Hand vs. foot E-brake

[JHZR2]

In watching the brake repair video that The Critic and ByTheBay put out, I noticed that the Infiniti G35 seems to have a foot-operated E-brake.

Same as my old MB diesel, and my pickup truck.

I thought that "performance oriented" vehicles tended to have a hand-brake, becasue amongst other reasons, they often come with an MT (as I recall the G35 could be equipped), and so the handbrake could be used in conjunction with the MT to get moving on steep inclines.

Is there really any rhyme or reason to having it in one place vs. another. Id have thought that a "sporty" car like that would have it in the hand position, not the "old man's spot".

I dont know... thats why Im asking.

Thanks,

JMH

 

[cos]

I agree - I drive a manual and for hills having the e-brake behind the shifter is mighty handy.

Do you the link to that brake repair video?

 

[JHZR2]

Excellent job on part of The Critic, ByTheBay and team:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...172#Post1153813

 

[rationull]

I found that surprising too when I watched the video. I've always hated the foot operated e-brakes.

 

[ThirdeYe]

My mom has the foot-operated emergency brake in her car. Whenever I put it up on the ramps I always forget to take it off until I try to go backwards and it won't move. If it's by the shifter like in my car, I always remember to take it down. Not a big deal, but I like it by the shifter.

 

[glennc]

True story: I actually had to chase a guy down once and could perhaps not have done it without a hand-op e-brake. He'd hit&run my parked Land Cruiser and took off through the neighborhood. I was driving around trying to find him and he came flying around a bend going the other way. Narrow road, no room for u-turn and no time for three-point turn, so I yanked up the handbrake and did a rather flawless "handbrake turn". Happy ending: when he saw me come up behind him right after that he pulled over and although he denied hitting my truck the police were able to show that it was him. His mom's insurance paid (he was in his late thirties and his mom was still paying the insurance on his truck.)

Another very useful thing for the handbrake is to balance traction on braking in snow, where the fronts will usually lock (or go into abs) too early. Also going around corners in the snow, sometimes the front will want to plow, and a little bit of hand-braking will balance it up very nicely. Overall, in the snow, I think having a hand brake and knowing how to use it is a significant safety advantage.

 

[eljefino]

Doesn't the toyota previa have a handbrake on the outboard positon, eg the american driver would activate it with his LEFT hand?

I like the idea of a mid-mounted handbrake so if the driver became incapacitated the passenger could eventually stop the car.

My mazda b2000, and other 80's japanese trucks, had a cool handbrake under the dash that just pulled straight up and out. This allowed a quasi-bench seat, though the middle passenger had to wiggle his legs into the far right footwell to clear the stick shift.

My F150 has 2 sticks and 4 pedals, I like the intimidation factor. Had to back up my grassy lawn so I put it in 4 low, reverse, applied the ebrake, released the clutch halfway, and popped the release. Felt like a transbrake at the dragstrip.

Grandpas grand marquis has this solenoid that pops the foot ebrake when it's put in drive. I don't particularly care for this automated "feature".

I think ultimately the availability of a bench seat clinches the foot mounted e-brake. Even if buckets were available they wouldn't have two different systems. Dad's 1980 ford fairmont had the worst (foot operated) e-brake system; he had a stick and actually USED it and it was freezing up etc every winter.

 

[ikeepmychevytoo]

In case of an emergency one could be operated by the passenger, other could be operated without completely entering the car. Just pick your favourite disaster.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Usualy if the car has a manaul transmission it will have a hand operated brake since their is no space on the floor for yet another pedal. If itis an automatic it will usualy have a foot brake. I prefer to have hand brakes since in an emergency most peoples hand eye cordination is better thentheir hand foot cordination. I have a hard time finding the wifes foot brake int he buick because it is so high up you have to pick your foot up about a foot and pull your knee into your chest to find it. I had to use when her brake lines rusted through and I lost all hydralic brake action. The lady ahead of me stoped hard and if I did not have killer reflex's and years of kick boxing I never would have found the e-brake in time since I only drive her car about once every two months or less. I am sure it does not hurt that I am a heck of good driver and do not tail gate as well. But it was still hary since we where going about 55 and the little old lady ahead of me passed the house she wanted to go to and put her brakes tot he floor!

 

[cos]

JB - Rusted brake lines? Yikes! Don't you ever get under the car and inspect it? What year is the Buick? How often (if ever) were the brakes bled?

 

[JHZR2]

I dont know... the G35 can be had with an MT... Heck the w123 MB cars were shipped with a 4-speed MT and a foot brake.

I associate foot brakes with old man cars and pickups, I guess... for what that is worth - which is likely nothing...

JMH

 

[Virtuoso]

Had a turbo Dodge Shadow with a manual tranny and foot e-brake. Always thought that was a weird combo. I prefer the hand-brake to the foot brake.

 

[blackcherry06]

Yeah..that was the one thing I disliked about my V6 Sundance...helluva a car, with a stupid foot e-brake.

 

[severach]

If the brake lines rust from the outside in then it's probably not for lack of brake fluid care. We have way too many cars where the brake lines rust right through yet the other lines nearby are just fine. I suspect it's an alloy error.

 

[MGregoir]

Take the teeth off the ratchet except the last two out of your foot e-brake and use it as a "pitch control" when cornering. You have heel and toe on both feet, a right hand to shift and a left hand to steer. You can keep yourself extremely busy behind the wheel on the right roads.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: MGregoir
Take the teeth off the ratchet except the last two out of your foot e-brake and use it as a "pitch control" when cornering. You have heel and toe on both feet, a right hand to shift and a left hand to steer. You can keep yourself extremely busy behind the wheel on the right roads.


I think that's the coolest idea I've heard all week.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Well yes I do get under the car and inspect it. It rested on the back side of a bend against the body. It was the cheap low quality steel lines used buy GM that where also not shielded or coated. Funny none of the vechiles my family has owned since 1979 have ever had break lines rust through. Oh wait a minute that is because those have all been Toyota's!

It is a 1997 Buick LeSaber POS! I have had to replace the transmission,upper and lower intake manifold,water pump, water pump inlet and outlets,motor mounts,all the sensor's,ingnition control module, coils,wireing harness for the engine and ingnition control module and the crank sensor,master cyclinder,wheel hub and a bunch of maintence items. Lets see the the plastic bits in the interior are literaly falling off the car because they have shrank with age or they are crumbling from drying out. Never mind that the car only has 140,000 miles on it and has been well maintained.

The only way you could get me near a GM product again is if they gave me a job or they gave me the vechile brand new free and clear even then I would probably trade it for a Toyota!!!

Oh their are more things as well I just listed the obvious items off the top of my head!