Hand brake adjustment

Steve Medlock

Steve Medlock

Zorg Guru (II)
British Zeds
Joined
May 11, 2016
Points
105
Location
Tenterden, Kent
Model of Z
2.8 Roadster
MOT earlier in the week. Failed on split in one of the steering rack gaiters - oh the shame of it. In my defence, you couldn't easily see it when the bellows weren't extended.

Anyway, back to the point of this. Before the previous MOT, I had carefully adjusted the handbrake as per the Bentley manual - shoes first and then just able to turn the wheels with 6 clicks on the lever. However, I got an advisory saying the lever movement was almost excessive. This time then, I adjust it to 5 clicks and the wheels just able to turn - same advisory!

Next time, I'm thinking that I'll adjust to 3 clicks and then take it back to the book setting after the MOT......

Steve.
 
New one on me and I have a fussy old MOT garage. Didn't even know this was in the MOT. They pass our family's cars with 7+ clicks.

I'm not sure I'd want a handbrake with only 3-4. I know it's phycological but it doesn't give me the same assurance it's pulled up properly.
 
(Can't believe I posted this in the For Sale section.....D'oh.)

No Rob, it feels right as the manual. The tester said something like 'we don't have the manual, its just about what it takes to stop it on the rollers'
 
Last edited:
Just to be clear, it’s not about the number of “clicks” as different manufacturers have finer (more teeth) ratchets than others.
What it about is the “reserve travel” of the lever at the time of test. If you can pull the lever right to the top of the travel, then there is no movement in “ reserve” Hope that makes sense.

Tony.
 
Sounds logical Tony. I don't know how many clicks there are on a Z3 handbrake, but I would expect that whoever wrote the Z3 manual must have kept a few clicks in reserve when he specified 6 as the standard adjustment.
 
Steve Medlock said:
Sounds logical Tony. I don't know how many clicks there are on a Z3 handbrake, but I would expect that whoever wrote the Z3 manual must have kept a few clicks in reserve when he specified 6 as the standard adjustment.
Click to expand...

It would around half as I recall Steve. Vauxhall used to specify 7 - 9 clicks on there Mk.3 Cavaliers which were one of the first cars to have internal handbrake shoes. I once had a disagreement over this with an MOT tester, he said my car didn't have sufficient reserve.

Tony.
 
t-tony said:
Just to be clear, it’s not about the number of “clicks” as different manufacturers have finer (more teeth) ratchets than others.
What it about is the “reserve travel” of the lever at the time of test. If you can pull the lever right to the top of the travel, then there is no movement in “ reserve” Hope that makes sense.

Tony.
Click to expand...
I see the distinction. Number of clicks doesn't matter, just don't run out clicks before the handbrake shoes engage sufficiently.

Steve, it may not be a lever adjustment issue. I'd check your handbrake cables aren't partially seized meaning no amount of adjustment will fix it. If you don't want to dismantle it to check it I'd at least look for damage to the outer cable suggesting damp may have got in.
 
The point is the shoes need to engage well before the end of lever travel. On the type of callipers which have an external lever to squeeze the pads, these can fail if there is insufficient reserve travel at this lever even though there is sufficient at the parking brake lever in the car. Obviously the BMW won’t have this issue but members other cars could.

Tony.
 
Last edited:
I'm fairly sure I've replaced every part of the handbrake system so it should be as good as it can be. It does work efficiently but I think the best course of action to avoid the niggly advisory is to set the cables so that the wheels lock at 5/6 clicks rather than 'can just be turned' making sure that it all releases by 3/4 clicks of course.
 
Steve Medlock said:
Sounds logical Tony. I don't know how many clicks there are on a Z3 handbrake, but I would expect that whoever wrote the Z3 manual must have kept a few clicks in reserve when he specified 6 as the standard adjustment.
Click to expand...
There are 16 click in my 98 M Roadster, I was told it should be adjusted to 8-10 clicks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top