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Adjusting Parking (emergency) brake

Wrath And Tears

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
Why do you need to adjust it? The parking brake uses the rear brake pads instead of its own system. The only adjustment is on the parking brake handle to suck up slack in the cable caused by wear, I think. Because it uses the rear pads, it is self adjusting. Have you checked your rear brakes to make sure they aren't down to nothing? It's possible your cable snapped or something crazy like that if it doesn't work at all. Or if you had rear pads replaced recently, something in the caliper wind back could have been messed up so that when you pull the e-brake only one side works.
 
Wrath And Tears

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
Nope, VW is still cable driven (unless you have the electric parking brake), from the handle to winder mechanisms on the rear brake calipers. As you pull the lever the cables pull on the winder mechanism and the brake piston is then forced out causing the brake pad to apply pressure to the rotor. VW/Audi has been using this method since the 90s. Everything is going to the caliper style e-brake over the traditional drum brake style e-brake which BMW and MBZ used for years and still do use in some cars.

The electric parking brakes are the same only with an electric motor on the calipers instead of the winder mechanism.

I've never heard of or seen a hydraulic parking brake system. Just did some googling and those are for drift / race / hot rods. Looks aftermarket only for modern cars anyway. I guess some older stuff like English Double Decker buses had them. Pretty cool stuff.
 
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The Fed

The Fed

Old Guys Rule
Location
Florida
Wrath And Tears said:
Nope, VW is still cable driven (unless you have the electric parking brake), from the handle to winder mechanisms on the rear brake calipers. As you pull the lever the cables pull on the winder mechanism and the brake piston is then forced out causing the brake pad to apply pressure to the rotor. VW/Audi has been using this method since the 90s. Everything is going to the caliper style e-brake over the traditional drum brake style e-brake which BMW and MBZ used for years and still do use in some cars.

The electric parking brakes are the same only with an electric motor on the calipers instead of the winder mechanism.

I've never heard of or seen a hydraulic parking brake system. Just did some googling and those are for drift / race / hot rods. Looks aftermarket only for modern cars anyway. I guess some older stuff like English Double Decker buses had them. Pretty cool stuff.
Click to expand...

Me neither. Never needed to adjust the cable either. Both my GTI's had about 70K miles.
 
Finglonga

Finglonga

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Stafford, UK, Earth, Solar System.
All modern cars have been self adjusting for decades. If you need to adjust it then there is something wrong with it.
 
R

rumbard1981

Ready to race!
Location
USA
Car(s)
GTI, Passat
I installed PP brakes front and back. Thats why i asked the question. My e-brake handle used to click 3-4 times and hold a good bite. Now my handle is pulled up way too much without much bite or hold. The rears all brand new. The fronts have been on the car for awhile. Finally sourced the rears at a decent price to finish the project and now have an issue with the hand brake. Thank you for the responses. Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Wrath And Tears

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
No worries man, it seems like the winder mechanisms might just need to be adjusted properly, are aren't working at all. Not sure how to adjust them, sorry. Happy Thanksgiving!
 
R

rumbard1981

Ready to race!
Location
USA
Car(s)
GTI, Passat
Wrath And Tears said:
No worries man, it seems like the winder mechanisms might just need to be adjusted properly, are aren't working at all. Not sure how to adjust them, sorry. Happy Thanksgiving!
Click to expand...

Thanks a bunch. Have you ever adjusted them before? My calipers are brand new. New pads, rotors, lines. All...lol

Or, will they self-adjust over time?
 
S

SRoads

Ready to race!
Location
WV
Press the brake pedal as hard as you are able then pull up on the handbrake 2-3 times still holding the brakes. Release....parking brake adjusted.
 
E

ervybaby

New member
Location
YUL
Car(s)
Golf2015 Mk7 TSi 1.8
SRoads said:
Press the brake pedal as hard as you are able then pull up on the handbrake 2-3 times still holding the brakes. Release....parking brake adjusted.
Click to expand...
With the car engine On or Off? I tried this but didnt work - my hand brake still has some slack making the alert go off everytime...
 
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