Drift Button / Spin Turn Knob installed
 

After reading about drift buttons/spin turn knobs, I wanted to install one on my 8. However, there is little to no documentation of it being done to our cars on RX8Club/the internet, so I decided to figure it out on my own.

First, I took a shot in the dark and ordered a button that I thought would be a similar diameter to our ebrake button. It was from Cusco, and designed for a FT-86/BRZ. After pulling off the boot and attempting to install it, I realized my issue was not with the diameter of the button, but with the length of it.

Here is a couple pictures of the drift button, and the original ebrake button side by side (I kind of mangled the original button when trying to remove it).

http://i48.tinypic.com/2lworw6.jpg

http://i46.tinypic.com/14xfjfl.jpg

The boot itself also adds about an inch of plastic above the metal housing of the ebrake, so I was unable to install the button with the boot installed. So, I had my button attached with no boot for a couple days until I could figure out a solution.

The solutions include bending a new piece of metal so that the metal piece that lets you lock/unlock the ebrake sticks out further (difficult), getting a matching threaded spacer, cutting a matching screw with no cap, and extending the whole piece out a bit further (easier), or getting a threaded standoff to extend it (easiest, and what I ended up doing).

I ordered a couple different sizes so that I would be able to have the button stick out as far as I like. The thread size is 10-32", and the length I installed is 1 1/2" long(the fifth one).

http://i46.tinypic.com/wvt5.jpg

This allowed me to easily install the button after threading on the standoff. Here are some installed pics.

http://i48.tinypic.com/2gw554g.jpg

Button pushed in, allowing ebrake drifting action!

http://i49.tinypic.com/16hqalh.jpg

Button pulled out, allowing the ebrake to ratchet and lock.

http://i48.tinypic.com/nqxn2u.jpg

Some more pictures:

http://i48.tinypic.com/fo3i0x.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/2nkj290.jpg

The only small issue is that when you pull the button out, it sinks back in a little bit to its resting position. The 6th picture shows it pulled out and not sunken back in, and the 7th and 8th pictures show it pulled out and sunken back in slightly. I might try cutting about 1/4 to 1/3 the original spring to give a small amount of preload, however I'm not sure if that would work as imagined.

Hope this helps someone who has wanted to do the same thing. I was very surprised to see nothing documented about this on the website other than people wanting them in their car (or maybe I just fail at searching). The whole install was actually quite easy, provided that you have a way to extend the threads out further. If anyone would like a more detailed step by step I'd be be more than willing to help :) I'm grateful for the amount of information I've learned from the forums, and would like to give back in any way I can (even if in a small way).

dude, clean your ebrake !!! that's some nasty a$$ crud built up on it!

What function does this cool blue button have over the stock button? I'm at a loss as to the potential benefit... I apologize as I do not drift nor do I have any intentions of trying. I gave up pulling my ebrake and spinning round round years ago and a number of cars back ;)

Hahah yes my car needs a cleaning. To be fair I never even see that side of the ebrake, didn't even realize it was so dirty.

This button functions exactly the same as a stock button, however you remove the spring underneath the stock button which makes it pop back up. You are now manually sliding the button up to allow the ebrake mechanism to ratchet and lock, or sliding the button down to let the ebrake fall when pulled and let go. This eliminates the need to hold your ebrake button down when pulling it in order to disengage it.

Personally I haven't even tried using it for sliding purposes yet, but its something I've always wanted. :)

Ah... that makes sense now that you explain it.

Nice! First time i saw one of this kind of a mod...

i have to yank on my ebrake like a gorilla to even make the slightest chirp in the tires.

ill keep the oem, thanks for the writeup explaining whats needed to make this work though.

dude you need to clean that hand brake. a lot of gunk on that thing.

Very astute observation, also seemingly redundant.

I kinda want a button like that... But I saw this kid who had a really nice option IMO. it was on a genesis coupe. The stock handbrake had this clamp on drift lever. it was more like just an extension of the stock lever, but also would just keep the stock button depressed when desired. It was really nicely made (clearly a professional product). anyone know what these are called? I cant find em anywhere. Im probably just searching the wrong terms on google..

Update. I went onto the Gencoupe forums and searched there, and found it.
http://www.gencoupe.com/vendor-class...group-buy.html

Attachment 226862
Attachment 226863

anything like this out there for the 8?

Thanks for the responses guys.

Very cool ebrake lever. I did a ton of searching and couldn't find anything about a drift button / alternative ebrake lever, other than fitting a fully hydraulic ebrake.

Nice button bro...looks awfully familiar! Glad you got the boot back on.

fantastic great post! thank you!

Sweet thanks i just gotta source out the threaded standoff. I've been wanting to do this for a while. I use to rock one when i drifted my nissan 240sx.

Nice, i was curious as to whether this worked with our e-brake. shame my brake set up is to crappy to lock the rear.

Just this, Thanks for the Guide. It did help.

I cheated and cut the handbrake cover off. I also found it a pain to spin the OE button off due to the channel on the right hand side, if you keep it to the left when spinning it comes off much easier.

I bought mine from driftworks.

Get your Spin Turn handbrake button - AE86 / RX7 from Driftworks.com

Glad I could help, even if just a little! :wavey:

I forgot to add a picture.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7407/8...bd51c911_c.jpg

whats the trick to taking off the ebrake boot cover?

pull it ... slides right off

tried that no luck im guessing i have to take off the center console first

Its glued on tightly my only option is cutting it and making my own custom e brake cover

Pull on it with all your might. Sit in the passenger seat, grab the handle with your stronger hand, and then overlap and lock your fingers. Pull away from your body and up at the same time, it also helps to twist/rock it back and forth to help loosen it. Go ham on it. I'm pretty sure it's not glued.. if you can't get it, try to instruct someone stronger to try and pull it off. It took me a great deal of effort the first time. Once you get it the first time, it becomes much easier to slide on and off (still a pain though).

okay i pulled it off but now im having trouble getting the button to lock. seems like the metal pipe isnt catching to the locking mechanism. what am i doing wrong?
Attachment 224152

Did you get this fixed yet? I'm guessing you aren't pushing the rod in far enough.. it sits very deep within the ebrake lever.

It also may help to put the rod in without the threaded standoff first, and then screw it on after.

Also, nice shift knob :)