1997 318i E-Break Issues

[Vladmic]

Hello, this is my first thread here, awesome forum been reading everything from old to new posts
Good Job. And I hope I get the chance to help with other members' problems from my experience.

I have had the same "problem" ever since I first bought my car 5 years ago, best car ever I LOVE IT.

Even after I tune my e-break handle, it doesn't seem to have any effect like in most cars, the rear wheels simply do not get locked from turning when I jerk it all the way up while driving. When it's stopped and on Neutral gear it does prevent the car from rolling but I have to really put some force in pulling the E-break all the way up.

I am having to re-tune the e-break every 6months even though I don't use it while driving, it gets loose pretty fast.

The mechanic told me that it's "normal" in these cars, but I don't believe that I can't do the E-break drifting I used to do with other cars.

One more thing, is it normal that the break pedal is "light" for the 1st 5-10cm with barely any breaking happening, then it gets harder and more efficient in breaking power? I drove E46 318i and 2009 525i and their break pedal works as soon as your foot hits it. My breaks are in good condition, so are the disks (rotors) and rear drums.

Thanks for any help u might give me.

[96_323]

You need to completely bleed the system and you need to do it at each wheel. If you lift up the gaitor covering the handbrake youl see 2 long bolts with a nut on each. Thightening those bolts will reduce the travel in the handbrake, then when you have a position you like put a 2nd nut on each bolt to act as a locking nut.
The trick to doing a handbrake drift is to pull the brake as your turning and not BEFORE you turn. As you pull the brake when the rear wheels are under load (turning) it will take less power to lock the wheels. Compared to when driving in a straight line, it takes alot more power to lock the wheels when at speed in a straight line.

[Vladmic]

Great, makes sens. I'll try that. Thanks for the fast help

[96_323]

Try it and see how you get on. To do a handbraker in a straight line though you would need to upgrade the discs. Groved or cross drilled discs aren't much more than OEM discs and if your discs have been on the car a long time it would be a wise investment.
My next job on my 323 is bigger discs front and back and "EBC's red stuff" brake pads. Those pads aint cheap but i put them on my Mitsi Legnum which is a huge big estate car, found them amazing coupled with cross drilled vented discs and that car is considerably heavier than my 323 but would still out-brake it by a good bit.