E36 Handbrake Adjustment

[andrewbuch]

Guys,

Where can I adjust the Handbrake? Last week it slowly stopped being effective.

I have tightened the nuts that are under the leaver inside the car.

Is there any where else I can adjust them.

I have Disk Brakes at the back..


Also when I use the Handbrake The car pulls skew, Like the right side goes up & left side goes down. How can I fix this?

Cheers

Andrew

 

[veridico]

I refuse to answer purely because of your sig.

 

[andrewbuch]

Hahahahaha That was just because of another thread

 

[veridico]

I know, I was reading the other thread.

Parking brakes work essentially like a drum style brake. There are two shoes mounted on the inside of the brake rotor. When you pull up on the handbrake, it drives the shoes outward, causing them to grip the inside of the brake rotor. Imagine a top hat as your brake rotor, the shoes push on the part inside where your head would go.

Copied from a good website...

"Be sure to jack the car up on a structural member. Otherwise, you risk damaging the chassis. I have seen jacks go through floorboards on cars before. Also be sure to support the car on jack stands. NEVER rely on a jack to keep the car up in the air.

Once jacked up, put the car in neutral, release the handbrake and pump the brakes a few times to seat the pads. Remove the rubber boot around the handbrake. You will now see two nuts in front of the lever. These nuts are used to adjust the parking brake. Loosen these nuts until the cables are completely slack.

Now go to the rear wheels. Put the car in neutral and make sure the handbrake is released. Now rotate the wheel by hand until the lug bolt hole lines up with the parking brake adjuster. This will be located about 65 degrees off centerline. If you are looking at the wheel, imagine that the very top is 0 degrees, now go right until you reach 65 degrees (about 1/8 rotation around the wheel) Once you have found the adjuster, use a screwdriver to reach in and turn the adjuster until the wheel no longer turns. Once the wheel stops turning, back the adjuster off slightly.

Now go back inside the car and set the parking brake a few times to seat the cables, and then release the parking brake. Now slowly pull the handbrake until it clicks four times. This is the position we need to have the brake at in order to adjust it. Tighten the adjusting nuts evenly on both sides until you are just able to turn the rear wheels with slight resistance.

Re-install the rubber boot over the parking brake handle and lower the car. Once on the ground, re-install the lug bolts in the rear. "

 

[StK]

THIS any help :thumbsup: I recently replaced my entire brake system and its very easy to do the hand-brake :thumbsup:

 

[andrewbuch]

Tried as you suggested, the right side I could not adjust any more and the left side was tooo tight. Think the Handbrake shoes etc need to be replaced..

Cheers

Andrew

 

[Raybimmer]

Handbrake turns ?:excited:
If you pull ( not yank ) handbrake up while driving do you feel the car pull to one side ? That side is gripping and the other side needs attention . Drive slowly in driveway and yank handbrake up and check marks on cement , use gravel road if available .:thumbsup:
Lucky it will be shit weather this weekend , so cannot set mine .
You may have to remove disc and replace drum linings , garden boy has done drums on dustbin bakkies for 50 years .

 

[andrewbuch]

Ray

when I stop in my driveway & apply handbrake & release foot brake the car leans to the left..

when I pull it up while moving the left locks instantly & the right does not..

but also when applied on a slope it does not hold.

need to get the drum linings replaced...

 

[gazza]

andrew, hand break turning is for the devil...
come visit me, you dont need a strong HB to play on the dirt road

 

[andrewbuch]

Hahaha I dont use it for handbrake turns as I like my tires too much for that..

just really need it to stop the car rolling into others or poles, or trees, or garage doors etc when parked..

 

[gazza]

no you dont, just put a sign up saying it was the voices in my head that made me do it.