E-Brake Cable (Tighten)

[Kartelli]

Can anybody post a quick "how to" tighten the ebrake cable?

Mine is abit loose, car rolls back unless the ebrake is pulled up very high.

[elm3]

I think that if you pull the boot off, the adjusting nut will be right there.

[ph_gbg]

Had a weak and unbalanced handbrake, and this is what i did:

Pry off the handbrake boot with a trim removal tool

Under the lever, there's a spring loaded cable tensioner. Push this backwards with a large screwdriver or a steel rod until you hear a click and the tensioner is held back.

Loosen one wheel bolt on each rear wheel. Put gearbox in neutral and raise both rear wheels. (You cannot do one wheel at a time because of the LSD.)

Rotate road wheel until you see a small toothed adjusting wheel through the bolt hole. It's partly hidden by a spring. Use a flash light. It is located at one o'clock or eleven o'clock, can't remember which.

Now you should flick the little wheel with a large flatbladed screwdriver to tension the brake. On the left side, you flick backwards and upwards. On the right hand side, you flick forwards and downwards. Tension until you cannot move wheel, then back off about 8 tooths. Make sure road wheel is free to spin.

Lower car, tighten wheel bolts. Use the flat screwdriver to push the arresting hook on the tensioner to the right. It will then spring out.


Did a vehicle inspection the other day where the hand brake was tested, and it looked great!

[Kartelli]

^ Awesome, ill try this!!!

[JCtx]

I'm mechanically inclined and can't make any sense of that. Next time I have the wheels out for a brake bleeding will investigate. If we have a drum-in-disc parking brake system, we should be able to adjust it from the 'Y' or by the lever.

[kenwelch]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

I'm mechanically inclined and can't make any sense of that. Next time I have the wheels out for a brake bleeding will investigate. If we have a drum-in-disc parking brake system, we should be able to adjust it from the 'Y' or by the lever.

It’s like a step back in time.

I have attached the diagram from realoem.com
The rear parking brake shoes have an “adjustment screw” (#3) at each rear wheel. You’re setting the parking brake shoe clearance at each wheel first then if needed adjust the brake cable.

[kmarei]

but all this is assuming both sides are not in sync, and i am trying to adjust them
assuming both sides are in sync and you just want to tighten the hand brake
must i still do the whole pull off a wheel and adjust the hidden screw etc?

[Kartelli]

We have drum brakes in the rear??? News to me...

[kenwelch]

Originally Posted by Kartelli

We have drum brakes in the rear??? News to me...

Many modern cars use drum type parking brakes with disc type service brakes. The disc calipers then are much simpler (less expensive) and it's easier to change the disc brake pads during service.

[kenwelch]

Originally Posted by kmarei

but all this is assuming both sides are not in sync, and i am trying to adjust them
assuming both sides are in sync and you just want to tighten the hand brake
must i still do the whole pull off a wheel and adjust the hidden screw etc?

The shoes should last a very long time since they are only being used with vehicle stopped unless someone is dong fancy car tricks. I teach auto repair to teenagers you would be amazed at the things they can ruin.
I have not done this adjustment on my M3 with only 15K miles. I only use the park brake lever when the vehicle is stopped (parked).

If you go back and read the post by ph_gbg he said you can just remove one wheel bolt. Then you will see the adjustment screw through the lug hole. This will be the only way that you will know that "both sides are in sync".
You are confirming that the shoe clearance is equal on both sides.

It's important that when adjusting the parking brake it does not make either wheel drag when the parking brake is released......or it just kills the fuel mileage. and destroys the parking brake shoes.

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by kenwelch

It’s like a step back in time.

Thanks man. Drum-in-disc is the best parking brake system IMO, and that's what we have .

Hey Ken, I wonder if the parking brake can be adjusted by pulling the lever in reverse, like on some other cars. Looks like a ratchet-type adjuster to me, although it can also be turned with a screwdriver. Mine is perfect too with only 6K miles, but somebody might give it a try and report back .

[kenwelch]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Thanks man. Drum-in-disc is the best parking brake system IMO, and that's what we have .

Hey Ken, I wonder if the parking brake can be adjusted by pulling the lever in reverse, like on some other cars. Looks like a ratchet-type adjuster to me, although it can also be turned with a screwdriver. Mine is perfect too with only 6K miles, but somebody might give it a try and report back .

The self-adjuster looks correct now that you mention it. I found this video clip of a 2008 328i parking cable removal. At 1:45 in the video you can see the adjuster screw is next to what looks like a self-adjuster mechanism. Not like the way it appears in the realoem illustration that I included earlier. Usually the self-adjuster on most vehicles works as you described when you pull the parking brake lever the correct parking brake shoe clearance is set. Now you have me wanting to take my car apart during Christmas break.

[kmarei]

so is there any way to tighten the handbrake WITHOUT doing the whole screw in the hub step?
can i just adjust it somehow from the hand brake lever?

[MNm3]

Originally Posted by kmarei

so is there any way to tighten the handbrake WITHOUT doing the whole screw in the hub step?
can i just adjust it somehow from the hand brake lever?

Bump. My girlfriend's 328 xi needs tightening on the hand brake.

[montreal red]

wished there was an easier way to tighten the ebrake... someone should make a DIY with pictures for the steps above.

[tinnsoldaten]

I just adjusted the handbrake by turning adjustment screws thru hole for wheel bolt , but I didnt do the whatever thing with handbrake lever. I saw the spring with special washer on it , but it didnt budge , and I didnt want to use more force or time and energy on it. The handbrake is now working again.

But I have to go all the way up with the lever to make it hold properly.

Is there any way of getting it to hold earlier? That got to do with loosening the spring?

[tinnsoldaten]

Bump

[atruelunatic]

Does anyone know if it's safe to reuse Macht Schnell's stud conversion kit with this? (I'll reapply loctite of course)

[M3MPH1S]

I'm having the opposite issue where I disconnected my ebrake to take my rear subframe out and then after reinstalling, the ebrake won't fully disengage and is lightly scraping while driving. Would this potentially be caused by the same imbalance between the top side of the cable and the wheel side? When I disconnected the cable, I did *not* touch anything related to the handle inside the cabin - was I supposed to? Also I have studs installed, so I guess I'll have to just remove the rotor. Any help is appreciated.

[M43S7RO]

You could try loosening the cables a bit at the handle. I have my subframe out now and will have to keep an eye on this.

Originally Posted by M3MPH1S

I'm having the opposite issue where I disconnected my ebrake to take my rear subframe out and then after reinstalling, the ebrake won't fully disengage and is lightly scraping while driving. Would this potentially be caused by the same imbalance between the top side of the cable and the wheel side? When I disconnected the cable, I did *not* touch anything related to the handle inside the cabin - was I supposed to? Also I have studs installed, so I guess I'll have to just remove the rotor. Any help is appreciated.

[M3MPH1S]

Originally Posted by M43S7RO

You could try loosening the cables a bit at the handle. I have my subframe out now and will have to keep an eye on this.

Sorry forgot to update. My issue ended up being that part of the "inner radius" of the dust shields had slightly bent in and was scraping on the rotor hat. My ebrake cable ended up having no issues, so you can safely not worry about that when re-attaching yours. The cause of the bending was due to leaving all my control arms attached to the knuckle and leaving the whole knuckle and arm cluster lying on the ground. I was very gentle with it, but it seems due to the weight it pushed part of the dust shield in.

[M43S7RO]

My knuckles are are also laying with arms attached. I've been gentle on the dust shield by supporting the knuckle with a piece of 2x4.

Originally Posted by M3MPH1S

Sorry forgot to update. My issue ended up being that part of the "inner radius" of the dust shields had slightly bent in and was scraping on the rotor hat. My ebrake cable ended up having no issues, so you can safely not worry about that when re-attaching yours. The cause of the bending was due to leaving all my control arms attached to the knuckle and leaving the whole knuckle and arm cluster lying on the ground. I was very gentle with it, but it seems due to the weight it pushed part of the dust shield in.