imolaman

Good evening gentlemen,

Could anybody point me to a site/location where I could find instructions as to how to DIY adjust the handbrake on my beast?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks. Rudi

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2001 Imola Red II E39 M5 - Stock

Clem

Do you need to adjust the brake itself or just teh lever/cable?

Lever/cable:

Pull back parking brake boot, I believe there's 2 nuts or bolts you can turn for adjustment.

Brake itself has to be does at the wheel/hub.

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imolaman

Clem,

Not sure. The handbrake does not hold the car on an incline, unless I pull it right up to the maximum. Would it be best to start with the adjustment at the boot or at the wheel itself?

Thanks, Rudi

Beamer_usa

Sounds like you have to adjust cable.

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2000 Silvr(354)/Blk(M1SW)

Dinan Cans
PC 93

Clem

Hey Rudi,

Mine is doing the same. I try and let the park brake hold the weight of the car before I put it in gear as a safe measure when I park on an incline. In my experience it usually means the cable is "stretched". So yes adjusting the cable from the base of the lever/boot would be the easiest and most logical step to take first.

Good luck,

Clem

imolaman

Thanks Clem, will give it a try. Must be a stretched cable as it gradually got worse. In SA traffic it is an essential control with all our taxi drivers pulling right up to one's #$% in bumper traffic. Any roll would mean a Toyota Hi-Ace with an M5 badge on it's nose...

jclyman

My thoughts are: ALWAYS ADJUST THE REAR SHOES FIRST. I will try to explain.

BMW has had the same basic handbrake scheme for 25 or 30 years (maybe longer). The problem is that there is too much "play" between the brake shoes and the drums. If you adjust at the handbrake end (i.e., inside the cockpit) you are making the cables hold the brake shoes closer to the drum ... hence, more stretch ... it is just like the handbrake is ALWAYS on by a little. Actually, it will be!

If you adjust at the brakes (either a screwdriver or a wrench to turn the nut ... not sure which on an M5) AT THE BRAKE DRUM, you remove the excess slack ... and, this is important ... the brakes will be held closer to the drum (the objective) and, the cable will not be pulling them on slightly. It may be necessary/desireable to adjust the cockpit end too ... but, it should be done after REMOVING EXCESS PLAY FROM THE REAR (PARKING) BRAKES.

It can certainly be done by a backyard mechanic ... but, it takes a little skill to do it right ... adjust by turning the nut or "ratcheting" with the screwdriver through a small slot in the back of the brake (you will have to figure out which way to turn or "ratchet") ... then turning the tire to make sure the drag is minimal ... time consuming to do it right ... easier if you have access to a lift ... but, doable.

Hope this explains well enough for you to tackle it ...

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"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge."

- Daniel Boorstin

QUICK M5 -- jclymaniii@earthlink.net

KBK

My thoughts exactly, I always adjust the brakes there first. also make sur the cable is well oiled..I've no idea on the M's, is it a sleeved cable? It may need oiling. You want no sticking whatsoever on this car. It's too dang fast to play games with. On a small GM *%#box, no big deal if rubs a bit for a test ride/drive or so.

Also, if possible, try to get the turns of adjustment vs drag/free to be identical. Ie, after adjusting the brakes themselves, then get the butt of the car in the air if possible (careful down there, in terms of how the vehicle is supported, use proper jackstands at the lift points on the car, you'll likely have to do each side, one at a time) and get the point where the emergency brake pulls or engages each rear wheel evenly, ie identical braking pressure and engagement points (through the 'pull' of the emergency lever) on each rear tire. This keeps the car even in it's 'pull' on an emergency brake action, which can be critical in winter conditions or during a high speed stop.

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A Foolish Consistency is the Hobgoblin of Little Minds. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"Once again...Stuck on de limter...." -Gustav

VancouverM

I will quote from the Bentley E39 5 series manuals and ASSUME they apply to our M5s:

020-25 MAINTENANCE

The parking brake system is independent of the main braking system and may require periodic adjustment depending on use. Adjust the parking brake if the brake lever can be pulled up more than 8 clicks.

340-22 BRAKES

The parking brake is a drum system integrated into the rear brake rotors. It can be adjusted with the wheels installed, although the rear wheels will have to be raised off the ground.

- Lift the parking brake lever boot out of console. While holding cables stationary, loosen parking brake cable nuts until cables are completely slack.

- Raise rear of car.

- Remove one lug bolt from each rear wheel. Turn road wheel until lug bolt hole lines up with parking brake adjuster [dead bottom, ie 6 o'clock position]

- Using flat-bladed screwdriver, reach into brake drum through lug hole. Turn brake adjuster until wheel no longer turns. Back adjuster off 12 notches.

- Working inside the car, set parking brake several times to seat cable. Then pull parking brake lever up 2 notches. Tighten cable adjusting nuts until it is just possible to turn rear wheels with slight resistance.

- Release lever and make sure rear wheels turn freely.

- Turn on ignition. Pull up parking brake lever 1 notch and make sure that parking brake warning light comes on. If not, adjust parking brake warning light contact switch.

- Install parking brake lever boot. Install road wheel lug bolts. (Tightening torque road wheel to hub 89+7 ft-lb)

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2002 LeMans Blue ///M5

OPTIONS: two-tone LMB sport leather, aluminum trim , rear sunshades, ski pass-through, M audio with DSP, split fold down rear seats
MODS: , concealed V1 & S1, Stoptech stainless steel brake lines, UUC ssk with DSSR, UUC black transmision mounts, UUC clutch stop, Mk. IV navigation, ice>link plus, bluetooth with RAZR, 35% tint, clear corner angel eyes
CONSUMABLES: fronts PS rears PS2, Axxis deluxe plus pads, RP Syncromax MTF
THE OTHER WOMAN: 2000 Speed Yellow Porsche Boxster

jclyman

Thanks ... great additions to the post ... plus, I forgot to add that when the parking brake goes unadjusted for a long time, the shoes tend to wear more on the edge that is actuated by the cable ... the end that is "fixed" does not wear as much ... and, you get uneven wear and a need to replace shoes sooner ... and, even more ... if you don't adjust the shoes first, you will eventually run out of threads under the leather boot around the parking brake lever ...

I also, when adjusting the brakes under the car ... apply the parking brake a few times to get the brakes to "settle" into a "neutral" position, and rotate the tires yet again to make sure that drag is MINIMAL.

It could take 4 hours to do it, if you take your time, go slowly (as a newbie), and maybe have to jack the sides of the car up and down to go back and forth between wheels, take a few sips of beer, rest your arms, etc. ... once, done properly, however, it should last for quite a while.

jclyman

P.S. I don't have the Bentley E39 manual ... just years of experience. The manual explains the proceedure in great detail and should be followed ...

VancouverM

See that's the problem... I have the manuals but NOT years of experience

jclyman