While installing my boost gauge the other day, I had the car parked in my driveway. I wanted to start it to make sure the gauge was working, so I pulled up on the e-brake. As I did so, there was a loud "pop" and the handle went all the way to the end of its travel. Now the e-brake hardly works. It'll almost hold the car still on a very slight incline, but is nowhere close to enough.
My top theory is that I broke one of the cables to the e-brakes in the back, but I would suspect that I'd have more holding power left if that was the case. There's two independant cables, correct? Anybody ever have this happen to them? I'd prefer not to have to rip half my console and rear brake setup apart to find the culprit, so I'm looking for leads.
As always, all help is appeciated.
Jeremy
My e-brake "popped"! What happened?
Yours probably did what mine did. The bracket that holds the pivot for the e-brake popped its welds. There are two fixes for this:
The right way: Take the console around the ebrake apart, loosen the adjuster nuts on the handle, move it back to the right place, and have it welded.
The cheap way: put some washers under the end of the cable and tighten it up, leaving the ebrake handle in its new position. this is what was done to mine before I bought it.
I will try to post pictures of what I am talking about tonight.
Ian in Portland
'84 533i
'71 VW fastback
The right way: Take the console around the ebrake apart, loosen the adjuster nuts on the handle, move it back to the right place, and have it welded.
The cheap way: put some washers under the end of the cable and tighten it up, leaving the ebrake handle in its new position. this is what was done to mine before I bought it.
I will try to post pictures of what I am talking about tonight.
Ian in Portland
'84 533i
'71 VW fastback
Me thinks where the e-brake handle bracket is welded to the body has ripped apart. I remember it happened to Lee in LA a while back. I can't remember what he did about it. It was kinda ugly.
I found the post from the old board, but his pics are not up anymore.
Take the horse-hair console off and have a look-see.
[Edit by booker535 on [TIME]1113942590[/TIME]]
I found the post from the old board, but his pics are not up anymore.
Take the horse-hair console off and have a look-see.
[Edit by booker535 on [TIME]1113942590[/TIME]]
Sorry, no pics yet, but it does sound like the bracket broke its welds. The good news is that the ebrake will still work if you just tighten the nuts on the handle. Mine was like this when I got it, and has had no ill effects other than a loose handle. The design of the bracket will let it move forward and backward, but it will not come out or damage anything else.
You will probably want to get it fixed eventually, though.
Ian in Portland
'84 533i
'71 VW fastback
'82 528e
You will probably want to get it fixed eventually, though.
Ian in Portland
'84 533i
'71 VW fastback
'82 528e
Ian wins the prize I think. The handle seems "loose" with a fair bit of play side to side. Mostly towards the driver side. I didn't pull the rubber boot off the area over the weld, but I'm 90% that's what it is.
I can't seem to drive this car more than a couple weeks without something breaking! %)
In other news, I drove over to Sportscar Resoration in Plantsville today to visit Matt McGinn. Both him and his brother Dan are now using e28s for daily drivers.
Took Matt for a ride in mine, he really liked it.
Jeremy
I can't seem to drive this car more than a couple weeks without something breaking! %)
In other news, I drove over to Sportscar Resoration in Plantsville today to visit Matt McGinn. Both him and his brother Dan are now using e28s for daily drivers.
Took Matt for a ride in mine, he really liked it.Jeremy