"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.