtastic said:
It may be ok for Bodie and Doyle, but the rest of us should have more mechanical sympathy.
Yep always 
The button's primary function is to release sprung compression of a toothed ratchet system which supplies cable tension.
Personally I think it would take an inordinant amount of application cycles to cause wear leading to an unsafe situation.
Wear usually occurs at the binding point/s of the cable or stretch in the cable necessitating adjustment or replacement.
Personally, I avoid engaging the handbrake whenever possible opting to park in gear after taking note of any inclination in the road.
When I do engage the handbrake I never even consider holding the button in on application as I dont think it makes any difference. The function would have been designed in or out if it made any diffrence.
Personally I think it would take an inordinant amount of application cycles to cause wear leading to an unsafe situation.
Wear usually occurs at the binding point/s of the cable or stretch in the cable necessitating adjustment or replacement.
Personally, I avoid engaging the handbrake whenever possible opting to park in gear after taking note of any inclination in the road.
When I do engage the handbrake I never even consider holding the button in on application as I dont think it makes any difference. The function would have been designed in or out if it made any diffrence.
