SL-C E-brake option?
- Thread starter Redsnake
- Start date
Dave Lindemann
Lifetime Supporter
I purchased the option from Fran but haven't started working on the car yet so I can't give any feedback. It consists of two Wilwood mechanical spot calipers, handbrake lever, lever mounting brackets, and cables. I haven't looked into how the calipers mount.
Regards,
Dave L
Regards,
Dave L
No e-brake per say here - I tried it with the Wilwood calipers on my cobra and hated it; could never get it working properly.
Instead, I installed a manual line-lock into the rear brake lines (cobra)
Basically acts as a parking brake - pusht he brake pedal and turn the handle to lock rear brake pressure; release the handle to release pressure
Instead, I installed a manual line-lock into the rear brake lines (cobra)
Basically acts as a parking brake - pusht he brake pedal and turn the handle to lock rear brake pressure; release the handle to release pressure
J. Salmon was kind enough to point me to the relevant section of the VA code, and it confirmed that cars registered in the state had to have a handbrake. No mention of technology (mechanical vs hydraulic, etc) or effectiveness, just that you had to have one. So my car has to have one.
Fran has a factory solution already for the handbrake, and that will be the easiest, fastest way to do it.
Of course, I can't do things the easy way, so I am fabbing up a handbrake system that uses a lightweight Wilwood drag rotor (just 3/8" thick) and a small hydraulic caliper. The rotor and caliper will be mounted on the transaxle, and will be operated by a Wilwood MC pushed by a linear actuator. The interior won't have a traditional handle, just a button like some current Lexus cars.
Benefits include very light weight, consuming no room in the interior, always having a cold rotor to clamp to (as a hot rotor cools, it contracts, and so the effective clamping force decreases), no cable stretching or adjusting, and avoidance of cables running under the engine.
The disadvantages all center around cost and time, of course...
Fran has a factory solution already for the handbrake, and that will be the easiest, fastest way to do it.
Of course, I can't do things the easy way, so I am fabbing up a handbrake system that uses a lightweight Wilwood drag rotor (just 3/8" thick) and a small hydraulic caliper. The rotor and caliper will be mounted on the transaxle, and will be operated by a Wilwood MC pushed by a linear actuator. The interior won't have a traditional handle, just a button like some current Lexus cars.
Benefits include very light weight, consuming no room in the interior, always having a cold rotor to clamp to (as a hot rotor cools, it contracts, and so the effective clamping force decreases), no cable stretching or adjusting, and avoidance of cables running under the engine.
The disadvantages all center around cost and time, of course...
Alex (EFNFAST) got it right (Gordon gives good advice ehh). The hydraulic valve in the rear brake line is such a clean, solid, and reliable optinon that it seems obvious. However many states (and probably all of Europe) require a mechanical E-brake.
Dave (we actually met at Howards place many months ago) you are correct about a hydraulic parking brake not meeting CA inspection requierments...BUT when I built my FFR Cobra nothing in the DMV, CHP, or BAR paper work said ANYTHING about a brake and light inspection, so I never did one and my car has been registerd/insured and on the Californa public roads for several years now.
I did the smog exempt SPCN "SB100" registration and the DMV office I went to never checked any of my recipts (if I was dishonest I could have just put down the value of the chassis and paid a lot less to register the car). At the CHP ispection the officer just checked my paper work, then looked out the widnow at the car and asked where I wanted my VIN tag installed. When I did my BAR ispection they didnt check half the stuff that they were supposed to. You can get away with bending the rules a lot, it just depends on what DMV/CHP/BAR office you go to.
In the end all kit car/ custom car builders are responsible for the safety of their own car, and despite the rules here in California I have no problem with a hydraulic valve as a parking brake. Dave lives in SF, I went to college there, and few vehicles parking brakes can handle the incline of some of the streets (Filbert and 22nd have a roughly 31% grade, more in some spots).
Dave (we actually met at Howards place many months ago) you are correct about a hydraulic parking brake not meeting CA inspection requierments...BUT when I built my FFR Cobra nothing in the DMV, CHP, or BAR paper work said ANYTHING about a brake and light inspection, so I never did one and my car has been registerd/insured and on the Californa public roads for several years now.
I did the smog exempt SPCN "SB100" registration and the DMV office I went to never checked any of my recipts (if I was dishonest I could have just put down the value of the chassis and paid a lot less to register the car). At the CHP ispection the officer just checked my paper work, then looked out the widnow at the car and asked where I wanted my VIN tag installed. When I did my BAR ispection they didnt check half the stuff that they were supposed to. You can get away with bending the rules a lot, it just depends on what DMV/CHP/BAR office you go to.
In the end all kit car/ custom car builders are responsible for the safety of their own car, and despite the rules here in California I have no problem with a hydraulic valve as a parking brake. Dave lives in SF, I went to college there, and few vehicles parking brakes can handle the incline of some of the streets (Filbert and 22nd have a roughly 31% grade, more in some spots).
Howard Jones
Supporter
When I did my brake and light inspection on my GT40 in California the guy was so blown away by the car he just wanted to make sure that the pads were not worn out. He stopped looking at the car when I told him that all of the pads and for that matter the rest of the brakes were brand new parts. He never said anything about the e brake.
If you put one on the car make sure it works. I you don't or use the hyd type don't mention it and see how it goes. You can always chage things latter/
I have been doing without a e brake for 5 years. I keep it on flat ground and in gear. Sometimes I put a big rock behind the tire. Cowboy parking brake.
I'm not going to put one on my SLC. But then it's going to be a track car.
If you put one on the car make sure it works. I you don't or use the hyd type don't mention it and see how it goes. You can always chage things latter/
I have been doing without a e brake for 5 years. I keep it on flat ground and in gear. Sometimes I put a big rock behind the tire. Cowboy parking brake.
I'm not going to put one on my SLC. But then it's going to be a track car.
Howard Jones
Supporter
When I did my brake and light inspection on my GT40 in California the guy was so blown away by the car he just wanted to make sure that the pads were not worn out. He stopped looking at the car when I told him that all of the pads and for that matter the rest of the brakes were brand new parts. He never said anything about the e brake.
If you put one on the car make sure it works. I you don't or use the hyd type don't mention it and see how it goes. You can always change things latter.
I have been doing without a e brake for 5 years. I keep it on flat ground and in gear. Sometimes I put a big rock behind the tire. Cowboy parking brake.
I'm not going to put one on my SLC. But then it's going to be a track car.
If you put one on the car make sure it works. I you don't or use the hyd type don't mention it and see how it goes. You can always change things latter.
I have been doing without a e brake for 5 years. I keep it on flat ground and in gear. Sometimes I put a big rock behind the tire. Cowboy parking brake.
I'm not going to put one on my SLC. But then it's going to be a track car.
Craig Gillingham
Banned because I can't follow the forum rules.
if only we could do rocks..... finally passed IVA yesterday with 21.42% efficiency on the parking brake.
What exactly does that mean?
:thumbsup:Craig Gillingham
Banned because I can't follow the forum rules.
design gross weight 1475kg N/S brake effort 171kg O/S 145kg
total 316kg = 21.42%
all on brake machine.
It's so complex, I still have no idea what he's talking about :laugh: .... so I'm just going to assume that means it won't roll backwards on a hill :laugh::laugh:
Will, that's not the way I read it:
"19VAC30-70-90. Brakes: emergency, parking, or holding.
A. Some vehicles are equipped with an actual emergency brake, while others have only a parking or holding brake. Some types may be actuated by a foot or hand lever, while others may incorporate a switch or valve to actuate the brake. Air and vacuum brake systems may employ spring activating parking brakes."
Mine is going to be hydraulic, foot operated holding brake.
