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Hydrulic handbrake
deep blue - 8/4/12 at 08:15 PM

I need an hydraulic handbrake, I am not too sure how to plumb one in to my existing brakes. I am on traditional drum rear brakes what do i do?
Any advice on suitable donor master cylinders and or home made mechanisms would be great, buying a kit of some sort is an option, but i do like manufacturing my own stuff where possible, any hints and advice please.

NigeEss - 8/4/12 at 09:19 PM

I didn't fit it myself but mine uses a simple single line master cylinder in the line going to the
rear. Pressing the footbrake means fluid simply passes through it.
Not sure what it's off though but it's a Girling one.

designer - 8/4/12 at 11:15 PM

Don't handbrakes have to be mechanical?

blakep82 - 8/4/12 at 11:27 PM

depend what you 'need' it for
rallying/autotest/competition, then rally design sell them

if you don't need to worry about IVA or MOT, a l ine lock fitten into the pipe to the rear brake lines will do

if your car is road legal, or needs IVA or an MOT at any time, then you definitely don't 'need' a hydraulic handbrake, in fact, if there's an opposite to 'need' then thats what you mean, because its a fail. unless you've got a mechanical one too, in which case, look at the rally design one

NigeEss - 9/4/12 at 09:48 AM

quote:
Originally posted by designer
Don't handbrakes have to be mechanical?


Only for IVA/MOT purposes.

I know of a couple of rally cars which have bth fitted but the cables are so slack the mechanical
setup is pretty much for show.

deep blue - 9/4/12 at 02:59 PM

I used the term Hydraulic hadbrake for no other reason than simplicity. What i actually need is an hydraulic auxiliary hand operated brake, to hold the car on steep climbs or more correctly when it stops climbing. The normal handbrake will struggle here.
I need my std handbrake for the MOT but no IVA thankfully.