Ok ive been wondering about using the E-Brake around corners. heres some of the questions ive come up with.

1. When E-braking around a corner how bad is it for your brakes, im wondering this because my friend had a Dodge Neon and used the E-Brake all the time and now its really loose and hardly works. If this is going to happen i wont use the E-Brake.

2. Will i have to tighten it up from using it so much?

3. Does the E-Brake lock up all wheels or just the back?

4. Pros/Cons?

Any info would greatly be appreciated as using the E-brake is alot of fun, i just want to expand my knowledge...

 

 

lol...

 

I'm glad you live in Texas, and not anywhere near me.




I don't know why I'm even considering making a serious comment to this post... but...

You do know that Neons are FWD, and the RX-8 is RWD?

 

That's OK. The ABS/DSC will keep him from using the E-brake for his purposes.

 

So...what kind of racing is this for?

 

Underground Drifting

 

sigh... not so much as that im just wondering what the results would be... im trying to learn more thats all and i dont know where else i would post this thread...

 

Okay.

The parking brake has cables that go to the calipers on the rear discs only. It is mechanically very inefficient compared to the service brakes. In fact, I'd be surprised if pulling up the lever would lock the rears on a dry road at a decent speed. No, don't try this...

Rally drivers seriously modify the e-brake (change to hydraulic system with additional calipers on the rear discs) to rotate the car entering tight turns.

The PARKING BRAKE on your car is not designed to do this. It is designed to hold the car when stopped. That's all.

Don't do this. Leave it for your buddies in their Civics and Neons, yo.

[Nanny Mode]

PS: I would strongly recommend that you invest in taking a High Performance or Advanced driving course. It will at least show you how close your friends are to killing themselves, It might just prevent you from doing the same.

[/Nanny Mode]

 

thanks thats all i wanted to know...:D

 

I'lll agree that the parking brake isn't designed to lock up the rear brakes, but that certainly doesn't mean that it won't. Plenty of RWD drifters and rallyists will still use a cable operated handbrake to help them rotate the car. And even if you can't lock up the rears on a dry road driving in a straight line (I think you probably can chirp them at least), that's not a very useful driving technique. Rather, the handbrake is typically used during turn-in when the car is already approaching the limit of adhesion. Excessive use of the handbrake while driving will stretch the brake cable a bit, but they're usually very easy to adjust. I think that small panel in the front cupholder area might be an access panel to the handbrake adjuster.

Anyway, you obviously shouldn't be messing with this on public roads, especially because it's not the most intuitive technique to learn and you'll likely end up looping the car a few times. Maybe try to find a drift clinic in your area. I think they teach that kind of thing.