Brakes too good.
 

Just aquired an E39 to replace my E34.
One difference that is immediately apparent, is the lightness of the brakes.
So little pressure is required to brake, that unless I brace myself with my
left foot, I slide forward in the seat. This, for just normal slowing down
braking. Not hard braking.
Is this normal for an E39?
The brakes are fine orherwise. Quite progressive and smooth, with no
pulling.
I'm not worried about, but the handbrake doesn't seen too good either, but
that might be because it's an auto and hasn't been used enough to keep the
drums and linkage in good condition.
Mike.

Brakes too good.
 

In article >, Mike G
says...

> I'm not worried about, but the handbrake doesn't seen too good either, but
> that might be because it's an auto and hasn't been used enough to keep the
> drums and linkage in good condition.

I have had 2 E39s and the handbrake on my first one was very poor.
Didn't seem to be anything that could be done to improve its
performance.

--

jeremy
['01 BMW 530iA SE Touring]

Brakes too good.
 

You are not required to mash the pedals to the floor. It's okay to lightly
push them.

The hand brake is intended to keep a stationary car it rest, it is not
intended to bring a moving car to a halt. Yes, it can do that when called
upon, but that is not its job, and its failure to do that as well as the
main brakes should not be considered a fault. For one thing, the brake pads
for the parking brake have less than half of the mechanical advantage as the
main brakes -- they are considerably smaller in surface area, and they
haven't the force (leverage) aplied that the main brakes have. For another
thing, they call it a Parking Brake for a reason.




"Mike G" > wrote in message
...
> Just aquired an E39 to replace my E34.
> One difference that is immediately apparent, is the lightness of the
> brakes.
> So little pressure is required to brake, that unless I brace myself with
> my left foot, I slide forward in the seat. This, for just normal slowing
> down braking. Not hard braking.
> Is this normal for an E39?
> The brakes are fine orherwise. Quite progressive and smooth, with no
> pulling.
> I'm not worried about, but the handbrake doesn't seen too good either, but
> that might be because it's an auto and hasn't been used enough to keep the
> drums and linkage in good condition.
> Mike.

Brakes too good.
 

"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
> You are not required to mash the pedals to the floor. It's okay to lightly
> push them.

I did say for normal slowing down in my post.
IOW when lightly braking, the pressure required on the pedal is not enough
to hold me in the seat.

> The hand brake is intended to keep a stationary car it rest, it is not
> intended to bring a moving car to a halt. Yes, it can do that when called
> upon, but that is not its job, and its failure to do that as well as the
> main brakes should not be considered a fault. For one thing, the brake
> pads for the parking brake have less than half of the mechanical advantage
> as the main brakes -- they are considerably smaller in surface area, and
> they haven't the force (leverage) aplied that the main brakes have. For
> another thing, they call it a Parking Brake for a reason.

I do know what a handbrake or parking brake should be capable of.
My drive has a slight slope. Unless I really heave on it, the car will still
roll. My wife would never be able to pull it on enough.
Mike.

Brakes too good.
 

"Mike G" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> ...
>> You are not required to mash the pedals to the floor. It's okay to
>> lightly push them.
>
> I did say for normal slowing down in my post.
> IOW when lightly braking, the pressure required on the pedal is not enough
> to hold me in the seat.
>
>> The hand brake is intended to keep a stationary car it rest, it is not
>> intended to bring a moving car to a halt. Yes, it can do that when called
>> upon, but that is not its job, and its failure to do that as well as the
>> main brakes should not be considered a fault. For one thing, the brake
>> pads for the parking brake have less than half of the mechanical
>> advantage as the main brakes -- they are considerably smaller in surface
>> area, and they haven't the force (leverage) aplied that the main brakes
>> have. For another thing, they call it a Parking Brake for a reason.
>
> I do know what a handbrake or parking brake should be capable of.
> My drive has a slight slope. Unless I really heave on it, the car will
> still roll. My wife would never be able to pull it on enough.
> Mike.
>

It can be adjusted. The spec on my 3 series is that the brake should engagek
on the 4th click of the ratchet mechanism. The adjustment is a bit tedious
to accomplish because the left and right side are adjusted independently of
each other. One can be adjusted properly, and the other one still be too
loose.

Brakes too good.
 

Mike G wrote:

> I did say for normal slowing down in my post.
> IOW when lightly braking, the pressure required on the pedal is not
> enough to hold me in the seat.
>

You are not supposed to hold yourself in your seat with foot pressure on
the brakes. Are you wearing teflon pants or something?

--
-Fred W

Brakes too good.
 

"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Mike G" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> You are not required to mash the pedals to the floor. It's okay to
>>> lightly push them.
>>
>> I did say for normal slowing down in my post.
>> IOW when lightly braking, the pressure required on the pedal is not
>> enough to hold me in the seat.
>>
>>> The hand brake is intended to keep a stationary car it rest, it is not
>>> intended to bring a moving car to a halt. Yes, it can do that when
>>> called upon, but that is not its job, and its failure to do that as well
>>> as the main brakes should not be considered a fault. For one thing, the
>>> brake pads for the parking brake have less than half of the mechanical
>>> advantage as the main brakes -- they are considerably smaller in surface
>>> area, and they haven't the force (leverage) aplied that the main brakes
>>> have. For another thing, they call it a Parking Brake for a reason.
>>
>> I do know what a handbrake or parking brake should be capable of.
>> My drive has a slight slope. Unless I really heave on it, the car will
>> still roll. My wife would never be able to pull it on enough.
>> Mike.
>>
>
> It can be adjusted. The spec on my 3 series is that the brake should
> engagek on the 4th click of the ratchet mechanism. The adjustment is a bit
> tedious to accomplish because the left and right side are adjusted
> independently of each other. One can be adjusted properly, and the other
> one still be too loose.

That only adjusts the lever position, and whilst an adjustment may achieve a
slightly better machanical advantage. It will not turn a poor handbrake into
a good one.
The problem with mine is undoubtedly in the hubs, or maybe stiffness in the
linkage etc, but as I said. I'm not worried about it. I've no doubt I can
easily improve them to an acceptable level.
Mike.

Brakes too good.
 

In article >, Jeff Strickland
says...
>
> "Mike G" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> You are not required to mash the pedals to the floor. It's okay to
> >> lightly push them.
> >
> > I did say for normal slowing down in my post.
> > IOW when lightly braking, the pressure required on the pedal is not enough
> > to hold me in the seat.
> >
> >> The hand brake is intended to keep a stationary car it rest, it is not
> >> intended to bring a moving car to a halt. Yes, it can do that when called
> >> upon, but that is not its job, and its failure to do that as well as the
> >> main brakes should not be considered a fault. For one thing, the brake
> >> pads for the parking brake have less than half of the mechanical
> >> advantage as the main brakes -- they are considerably smaller in surface
> >> area, and they haven't the force (leverage) aplied that the main brakes
> >> have. For another thing, they call it a Parking Brake for a reason.
> >
> > I do know what a handbrake or parking brake should be capable of.
> > My drive has a slight slope. Unless I really heave on it, the car will
> > still roll. My wife would never be able to pull it on enough.
> > Mike.
> >
>
> It can be adjusted. The spec on my 3 series is that the brake should engagek
> on the 4th click of the ratchet mechanism. The adjustment is a bit tedious
> to accomplish because the left and right side are adjusted independently of
> each other. One can be adjusted properly, and the other one still be too
> loose.
>
IM(limited)E adjusting it will make littel difference to the
effectiveness. I would periodically (now and again) engage the handbrake
whilst driving (slowly and for a few seconds only) - I think someone
sujggested that it might rought things up (though I'd have thought
smooth things down!) and it may have made a minor improvement. But on
the whole I would describe it as woeful (on that 1997 model).

My previous comments on this matter:

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt...thread/3d93181
a13ccf93a/acf0f58d023f5d36?lnk=st&q=jeremy+523i+brake&rnum=1
#acf0f58d023f5d36


--

jeremy
['01 BMW 530iA SE Touring]

Brakes too good.
 

"Fred W" > wrote in message
...
> Mike G wrote:
>
>> I did say for normal slowing down in my post.
>> IOW when lightly braking, the pressure required on the pedal is not
>> enough to hold me in the seat.
>>
>
> You are not supposed to hold yourself in your seat with foot pressure on
> the brakes.

Of course you are. Otherwise how would you stop yourself sliding forward in
the seat under heavy braking.
It should be relative. Light or heavy braking should need enough pressure on
the pedal to avoid sliding forwards.
I'm not a newbie to driving. I've been driving for decades. I think I know
by now what is acceptable as far as a foot brake is concerned, and as it
stands, the foot brake on my car is too sensitive.
My quesstion was, whether that is normal for the E39.
Mike.

Brakes too good.
 

"Mike G" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Mike G" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> You are not required to mash the pedals to the floor. It's okay to
>>>> lightly push them.
>>>
>>> I did say for normal slowing down in my post.
>>> IOW when lightly braking, the pressure required on the pedal is not
>>> enough to hold me in the seat.
>>>
>>>> The hand brake is intended to keep a stationary car it rest, it is not
>>>> intended to bring a moving car to a halt. Yes, it can do that when
>>>> called upon, but that is not its job, and its failure to do that as
>>>> well as the main brakes should not be considered a fault. For one
>>>> thing, the brake pads for the parking brake have less than half of the
>>>> mechanical advantage as the main brakes -- they are considerably
>>>> smaller in surface area, and they haven't the force (leverage) aplied
>>>> that the main brakes have. For another thing, they call it a Parking
>>>> Brake for a reason.
>>>
>>> I do know what a handbrake or parking brake should be capable of.
>>> My drive has a slight slope. Unless I really heave on it, the car will
>>> still roll. My wife would never be able to pull it on enough.
>>> Mike.
>>>
>>
>> It can be adjusted. The spec on my 3 series is that the brake should
>> engagek on the 4th click of the ratchet mechanism. The adjustment is a
>> bit tedious to accomplish because the left and right side are adjusted
>> independently of each other. One can be adjusted properly, and the other
>> one still be too loose.
>
> That only adjusts the lever position, and whilst an adjustment may achieve
> a slightly better machanical advantage. It will not turn a poor handbrake
> into a good one.


That's true, if only one brake is working. Having said that, two working
brakes is not twice as good as one. Two working brakes are better than one
marginal brake though.