Upgraded my hydraulic emergency brake

norvalwilhelm · 11-16-05, 09:21 AM

I decided to upgrade my hydraulic emergency brake/ not parking brake with twin master cylinders. I fell it was easier to hook up individual lines then Tee one line and at the same time if one master cylinder failed I would still have the other one.
It is easy to modify the stock emergency brake handle to activate a hydraulic master cylinder or two in this case.
Handle feel is also like stock, smooth and feels right.
This is the dual master cylinders mounted on an aluminum plate as a unit.

This is the calliper. It is a very light weight aluminum calliper with 2 live 2 inch pistons.

Hopefully it will actually serve as a emergency brake and stop the car from speed.
The car is away until next April so other then trying to move the wheel there will be no testing until then.
I would never trust a hydraulic system as a long term parking brake but it should function well as an emergency brake since it is operating on a 12 inch rotor.

Bill75 · 11-16-05, 12:25 PM

Norval,

Beautiful work as usual, had you considered the possibility of using a pair of mechanical calipers (if they make such a thing in disk) just like or similar to the hydraulic one you've installed? That way they could be used for an emergency and parking brake maybe. I'm thinking that's pretty obvious and you must have had the same thought so maybe there isn't such a thing.

norvalwilhelm · 11-16-05, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill75

Norval,

Beautiful work as usual, had you considered the possibility of using a pair of mechanical calipers (if they make such a thing in disk) just like or similar to the hydraulic one you've installed? That way they could be used for an emergency and parking brake maybe. I'm thinking that's pretty obvious and you must have had the same thought so maybe there isn't such a thing.

I get these calipers and matching master cylinders for free. My son buys them by the thousands so I get unlimited numbers.
This is an emergency brake, I could care less about the parking brake. I leave the car in gear all the time. In the event of a brake failure this is my backup.
Also for saftey inspections they just pull the brake and try moving the car. It won't go anywhere.
I really hope that while moving down the highway I can pull that emergency brake and actually have the car come to a stop.
That is my hope anyway.

norvalwilhelm · 11-16-05, 01:07 PM

One more thing. It is easier to run a couple of flexible lines alot easier then a cable that must be secured so when you pull it it in turns pulls on the calipers.

Bill75 · 11-16-05, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm

I get these calipers and matching master cylinders for free. My son buys them by the thousands so I get unlimited numbers.
This is an emergency brake, I could care less about the parking brake. I leave the car in gear all the time. In the event of a brake failure this is my backup.
Also for saftey inspections they just pull the brake and try moving the car. It won't go anywhere.
I really hope that while moving down the highway I can pull that emergency brake and actually have the car come to a stop.
That is my hope anyway.

AH-H-H, I see!! Free is definately good. OK on the lines vs. the cables.

Bill

Vette/Berlina-coupe · 11-18-05, 01:22 AM

Hi Norval, -this is a substantial improvement over your single/MC iteration (you showed us in a different thread for some reason, -best to have kept it all in a common-thread for sake of succinctity!); regardless, you might want to mount the rigid-yoke as a pivoting/T-clevis so as to thereby assure balanced hydraulic-pressure into both the independent L&R-caliper hoses; --although if one MC were to leak-down, it would then cause the other caliper to loose pressure as well; --nope, you're right, it's best left as you have it (although some chance one caliper may read a bit higher-pressure than the other when you yank the E-lever).
Also, could you please go back to the other Post where you thoughtfully placed the close-up of your sample drill-vented Rotor-drum, --and post another picture showing us the entire rotor (yet clearly showing the drilled-drum portion); --and advise how many holes in the drum-portion, and what size holes are they? Thankx, ~Bob vH

norvalwilhelm · 11-18-05, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vette/Berlina-coupe

Hi Norval, -this is a substantial improvement over your single/MC iteration (you showed us in a different thread for some reason, -best to have kept it all in a common-thread for sake of succinctity!); regardless, you might want to mount the rigid-yoke as a pivoting/T-clevis so as to thereby assure balanced hydraulic-pressure into both the independent L&R-caliper hoses; --although if one MC were to leak-down, it would then cause the other caliper to loose pressure as well; --nope, you're right, it's best left as you have it (although some chance one caliper may read a bit higher-pressure than the other when you yank the E-lever).
Also, could you please go back to the other Post where you thoughtfully placed the close-up of your sample drill-vented Rotor-drum, --and post another picture showing us the entire rotor (yet clearly showing the drilled-drum portion); --and advise how many holes in the drum-portion, and what size holes are they? Thankx, ~Bob vH

Those rotors are gone. I replaced them with 14 inch rotors. I used an aluminum hat this time but did drill a pattern for looks and reduced weight.
This is the new 14 inch rotor beside the old replaced 12 inch

motorman · 11-18-05, 02:22 PM

there is a much easier way to do this. there are commerical setups that allow you to step on the foot brake and have the rear wheel cylinder stay under pressure till you release it. several people i know have this system on their trucks

Vette/Berlina-coupe · 11-19-05, 02:02 AM

--Yiikessss 14"-rotor and a larger alum.-Drum (somehow attached thereto); --but wwwhhappened to the other 12" oem/C3-Rotors with the drill-vented Drum portion?? That's what i wanted to see from a lower/viewing-angle was the full vented-Drum portion; --are they still available and within spec.?
~Bob vH

norvalwilhelm · 11-20-05, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorman

there is a much easier way to do this. there are commerical setups that allow you to step on the foot brake and have the rear wheel cylinder stay under pressure till you release it. several people i know have this system on their trucks

Yes I know my son is a part time mechanic and he told me about that. It seems that when you push the brake and pull the emergency brake a valve closes shutting off the brake line and preventing release of the pressure.
I am not sure it would pass safety for me. I could just as easily hit the line lock, I do have a hold switch on my linelock and you can set it and take your hands off.

norvalwilhelm · 11-20-05, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vette/Berlina-coupe

--Yiikessss 14"-rotor and a larger alum.-Drum (somehow attached thereto); --but wwwhhappened to the other 12" oem/C3-Rotors with the drill-vented Drum portion?? That's what i wanted to see from a lower/viewing-angle was the full vented-Drum portion; --are they still available and within spec.?
~Bob vH

Having a steel outer brake rotor and an aluminum hat is very normal in race cars. The normal aluminum drum/hat as it is called is usually 7 inches in diameter and 8 bolts hold the out steel rotor to this hat. I didn't like the looks so I went with a custom made 10 inch hat and bolted it on with I believe 16 bolts. Two piece rotors are normal on race cars/ circle track cars that is.
In this case it allows me to run a full 14 inch rotor and it weights the same as a stock rotor.
The old original rotors are gone, I just dug that old picture up from another post I did a long time ago.