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NOOOOO!! emergency brake.

chevysmithz71

chevysmithz71

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Do the disk brake guys wish they had one at times??
I know that doing the disk brake swap on the 14bolt you feel a big difference. I have the largest of drums on my 14FF, they are huge, (thats what she said)won't they stop just as well as a disk?? The ebrake line gets real tight when I flex out the back 63's, so just not sure If I should run it. If I dont run it, should I just go to disk?

Thanks yo
 
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Love my Disc's. they grab real well and lock up if I get on it hard. I dont miss my Ebrake at all and have wheeled a lot in the last few months without missing it.

Go For It!
 
What about when you put it in park and feel yourself role back a few inches? Doesn't that put a lot of stress on the tranny. I guess most just try to find flat spots as well?
 
First it's a Parking Brake and not an Emergency Brake;) Second, in the State of CA it is illegal not to have a parking brake. I do think the chance of being caught is slim though.:rolleyes:
 
It is a inspection item in N.Y.. At least that is what they told me after my truck failed!
 
I haven't really bothered to pay a lot of attention to it as that's a project far down the list, but aren't there a few companies now with parking brakes on their disk calipers? Higher expense I guess than throwing an old set of fronts on but...
 
BKinzey said:
First it's a Parking Brake and not an Emergency Brake;)
Click to expand...

it's "Parking brake" on a manual transmission vehicle,,,it's an "emergency brake" on an auto trans vehicle...
 
For what it's worth, just about any inspection will use the nomenclature "emergency brake" whatever :D
 
Dont have one, dont need one. A buddy in new york said he pulls his disc hubs off and puts the drums/backing plates and e- brake back on just for inspection. Sounds like a pita, but he failed inspection, and its the only way to fix the problem for free.
 
It's really not that hard to hook up the old ebrake cable to the discs. I guess the calipers are a little more money, but it works ok and you don't have to worry about failing any inspections.

(I actually don't use it much even though I hooked it up.)
 
I'm not worried at all about an inspection. My question is, Is it worth putting on the e brake and let them Get tight when on the trail. I was thinking about cutting a slit in the bracket just to get the cable out and loose when chance of getting real tight.

I have had a buddy of mine that lost his brakes on the road and just had to yank the wheel and look for an open field. Thats why I ask If some really need or use it?? OR just screw it and go disk!!
 
Ah, I see. With disc, I'd assume you need an parking brake as well right? Although the kit I got seemed to place the cable mount closer to the front of the truck so it gave me some more slack (about 2"). I'm not sure how good this kind of brake would do in an emergency though. I guess it'd be better than nothing, but how often do you lose brakes on both sides of the MC? Maybe I shouldn't ask?

Maybe someone offers some extension cables?
 
Not to step on toes - I am on the side of safety. I wouldn't think of running the truck without a secondary brake. Call it a parking brake, emergency brake or whatever floats your boat, I will spend the money and do it right.

Anyone ever see that old video of that Blazer that came down the hill in Colorado or Utah and lost the brakes? Bounces over a couple of bigger bumps and goes nose first into the ground. You may only need it one time in your life, but that one time may keep you or someone else around for another day.
 
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That's certainly a good reminder and I completely agree on safety. I'm just not so sure these little parking brakes on disc conversions actually do much more than keep the truck from rolling down the driveway if you shift into N instead of P. I don't think mine would hold on a hill. Maybe it's not calibrated right. I'd recommend putting my $ and time into making sure the "real" brakes are safe and up to par with the rest of the truck.

Now, my experience is based on the disc brake conversion, so the pressure to the rear is reduced by around 50% with the proportioning valve used by discs, but I guess if you stick with the drums, the parking brake may be more effective?
 
I don't have one in my blazer, and I still have the drums. There are times when it's a little unsettling not having one when on a hill, but I haven't had any problems yet.
 
I think I will hold off on the disk conversion for a while and see how these massive drums hold, and with an e brake.
 
If your drums work well I would just keep them. Look into getting longer ebrake cables. They probably aren't REAL cheap, but worth it. Discs are cool, but the only reason I went disc is cuz my drums became useless once they got wet.
 
I recall that they had gone up and come back down the Lion's back...and had such a blast doing it they decided to do it again with the girlfirend driving. Being an automatic and not deeply geared the brakes were already very hot from the first trip down. On the second trip down the brake fluid boiled.

I'm all for safety, but an E-brake would have done nothing to help that situation. At most the rear wheels would have locked giving up even more directional control.

Rene
 
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