Center Mounted Parking Brake

[defdes]

I remember a few people doing this in their build threads but can't search them down. I caught Byron's suggestion of the 80-82 200SX as an easy swap, but what else have people used? It could even be the on/off rally type as that's primarily what I'd be using it for.

[JordanTr]

I used an early 90s Honda civic one. It has a decent tail on it that you can work with. There should be pics in the built thread somewhere (late spring 2014).

[jeffball610]

I once again used a Z31 unit. I have an EG Civic center console to cover it, but it seems to work well enough. I had to create a couple of simple mounts to hold the parking brake in place of course, and much lighter mounts for the center console. Of course I don't have any current pics, but i can get some if you want.

[Heinrich]

i use one from a 1983 nissan pulsar sedan, had to knock the tunnel down about 5mm to be able to fit it without any spacers.
was also able to lengthen the cable quite easily.

[defdes]

Does this look like it?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/92-95-Honda-Ci ... 5346!US!-1

[Byron510]

You know, sometime I can't believe how cheap some things are to buy!
If it's a hydraulic hand brake for putting the car sideways, check out this totally random ebay link;

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=hy ... eName=GSTL

A good friend used a similar units that could be converted to run both horizontal or vertical - for 3 years on his car imported from the US which had to pass a vehicle inspection. Now technically I though the E brake had to be an independent system, so I never questions why this would actually pass - in this case it did. At any rate, he paid $45 for the e-brake with M/C and it just simply plumbed inline to the rear brakes between the BMC and the rear wheels.

Just a thought. You could always replace the e-brake M/C with a quality one. Or go twin caliper rear discs and have a truly independent system....

Byron

[defdes]

I wanted simpler, but that's intriguing. So you just T into the rear line with that smaller BMC, or go direct from the dual BMC up front to it and from their back to the brakes?

[Fred_L-P]

Very interesting indeed. I'll look into my local regulations for the E-brake.

[JasonLee]

The letter of the law is going to almost always, if not always, require that the E-brake system be installed to function as a back-up system that is separate and independent from the primary braking system. Whether it is hydraulic or cable operated should be irrelevant. The E-brake should be available to scrub off speed should the primary system fail. I have heard of cars passing inspections with the hydraulic e-brake cylinder connected in-line to the primary system as discussed above, but I would surmise that the inspector confirmed that it worked only, but overlooked how it was installed. Perhaps it didn't fully register when he was ticking off boxes on the form. The risk to the owner is that you may discover your insurance coverage is compromised when you need it the most. I noodled over this issue during the winter and decided to build a new bracket to hold 2 calipers per side; one for the primary system and the other plumbed into the hydraulic e-brake handle. Besides, I never liked that the stock e-brake handle is out of reach and essentially useless when wearing 4 point harnesses, even though it is correct to the letter of the law.

[510rob]

as of amendments up to B.C. Reg. 63/2019, April 1, 2019

5.03 (1) A motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, and a combination of vehicles shall be equipped with an emergency braking system or a parking brake which, when applied, will alone stop and hold stationary the motor vehicle or combination of vehicles.

5.04 (1) Sections 5.01, 5.02 and 5.03 do not apply to a motor vehicle originally designed and manufactured without emergency or parking brakes, any implement of husbandry, a special mobile vehicle or any chassis without body or load.

5.05 (1) Every person driving or operating a vehicle or combination of vehicles upon any highway shall, upon request of any peace officer or constable of the Provincial police force or the police force of any municipality, permit such peace officer or constable to inspect and test the brakes with which the vehicle or combination of vehicles is equipped and, on the direction of the officer or constable, shall operate the vehicle or combination of vehicles as directed by him for the purpose of the inspection and testing of the brakes.

(2) No person shall test the brake performance of a vehicle or combination of vehicles at a speed in excess of 40 km/h.

[am. B.C. Regs. 343/77; 135/2003, s. 2.]

[defdes]

Besides, I never liked that the stock e-brake handle is out of reach and essentially useless when wearing 4 point harnesses

This is my main issue. With the KA box mounted back so far, if I end up with a vertical brake handle, it will have to go in front of the gear shift.

[Byron510]

I wanted simpler, but that's intriguing. So you just T into the rear line with that smaller BMC, or go direct from the dual BMC up front to it and from their back to the brakes?

Yes, this hydraulic brake will go inline with the rear brake line - T'd in at the tunnel. So your brake system, with this type of brake installed, will work through hydraulic hand brake.

A quick interweb search found this forum post with a drawing. In this case they show the deleted line and the added line, however the Hydraulic brake T'd inline is the function you are after.

https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/que ... e-cylinder

I have never drag raced, but this was in interesting thought on launching your car without breaking driveline components...
https://www.kstuned.com/blogs/knowledge ... -race-cars

For those more inclined to watch video only....
https://www.google.ca/search?ei=zEPtXLe ... 9053966694

If a steering brake is what you're after, this would do it. You could leave the stock emergency brake in place, keeping the car fully legal but you'll get the function you want.
I've always wanted to drive a car with a steering brake, and had considered installing one just to try. But then the relevant question was answered by - 'where would I use it!' In a rally or ice race car - absolutely this would be of great use. And there may even be a spot for this in some solo II groups that use really tight courses.

Byron

[JasonLee]

as of amendments up to B.C. Reg. 63/2019, April 1, 2019

5.03 (1) A motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, and a combination of vehicles shall be equipped with an emergency braking system or a parking brake which, when applied, will alone stop and hold stationary the motor vehicle or combination of vehicles.

5.04 (1) Sections 5.01, 5.02 and 5.03 do not apply to a motor vehicle originally designed and manufactured without emergency or parking brakes, any implement of husbandry, a special mobile vehicle or any chassis without body or load.

5.05 (1) Every person driving or operating a vehicle or combination of vehicles upon any highway shall, upon request of any peace officer or constable of the Provincial police force or the police force of any municipality, permit such peace officer or constable to inspect and test the brakes with which the vehicle or combination of vehicles is equipped and, on the direction of the officer or constable, shall operate the vehicle or combination of vehicles as directed by him for the purpose of the inspection and testing of the brakes.

(2) No person shall test the brake performance of a vehicle or combination of vehicles at a speed in excess of 40 km/h.

[am. B.C. Regs. 343/77; 135/2003, s. 2.]

I could swear that when I read this section last year that it referred to a separate independent system for the e-brake. That said, section 6.05 states exactly that, but only applies to busses, trucks and truck tractors. So I suppose that cars in BC are allowed to run a hydraulic e-brake grafted into the main hydraulic system.

[JasonLee]

Besides, I never liked that the stock e-brake handle is out of reach and essentially useless when wearing 4 point harnesses

This is my main issue. With the KA box mounted back so far, if I end up with a vertical brake handle, it will have to go in front of the gear shift.

This is similar to the e-brake handle I ended up going with. I replaced the hydraulic cylinder with a Wilwood girling style unit with integral reservoir. The handle can be set up in the horizontal position as well as the vertical position by simple detaching the handle and reattaching it flipped over. I chose to install it in the horizontal position, and placed it between the seats and behind the shifter handle just like any other ordinary centre mounted e-brake handle. The mechanical force that can be applied in this position is not as great as when the handle is vertical and ahead of the driver, so for a drift car application a forward mounted vertical handle would be preferred. But for most other applications, horizontal mount and between the seats would likely be the preferred way to go. I am happy with my setup and like the pure function look of it. Oh, and the locking bar that holds the e-brake in the on position can be flipped aside so the handle can be pulled and quickly released without having the worry about the brake remaining on if that is your preference.

https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Hydr ... p_pl_dp_12

[demo243]

I went with a Lokar handle and their universal cable set up when I got rid of my t-handle. The set up was pretty easy to install and looks good. Its a bit tight now that I have a KA in there, but still works fine. I ran it with stock drums for a little bit and now with my maxima disc conversion - I ran the calipers on the underside of the arms to keep the cables coming through the stock location/stops on the arms - I also added some barrel nuts on the cables to keep them from pulling through the mounts on the calipers.

Also at that time I ditched the T-Handle e-brake and went with a lokar set up run to the stock points on the X-member and rear arms

Underside of the cable routing- and handle

IMG_4865 by Devon Mitchell, on Flickr

IMG_7710 by Devon Mitchell, on Flickr