Air-actuated e-brake

[Shaggy]

<font color="green">I'm considering making my t-case e-brake be air-actualted off of my OBA setup. Consider that I will be running a one-way valve dedicated to the ebrake circuit, stainless braided line from the solenoid to the air cylinder, and everything will have a minimum 2:1 safety factor, what are the odds of a catastrophic failure resulting in the loss of my e-brake? I'm thinking that it will be no more likely than the possibility of a failed steel cable, but want to get some other opinions.

I use my e-brake mainly when off road, so I can jump out and leave the truck running while I check something out. This system would be WAY easier to engineer than a cable system.</font color>

 

[NITRO]

hey, u just gave me a great idea. i have a 14bff and never hooked the ebrake cable back up, so im gonna use the 2 e brake cables from the 14bff and hook both of them up to a pneumatic cylinder. i have quite a few and already have on board air on my truck. this would b perfect just to turn it on while on the trail for extra safety

NITRO

 

[Triaged]

I think I would set it up to be disengaged when air is supplied to it (ie you loose your OBA and the e-brake still works). All it would take would be some return springs...sounds like a good idea!

 

[jeffro]

Use a spring brake chamber off a truck or bus. Spring on-air off.

 

[1Blazin71]

So one day when you're cruising down the road and your OBA fails, your rear brakes lockup? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Hmmm....not sure I'd like that. The other failure mode sounds preferable to me. I'm not likely to be in it and it isnt moving.

 

[Shaggy]

<font color="green"> Cool, I'm glad that you guys didn't say that this is an awful idea. I've looked into it a bit more, trying to figure out what kind of valve to use on it.

I'm considering two options. The first is a 4 way valve and a double action cylinder, that way if the brake is set and there is some kind of failure in the OBA system the brake will still hold, so long as the failure isn't in the e-brake circuit itself. The other idea would be a 3 way valve with a one-way valve in the circuit, so I would push one button to engage it, the e-brake circuit would pressurize, then push another button to disengage.

It's going to be a little bit more expensive then a cable system but a whole lot cleaner and won't take up valuable real estate inside the truck. Just one small lever or 2 buttons. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

Not sure if I prefer a system with air = Ebrake or no air = ebrake, but the air = ebrake will be alot easier to build.</font color>

 

[drivelineman]

i have a listing for a caliper and air pod -its only 500$ shag- Jess /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif