Question on Monaro rear brakes & handbrake operation
Discussion
I have noticed something strange in the way that the handbrake operates on my Monaro.
If I drive forward very slowly (2-3mph) and apply the handbrake in stages (1 click, then 2 clicks, 3 clicks etc etc) there is no resistance to forward movement and then all of a sudden, 'bang' the handbrake suddenly works and appears to lock up the rear wheels 100%. If I then try and pull away, the car will not move forward at all, the rear end just squats down. This doesn't seem right to me.
If I try the same thing, but in reverse, the handbrake appears to work 'normally', i.e I can feel the resistance to rear movement slowly increase as I apply more clicks on the handbrake.
Looking underneath the car at the rear brakes, I assume that the car has a seperate small drum and shoe mechanism, for the handbrake operation, as the handbrake cable attaches to a lever in the backplate, and does not appear to be connected to the rear calipers in any way.
I jacked the rear end of the car up and span each wheel by hand as I slowly applied more handbrake. In the anticlockwise direction, you can feel some resistance and the wheel will keep moving, as you rotate the wheel clockwise, you can move it by 20 degress or so, then it locks up. It seems to do the same on both sides, but its a bit hard to tell, with the LSD diff.
Is my handbrake operation normal, or do I have a handbrake problem? Could another Monaro owner try out the same procedure, and see what their car does?
>>> Edited by GSE - Monaro V8 on Sunday 12th September 20:04
If I drive forward very slowly (2-3mph) and apply the handbrake in stages (1 click, then 2 clicks, 3 clicks etc etc) there is no resistance to forward movement and then all of a sudden, 'bang' the handbrake suddenly works and appears to lock up the rear wheels 100%. If I then try and pull away, the car will not move forward at all, the rear end just squats down. This doesn't seem right to me.
If I try the same thing, but in reverse, the handbrake appears to work 'normally', i.e I can feel the resistance to rear movement slowly increase as I apply more clicks on the handbrake.
Looking underneath the car at the rear brakes, I assume that the car has a seperate small drum and shoe mechanism, for the handbrake operation, as the handbrake cable attaches to a lever in the backplate, and does not appear to be connected to the rear calipers in any way.
I jacked the rear end of the car up and span each wheel by hand as I slowly applied more handbrake. In the anticlockwise direction, you can feel some resistance and the wheel will keep moving, as you rotate the wheel clockwise, you can move it by 20 degress or so, then it locks up. It seems to do the same on both sides, but its a bit hard to tell, with the LSD diff.
Is my handbrake operation normal, or do I have a handbrake problem? Could another Monaro owner try out the same procedure, and see what their car does?
>>> Edited by GSE - Monaro V8 on Sunday 12th September 20:04
DAVE52 said:
Mine is as you described.There seems to be no inbetween its either on or off. And when you pull it on when moveing it comes on with a bang.And stops you dead.
mmmm...interesting...it's not just mine then. Thanks Dave. Can anybody else confirm that this is how the handbrake works on their Monaro?
On all the previous cars that I've owned, the handbrake has always been available for 'supplimentary' braking during 'emergency' situations - brake fade for example. Due to the way that the Monaro handbrake seems to work - i.e, it's 'all or nothing' - this might not be a good idea. I would imagine that if the handbrake is applied with the car travelling at any speed (and I don't intend to try it!) the rear wheels are going to lock up, or there is going to be an even bigger 'bang' as the handbrake drum mechanism explodes!
>> Edited by GSE - Monaro V8 on Sunday 12th September 21:50
jagsy said:
They are PARKING BRAKES - do not use on the move.
OK, so the handbrake (sorry, PARKING BRAKE
) is an "all or nothing" arrangement. I first noticed it when, as I was pulling up at a set of lights, I gently applied the handbrake just before the car came to a halt - bang! - it scared the sh.t out of me! None of my previous cars have had a system like this, the amount of rear braking could always be varied depending on how hard you pulled on the lever. jagsy said:
Who has found the little tune when the handbrake light is on and you move off?
Yes, it sounds like a cheap ringtone. May be that's why they've made it so annoying - Don't EVER put the handbrake on with the car moving!
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