Parking brakes

[Chuck]

Interested in some opinoins, Just curious:

1. Who has parking / emergency brakes on their GTs?

2. Of those that have pakring brakes, who actually uses them?

I always park manual cars in gear. I don't alway apply the parking brake.

Registration rules and regulations are another matter. But if not required by rules and regs, how important is a parking brake on a GT?

 

[Eric]

Hi Chuck

In my opinoin, if you are going to be street driving, it is a must. If your hyrdraulic system suffers a catastrophic failure, the E brake is your only way to stop. It would seem prudent to have one. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I intentionally omitted the E brake and a catastrophic hydraulic failure led to me injuring somebody (or worse). Not to mention any sort of litigation that would follow. Just my two cents, but I will be including an E brake on my GT40.

Eric

 

[J. Salmon]

Chuck,
I just finished plumbing my mechanical line lock. It locks hydraulic pressure to the calipers (I plumbed it as a front lock). Like you, I always park in gear, and I have owned cars that the parking brake was not worth crap. I would not leave the car on the line lock on a hill or something, I just want a simple brake I can apply if say I want to get out of the car and leave it running to warm up, or at a toll booth or something.

When I researched the laws here in Virginia, I was amazed at the difference between perception and reality. For instance, the mechanic I use thought a separate system was required. The letter of the law does NOT say that, and specifically says that the parking brake can be just a holding brake (and can be air, hydraulic, or mechanical). With completely separate front and rear systems, I don't feel any need for an "emergency" brake.

It also clearly states that the brake should be able to keep the car from moving if you lift off the clutch in first gear at idle. I can tell you that I have owned several cars that would not meet this test, and it has never been checked. I know the line lock will, it is designed to hold for staging burn-outs at the drag strip. I plan to print the VA regulations when I go to have it inspected.
Regards, J.

 

[J. Salmon]

Hi Chuck

In my opinoin, if you are going to be street driving, it is a must. If your hyrdraulic system suffers a catastrophic failure, the E brake is your only way to stop. It would seem prudent to have one. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I intentionally omitted the E brake and a catastrophic hydraulic failure led to me injuring somebody (or worse). Not to mention any sort of litigation that would follow. Just my two cents, but I will be including an E brake on my GT40.

Eric

I agree with the spirit of your post, but the RCR cars (and most 40s) have separate master cylinders front and rear, with completely separate lines. The only common point is the pedal itself. You can lose hydraulic pressure in one half (did that in the Cobra on track) but you will still have brakes.

 

[Chris Martino]

Well, it's nice to have when stopped on a steep incline! I know for a Canadian safety pass we have to have a working parking brake of some sort.

Now, if I could find one for my application that would be great!


Chris

 

[JD Doshti]

my guidlines says i must have a fully mechanical "Emergency Brake"

 

[Eric]

I agree with the spirit of your post, but the RCR cars (and most 40s) have separate master cylinders front and rear, with completely separate lines. The only common point is the pedal itself. You can lose hydraulic pressure in one half (did that in the Cobra on track) but you will still have brakes.

...and all it takes is a piece of road debris (a hunk of metal, for instance) to fly up and shear the lines into both master cylinders.

Two master cylinders serve the same function as a single split master cylinder. It is unlikely a catastrophic failure would occur in both hydraulic systems or both sides of a split system at the same time, but it can and does happen for a variety of reasons.

As I said before, to "knowingly omit" the E brake on a street-driven car does not seem prudent.

Eric

 

[Ian Anderson]

My rear brakes on the Gt are from a Saab 9000. On the Saab the emergency / hand brake acts on their front wheels. So the Saab Fronts are now my rears. (Saab's never seemed to have much problem stopping)

So the handbrake works well and will hold the car on a fairly steep incline

No doubt I could over drive the brake and pull away but it would certainly be more than noticable - especially on gear changes!

In the UK it has to be mechanical and it tested anually at the MOT to meet certain requirements.

And when I park I apply the brake - unless I have just done serious spitired driving and multiple brake applications where the heat transfer through the pads could cause fluid boil

Ian

 

[Bill Musarra]

Eric,
I too am one who think that an e-brake is a personnal need unless state laws regulate it, as I don't think it is necessary except for the stated reasons seen here on this thread. If you are so paranoid that a piece of debris will sever both lines, then you should consider where the lines are close together, and that is only one point, from the master cylinders to the place where they diverge. For me that is the center of the car(about 5 inches) as my rears go through the center cabin. If you have a space frame, then put a piece of sheetmetal/aluminum/stainless on the underside of that area to block it off. DRBs come that way anyway(welded) and the whole front underside is panelled shut. You can bolt it in or use pop riverts or weld. I removed the steel in mine and replaced it with stainless(see my build thread DRB #5). I like pop rivets(aluminum) because if I HAVET TO remove it it is a simple matter of grinding it off and redoing. I don't use bolts due to the catching debris and dragging issues.

Bill