BMW Repair: 318i e36 handbrake, hand brakes, disc brakes

Question
Hi. I just bought a 1994 318i SE, which has a dodgy handbrake. With the lever fully pulled up the braking power is next to nothing... it drives with the handbrake on.
I was wondering if you know of any similar problems and what i need to check or look out for in the car?
Could it just be that the handbrake needs tightening? as the car has recently had new shoes and brushes.
Regards, John

Answer
Hey John, Sounds like you need to adjust the hand brakes.  To do that you need to remove the back wheels and if it's disc brakes, remove the caliper and rotor and you will see the brake shoes for the parking brake as well as the adjustment wheel for it.  To adjust it turn the adjustment wheel ( which is round with a bunch of teeth on it) until the brake pads for the e-brake touches the inside of the drum on the rotor and then back it off one turn.  Do that for both sides and that will take care of your hand brake problem.  If you don't understand what I am saying  then let someone who does do it.  Hope this helps.  Tell me how it turns out,

Rahim.