BMW 1 Series - Handbrake Adjustment on The E81, E82, E87 & E88 (Also Applies To E9x and F10)

Hello everyone and welcome back to the channel.
In this video I am going to be carrying out an adjustment of the handbrake on my BMW E82 1 Series.
It is a pretty straightforward procedure however if a couple of important steps aren't followed then problems can arise.
I hope you enjoy the video and most of all find it helpful.
Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe for more from Kev's Shed.
If you wish to offer support to my channel and enable me to continue to bring you quality content then please check out my Patreon page at the following link - www.patreon.com/user?u=67741595 - Thank you.
Join me on the socials at the following links
Kevs Shed on Facebook - / 561477094498994
Kevs Shed on Instagram - / kevins_shed
Kevs Shed on Twitter - / catakev79

[@delasud-official7655]

For the people who Want to do this: Right side tightening in down direction Left side tightening in up direction with screwdriver! Great Video, greets from Germany!

[@KevsShed]

A very valid point 👍🏻

[@david_smithz3544]

great your sugestion just simplyfied my work! Greats from Italy! 👏👏🤙🤣

[@delasud-official7655]

@@david_smithz3544 hahaha i had to Tell it to the world because i got crazy when I did it hahaha

[@raymondsmith812]

Does that apply to a BMW 116 2011 diesel ?

[@omchhetri5541]

This is only the right step by step handbrake adjustment video on e90 on youtube. viewed other videos but no one did as clear as it is done in this video. Thank you for making such a gr8 and informative video. Saved many hassels👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@KevsShed]

Wow, Glad it helped! Thank you so much for the lovely compliment!

[@peterrothwell5009]

Great video, Nice and clear, I completed the job in 30mins, which sorted my overextending hand brake.

[@nickwraight2319]

After ages spent squinting through the wheel bolt holes trying to line up with the adjuster I now mark the backplate and align with that- saved loads of time👍

[@KevsShed]

Good idea 👍🏻

[@dayaratna11]

Thanks. Very helpful. I just bought a 120d and did not know it was so simple. ( And free!!) Thought I would have a big bill.

[@KevsShed]

The best kind of comment right here. If my video saved you money then that makes it all worth while! 👌🏻

[@shoerashoera2502]

Thank you for this video. This helped me a lot. What I d’like to mention is that to release the spring brake there is a pin next to the ressort. This is for the bmw f20. But the location of the spring is also less visible on this model. Thank you again

[@kirwanjohn101]

the first time I have seen a video on adjusting the hand brake shoes and also letting off the tension in the hand brake lever, thanks

[@abdabaloley]

best video I've seen that actually explains what's happening

[@joneslive586]

AMAZING!! Thank you SO much Kev👍

[@dieselbasher3288]

This is a brilliant video, very well explained !

[@KevsShed]

Thanks man!

[@NexGenSubies]

Good video..changed my rears weeks ago and was in driveway and noticed I had to crank on my E brake to make it stop! Will be working on this in the near future..thanks👌🏼

[@KevsShed]

Glad it helped

[@The_KP]

Great video, solved my car slip while applying the handbrake. Thank you.

[@teabelly1565]

Best vid on this suject I've seen - many thanks

[@chunnechaser7992]

Nice one kev!!👍👍 simple but effective!!👏👏👏👏

[@KevsShed]

Thanks 👍

[@davson1276]

Very helpful, thank you 😊

[@sergiodriftdrift]

Thank you my friend really helped me alot😊

[@Kenny-ep1jt]

Great video mate! 😁

[@KevsShed]

Cheers mate 👌🏻

[@david_smithz3544]

Great video ! well presented expalanation! You help me to solve my problem ! Thank you! 👏👏✌🏻🤙🙏🏻💪🏻

[@KevsShed]

Glad it helped! 👍🤓

[@dietmarziegler7655]

Great job done, thank you

[@KevsShed]

Thanks buddy 👍🏻

[@MicPoitras]

Crystal clear!🍁

[@neroziggy468]

Perfect, thank you.

[@salemb96]

very well explained hope i can do it too 💪🏼

[@KevsShed]

Best of luck!

[@davidjones6616]

Hi just about to mine on 2011 E90 but cannot get the spring under handbrake to stay back!!! I am using plenty of force and it does seem stiff to push back but its not stopping back, I have released the tensioners on both rear wheels also.....update tried again and got it to retain job done many thanks

[@manwithhats4042]

Top man! Tomorrow job

[@ajlrel2929]

Works on a BMW X1 E84 aswell. Thank you

[@babyg6934]

Great video. I'm doing this tomorrow morning. Is it necessary to take the break caliper off the break disc? Or could I just take the the whole assembly off as it is?

[@KevsShed]

If you are just adjusting the handbrake then there is no need to remove anything other than the wheel. I just removed the caliper and disc to show in detail what it is that you are trying to adjust. It is even possible to just remove a wheel bolt and leave the wheel on but far easier with the wheel off 👌🏻

[@seanpaul3050]

If the handbrake is weak after adjustment you can buy a kit with new expanders adjusters shoes and springs for around 60 quid from BMW. Very good value. The shoes get contaminated over time due to not being used much with the vehicle actually moving. Also the expanders tend to stick when they get old and dirty. I would recommend doing this if your car is over 10 years old. Easy job.

[@KevsShed]

Very good advice. All of those components were replaced the last time the brake pads were changed along with the shoes on this particular car 👍🏻

[@bane8593]

Brilliant vid m8 do you need both bk wheels of floor to turn wheel to see how tight it is or can you do one at a time

[@KevsShed]

One at a time is fine bud 👍🏻

[@leotomassetti8434]

I adjusted my handbrake on an e93, but afterward it started making a clicking noise above 20 mph, the mechanic said that it was a bit too tight and i need to drive a bit before the brake shoes sattle down and the click stops… do you know something about? Should i repeat the whole process from the beginning?

[@edwilko8819]

fyi sone models have alloys with holes in near the hub so you dont even need to take the wheel off. hust put a flat head screw drivers through the hole and adjust away. u should always back off a bit to avoid a bind and m.o.t failure

[@KevsShed]

Correct, normally wouldn't bother taking the wheel off to do this job but it was already off as I had changed the discs and pads too. Plus the video would have been a bit pointless with the wheel on as you couldn't have seen the mechanism and how it works!

[@damienjoey2570]

I have a 2013 116d, if I'm replacing the shoes will the interior spring need to be retained or extended when I take the shoes off ?

[@conandrum74]

Thanks for your video. I need your lights for a minute please. My drum brake is atm engaged. I accidentally engaged it with the rotor off. So the car expanded them and then gave me an error 'parking brake failed'. What should I do to release it so I can put the rotor back on? Both fronts are ok and so is the rear right - all have their calipers and rotors installed. Should I try to dismantle the rear left drum brake while expanded? or should I get in the car turn switch on, apply brake and release parking brake by pressing the button down? The car is X6 E71 with drum brake like yours activated with a button. More details on Google "Parking brake failed - I messed up" using double quotes.

[@danharling214]

On your previous video you suggested letting the handbrake tension off sightly using the adjustment wheel to ease the removal of the disk..does the tension need to be released under the gator too to do this or is this only when tightening.cheers

[@DaWuDDDD]

I too would like to know this

[@KevsShed]

If you mean in order to remove the disc then just the adjuster wheel is fine guys. Just be sure to fully adjust the handbrake for the new discs following the steps in this video

[@danharling214]

That's great...thanks for the quick reply... straight forward tutorial mate..

[@umranafzal2969]

Kevin I've got a BMW 1 series 2008 diesel. When I go inside the car to 'release the tension' on the handbrake, you can't as there is no cover on it. It's sealed. Can I just adjust handbrake from wheel?

[@KevsShed]

I don’t understand how you mean ‘no cover on it’ the 2008 model is exactly the same as this!

[@philmartin9913]

Hi all, not sure if anybody is commenting on here anymore, but wondering if anybody could help. I did this procedure to my e87 a few weeks back following this video very carefully. I found after the first go for a few days it was great! I sometimes park my car on a hill nearby my house and have recently found that my car will not roll down the hill and feels like the brakes are stuck on once I disengage the handbrake. I decided to have another go and let them off 5 notches on each side this time but sadly still the same problem. Any ideas anybody?

[@KevsShed]

Have you replaced the shoes?

[@philmartin9913]

@@KevsShed No. Just adjusted. i only adjusted them because my handbrake failed my car for an MOT. The only thing I may have done differently was as I only have 1 jack i put the wheel back on before lowering then raising the otherside. In doing this i reengaged the spring and used my handbrake then once the wheel was on and the other was off, disengaged the handbrake and pushed the spring into its position and repeated the adjustment on that side

[@danielecontiniistruttorepi102]

se ho il freno a disco c'è lo stesso dispositivo sotto il bullone che infilo il cacciavite e giro le barrette??

[@trailchaser2]

Hey, Kevs is it necessary to push that spring under the handbrake lever? I've seen bunch of tutorials just removing one bold and adjust it like that. Is there a problem by doing that?

[@KevsShed]

That’s because the other tutorials are doing it incorrectly mate! 🙄

[@trailchaser2]

@@KevsShed Sorry for asking but I'm trying to learn, what the point of that spring since they got the same results without doing that? (The interior is spotless and I wouldn't wanna risk damaging it)

[@KevsShed]

The spring section under the handle is the self adjuster that removes tension from the cables when pressed in as I did. You will never get the handbrake to bite properly without doing it, despite what others have said to the contrary. I have the BMW factory manual and that is the way it is described in there also.

[@trailchaser2]

@@KevsShed Thanks man for taking the time to respond! Helped me a lot too! Subscribed

[@KevsShed]

@@trailchaser2 You're welcome buddy!

[@abdulb1162]

Just wondering, to take the rear discs off, do i need to release tension from the shoes or can i just simply unbolt everything and the disc will come free

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

Depends, usually the shoes don;t wear and oyu will need to back off the adjsuter some clicks unitoll you can remove the disc, if the shoes are worn ( from HB turns for instance) then the disc might come of without slackening the adjuster.

[@spudgun857]

Do you need to adjust handbrake if only changing the break pads?

[@KevsShed]

Changing the brake pads has no impact on the hand brake system at all, they are 2 totally separate systems on these cars.

[@omchhetri5541]

you can adjust handbrake shoe if you start experiencing it not holding enough since shoes material starts thinning due to friction. then you perfom as it is shown in the video and solve the handbrake problem for a good amount of time further. if your the shoes are worn out way below half then it’s time to replace new shoes.

[@Michele-up6fy]

Hi Kev, great video. Just one question, will I have to push the spring on the handle before starting any adjustments on the wheels? And put it in right position after adjusting both wheels? Thanks so much

[@KevsShed]

Yes mate, push it in before making the adjustments and then allow it to reset under its own spring pressure after, exactly as I did in the video! 👍🤓

[@josephridgway864]

Hi kev, might seem abit of a daft question. But how do you remove the rear dust covers? I know there's 2x 10mm bolts, there seems to be 2 other bolts holding it on too. But they seem to be seriously corroded. Just thought I'd ask before I go smashing them off 😂 great videos by the way

[@KevsShed]

Do you mean the brake backing plates? If so then the hub requires removal in order to get it off which will in turn require replacement of the bearing also 👍🏻

[@edwilko8819]

loads of wd40 the day before but yeah its sandwiched by the hub if not refitting them just cut them off but then have the issue of stones scoring the disc etc...

[@seanpaul3050]

If they need replacing due to rust. You can cut some new ones in half down the middle and install without replacing the rear hub and bearing. Because that is a big job. Handbrake will still work just fine.

[@shanaman1dmd]

Do you have to do both sides?

[@KevsShed]

I would recommend that both sides are checked yes 👍🏻

[@alexandrevieira9946]

My bmw 118d handbrake is very loose. It work but needs to be all the way up and needs to be in a straight road. So all i need to do is this? Cables will be fine?

[@KevsShed]

Yes buddy, there is every likely good that the cables are fine, try the adjustment as described in the video and it should give you back a fully functioning handbrake! 👌🏻

[@philmartin9913]

Exactly the same problem, just failed my MOT because of it. Will adjust and retest. Great video

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

Those duo servo park brakes have plenty of torque and allow BMW to only worry about the service brake characteristics when developing brake pads. But to get the best from them as well as adjusting correctly you need to perform the bedding procedure when you do a service, as the park brakes don't get used much ( particularly on autos ) they can build up a little dirt and corrosion on the shoes/drums, using the handbrake with the car moving every now and then will keep them working well. Any one who has had to replace multiple seized park brake callipers on VW Ford etc. will tell you that that solution is not perfect either....

[@filipradic1383]

Is the cable tensioner released and returned for each wheel separately, or is it released once you adjust the left and then the right wheel and only then return it back.

[@MG1210..]

No, leave the cable tensioner in the 'hooked' position while you do the other side. I've just done this job - talking from experience

[@AdeReeves]

Good video...but i think BMW could learn a thing or two from 1960's ford drum brakes...even they where self adjusting shoes 😂

[@KevsShed]

Ade Reeves yeah I know! Dunno what they were thinking here!

[@user-gl9oe4bd3r]

Hi Dave, superb video thank you, my 2007 E87 has an electronic handbrake, how do I release the cable tension? Cheers

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

Troll Bot, E87 doesn't have EPB

[@johnr5595]

Does this apply to the F20?

[@KevsShed]

John, it does indeed, the F20, both pre and post LCI have an identical handbrake arrangement.

[@johnr5595]

@@KevsShed Great Thanks. Also, does the handbrake wire need to be pushed back to adjust or can I just adjust it with it with handbrake down? My issue is a weak handbrake efficiency on the MOT (10%). I was hoping this would fix it.

[@KevsShed]

John R yeah that should work, always adjust with the lever down, adjust till it tightens up. Then back it off a touch. That should see you right! 👌🏻

[@johnr5595]

@@KevsShed Cool. Thanks for your help. Great video.

[@metalman4141]

Not brilliant 😂 crap is the proper word

[@maxs28]

Attempting this on my gf car tomorrow so appreciate the video.