Emergency Break adjustment

[bimmer530]

Hello All, I am trying to find information on how can I adjust my emergency break to really work properly. I change all my rotors (F&R) with cross-drilled and mintex brake pads, also change the emergency brake pads. Everything is new with proper bedding done. But for whatever reason it seems that the emergency brake doesn't hold good. I did adjust it to 4 clips. I pulled it even harder than 4 clips (maybe 5 or 6) still it's not holding the car properly.
Please need help on fixing this problem of mine.
Thank you all and Happy Thanksgiving..
Bimmer530

[JKRIT]

Sounds like U R only adjusting at the handle or the shoes are not adjusted close enough to the drums. I'm sure the full write-up is available in archives or elsewhere, but here's the gist of it: Elevate rear of car and remove wheels; Fully loosen adjusting cable nuts at handle; Turn brake shoe adjusters (through an open hole for wheel mounting bolts) until you get slight parking brake drag when turning the rotors by hand; Adjust cable nuts at handle so that there is some cable tension when handle is released, but no additional drag at the shoes; Remount wheels etc.
'03 525i Sapphire Blu/Grey, SP, Nav
'02 325it Orient Blu./Grey, SP, Nav
'98 323is Arctic Sil./Blk, SP
'95 M3 Cosmos Blk./Blk

[Vin M]

2003 530i (Sport Package) Build Date: 02/03
Titanium Gray over Black
Shadowline Trim
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Zeckhausen Modified CDV
Dinan Upgrades: High Flow Throttle Body, CAI, Stage 3 Software, and Free Flow Exhaust.

Horsepower: some is good, more is better, TOO MUCH is just right!
"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough." ~ Mario Andretti
"What’s behind you doesn’t matter." ~ Enzo Ferrari

[PAnos]

[bimmer530]

Oops!! Parking brake not emergency brake.
I did that adjustment before I put it back the rotors to make sure that until I have that very small drag on the rotors. Still I cannot get the parking brakes to hold the car firmly. Do I need to sand the inside of the parking brake area of the rotors with a coarse sand paper just to create a rough surface so the pads will hold on firmly?
Thanks,
Bimmer530
..

[bimmer530]

Vin M,
Is there any other adjustment area that I need to do so the parking brakes will hold the car properly?

Thanks,
Bimmer530

[JKRIT]

No, U shouldn't need to roughen the drum surface. Did U leave any grease or anti-rust coating on the swept surface of the drum? That "small" drag when U adjust the brake shoes can be hard to get right, especially with new shoes. I would go in there again and re-check the drag; It may be gone after breaking in the new shoes, in which case U need to tighten them up a bit more. E39's don't have the best parking brake design, but when everything is adjusted right, they do work reasonably well.
'03 525i Sapphire Blu/Grey, SP, Nav
'02 325it Orient Blu./Grey, SP, Nav
'98 323is Arctic Sil./Blk, SP
'95 M3 Cosmos Blk./Blk

[300Kkms325e]

If you're prepared to fork out $400 plus cables to get it done or have a lift at your disposal get it done, otherwise you might consider selling the car instead.
It's a bear of a job as a DIY, need to drop the exhaust and drive shaft etc.
Good luck

Jan/1998 528i, 5 spd manual, black on black non DSP.>300Kkms(180Kmiles) non-Sport, lowered with KONI FSD & Eibach springs in 2008, added "Bad Road package Adapters" to front only Dec 2009.
My previous rides worth mentioning:1970 GTO "The Judge",1985 325e M3lite, Euro BMW +
1998 323Ti, in Munich, Germany on the autobahn for 1 yr
Now back in Halifax, Nova Scotia,via Ottawa Canada.

[Vin M]

that hasn't already been suggested.

Maybe someone else will weigh in with an idea, however, if nothing else works, you might want to start looking into replacing the parking brake cables.

Vin

2003 530i (Sport Package) Build Date: 02/03
Titanium Gray over Black
Shadowline Trim
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Zeckhausen Modified CDV
Dinan Upgrades: High Flow Throttle Body, CAI, Stage 3 Software, and Free Flow Exhaust.

Horsepower: some is good, more is better, TOO MUCH is just right!
"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough." ~ Mario Andretti
"What’s behind you doesn’t matter." ~ Enzo Ferrari

[cn90]

I wrote a DIY here. In your case, lube the cables x2:

http://www.b--immerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=426640