Parking Brake Adjustment Procedure.

[wake5150]

I have a 2004 X5 (3.0L) with 125k miles. I just replaced pads/rotors all around, and changed parking brake shoes also.

I barely adjusted the adjuster nut, I was worried about drag, and they seemed to be grabbing when I applied the handle. In reality they aren't working that well, and need adjustment.

Questions:
1) How do you get at the adjuster nut without taking off disc/drum?
2) How do you (carefully) remove the parking brake lever boot?
3) What is the proper procedure for parking brake performance?

Thanks!
-Chris

[killcrap]

the parking brake is adjusted at the rear wheel, remove 1 lug bolt from each rear wheel. shine flash light inside, and turn star wheel until the wheel is locked, back off 10 turns. do the same for the other. i dont know why you want to remove the lever boot, but you can just yank it off, you only ever need to take this boot off when you remove center console, or replacing the cables. there is no adjustment made at the handle for parking brake.

[wake5150]

Killcrap,
Thanks for the reply. Most cars have 2 adjustments. One at the brake, and the other for slack at the lever. I guess X5 doesn't have lever adjustment?

Just to clarify "10 turns" actually means 10 "clicks" and not actually 10 full rotations of the adjustment nut?

Thanks again!
-Chris

[Cole]

Originally Posted by wake5150

Killcrap,
Thanks for the reply. Most cars have 2 adjustments. One at the brake, and the other for slack at the lever. I guess X5 doesn't have lever adjustment?

Just to clarify "10 turns" actually means 10 "clicks" and not actually 10 full rotations of the adjustment nut?

Thanks again!
-Chris

There are two adjusters at the handbrake lever to take up slack in the system... at least there is on my '06 3.0D.

I gave up trying to find the brake pad adjuster after peering thru the lug hole on the rear wheels for several fruitless hours, but the adjuster at the handbrake lever was easy enough to tighten a little to get the hand brake to hold again.

Getting the leather cover off the hand brake is not too difficult. It has a clip at the top and botton. If you lever it off gently at the top, flex the cover in the middle a little to release pressure on the clip and off it comes.

[killcrap]

Originally Posted by wake5150

Killcrap,
Thanks for the reply. Most cars have 2 adjustments. One at the brake, and the other for slack at the lever. I guess X5 doesn't have lever adjustment?

Just to clarify "10 turns" actually means 10 "clicks" and not actually 10 full rotations of the adjustment nut?

Thanks again!
-Chris

10 clicks.

[shooter]

I hear this slight grinding noise when moving. I think its the brakes against the rotors but the major offender seems to be the parking brake. By adjusting the parking brake at the wheel, will that allow me to create more distance between the pad and the inside of the rotor?

FYI: I cut the rotors and sanded the pads last night to try and fix this scraping noise but nothing changed except smoother stopping. The dust pan/guard also is not touching the rotor so thats crossed off the list as well.
If you spin the wheels (all 4; louder in the rear) with your hands while its on the lift, you can hear the scraping noise as it rotates. This is driving insane because these pads and rotors have only 10k on them!

[wake5150]

Originally Posted by shooter

I hear this slight grinding noise when moving. I think its the brakes against the rotors but the major offender seems to be the parking brake. By adjusting the parking brake at the wheel, will that allow me to create more distance between the pad and the inside of the rotor?

FYI: I cut the rotors and sanded the pads last night to try and fix this scraping noise but nothing changed except smoother stopping. The dust pan/guard also is not touching the rotor so thats crossed off the list as well.
If you spin the wheels (all 4; louder in the rear) with your hands while its on the lift, you can hear the scraping noise as it rotates. This is driving insane because these pads and rotors have only 10k on them!

Shooter,
What's the history here? It sounds like you changed your own pads/rotors 10K ago? Or was it a mechanic? Unless somebody recently adjusted the Parking Brakes, I have a tough time believing that's the source of your noise.

I guess the answer to your question is, YES, the adjustment nut will adjust the Parking Brake shoes TOWARDS or AWAY from the inside of the drum.