Handbrakes and MOT's

[TW]Fox

[TW]Fox

[TW]Fox

Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
160,218
Hi guys,

MOT next weekend.

The E39 is notorious for having a completely and utterly useless handbrake. Mine is no exception. It was adjusted by BMW when it was serviced 3 months ago which resulted in a great handbrake for all of a week. I mentioned this to them but they informed me that E39 handbrakes were useless, which they are. Now I'm back to it's usual useless efficiency.

It will hold the car on my sloping drive but only if it is fully applied as far up as you can pull it, it creeps forward if it isn't pulled up to 9-10 clicks.

How efficient must a handbrake be to pass the MOT?
 
Can't answer how efficient it needs to be as isn't that up to the tester - however I watched my previous 2 MOTS from start to finish and at no point was it ever tested on any sort of a slope and they just pulled it up when testing the lights etc...

I wouldn't worry about it as a cause for a failure personally.
 
Peerzy said:
Can't answer how efficient it needs to be as isn't that up to the tester - however I watched my previous 2 MOTS from start to finish and at no point was it ever tested on any sort of a slope and they just pulled it up when testing the lights etc...
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Thats because the brakes are tested on rollers..

I'm specifically after some educated opinion or perhaps people who have had a car with a frankly naff handbrake tested and still not even got an advisory :p
 
Mine was on the limit of efficiency (got an advisory for it) and it felt absolutely fine - 5 or 6 clicks and it held on anything but the steepest hill.

I'd try adjusting it before it goes in if you can. Saying that, I don't think number of clicks matters, as that will vary from car to car. Think they measure the efficiency with it on as far as it will go
 
That's interesting, the handbrake on Dad's E60 is and always has been absolutely cack!

If your place are gay and do it fully by the book I guess you could have BMW do the MOT instead, and they'll be more sympathetic?
 
I might be a little thick here, but what exactly are you asking Fox?

Every MOT I've helped out in "clicks" didn't really matter. As long as it was efficient on the rollers (16% for a dual line system) then it's all good.

I would say that 10 clicks does seem a little excessive though.
 
Joshy said:
I might be a little thick here, but what exactly are you asking Fox?
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I need to pull my handbrake right up for it to work. Is that likely to be an issue at MOT time?

I'm tempted to overhaul the whole thing and go with new shoes etc etc but this is best done when the rear pads/discs need doing which isnt yet.
 
Had the Galant MOTd last week, handbrake on that is currently at the point where it needs a fairly decent tug onto that one last click where it will hold the car properly. Got a pass and advise that it needs adjusting. The bloke who tested is someone who does the job properly so based on my recent experience you 'should' be fine but ultimately it's down the the tester in question.
 
kaiowas said:
Had the Galant MOTd last week, handbrake on that is currently at the point where it needs a fairly decent tug onto that one last click where it will hold the car properly. Got a pass and advise that it needs adjusting. The bloke who tested is someone who does the job properly so based on my recent experience you 'should' be fine but ultimately it's down the the tester in question.
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Thats exactly my situation.

Might try adjusting it a tad anyway just in case..
 
Pretty sure its no more than 6 clicks, I tend not to fail any on travel as long as its ok on the rollers. Its all down to the tester on the day.
 
Iceman said:
Pretty sure its no more than 6 clicks
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Surely not, even the Haynes (ok, ok, lol) manual says that it only requires adjustment if it needs more than '8-10' clicks?

MOT testing manual seems to imply that the release button must be pressed in so there are no clicks?
 
Its not on some stupid clicks system its 16% as Joshy said.

French cars are notorious for having a pap handbrake, and you just end up budgeting to have new pads/discs and some hammertime to get it through each year.
 
I may be wrong but some cars are different and require more. Like i say things like that i dont bother with when i test a car unless it wasn't holding the brakes on.
 
Berger said:
Its not on some stupid clicks system its 16% as Joshy said.

French cars are notorious for having a pap handbrake, and you just end up budgeting to have new pads/discs and some hammertime to get it through each year.
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Thats wrong you can fail it for too much travel....
 
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