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Thread: Emergency Hand Brake (too little resistance?)

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    Emergency Hand Brake (too little resistance?)

    Hi y'all,

    I had a screw in my tire the other day. I went to the shop to get it fixed and the technician made a remark on how easy it felt when he pulled the emergency hand brake, that there should have been some tension. He said the back brakes are probably shot and needed to be replaced asap. he asked if my car shakes or vibrates when I brake and it does not. I have not noticed any problem with braking nor heard loud noises.

    I was advised by AAMCO a couple of months ago that my front brakes needed to be replaced, but nothing about the back brakes. However, I had 2 oil changes at 2 different shops and neither of them mentioned anything about my brakes. I'm happy to change them, just not sure whom to believe. Also, I don't know but perhaps that's just how the hand brake on the Mirage feels. It's a cheap car so maybe the hand brake doesn't have the kind of tension like the other cars. I really don't know too much about cars



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    newtomit - If your park brake holds the car in position when you park on a grade, there's nothing wrong with the park brakes.

    Besides, the park brake uses some shoes inside the hat ... oh wait, that's with rear disks. Nevermind. The drums, I would imagine they cam-out the shoes to the inside of the drum face somehow.

    Either way, your intuition is probably the most accurate. If the park brake works, and you're not getting noise or shaking from the rear brakes when driving, you should be fine. My $0.02.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.9 mpg (Imp)


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    I don't know how worn my drums are but the handbrake has always had that free feeling on mine.

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    At the manufacturers I have worked for, we had test tracks just outside the assembly building. On the test track was a short, BUT VERY STEEP hill. Way steeper than you ever experience on the street. There are various markings on the hill.

    Part of the check the test drivers do is to go up the hill check the service brakes on the steep part, move up further at some point before it levels off, there is some markings. It is still steep there, just not as much. Then, with it still in gear and holding the brakes, they count up some specified number of park brake clicks. Then, they let off the service brakes and put the car in Neutral. It is supposed to hold the car at that specified number of clicks.

    Toyota was specific because they wanted each parking brake to feel the same car-to-car. My guess is that Mitsubishi has the same or similar specification and check. Now, as to how adamant they are to adhere to it, I couldn't say. It would be nice to know that spec.

    But at least, I could check the number of clicks it takes on my car. I have a slight incline in my driveway. Nothing major, but it would hit maybe 15-20 mph coasting down the whole length. I'll try to remember to count the clicks.

    But my car is new. There will be some wear on an older car. But it shouldn't be more than 1 or 2 more clicks ... but then again, I'm not sure how the drum brakes work for parking, versus disk brakes.

    In any event, I hold the button when I pull the brake lever up. Because if you are standing outside someone's car, and hear this parking brake being lifted and clicking, it sounds like the car pulls into a parking space, and farts (from the clicking of the park brake, it really sounds like a car fart). I don't want my car to sound like it is farting, so I hold the button, and let off when there's enough pressure. No farting that way.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.9 mpg (Imp)


  5. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to 7milesout For This Useful Post:

    Casey (06-17-2021),foama (06-18-2021),MetroMPG (06-18-2021)

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    As the rear brake linings wear in time, the automatic adjustment kicks in, so there won't be much change in the number of clicks pulling the lever.

    It pays $$$ to check the rear brake linings at least once a year!

    If worn linings are noticed too late, metal rubbing on metal kills the drums and things get much more expensive.

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    Cobrajet (06-18-2021),MetroMPG (06-18-2021)

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    How many miles on your car? The parking brake handle should go up 7-9 clicks from fully off to fully on, according to the service manual. Any more than that and you almost certainly have more wear in your brake shoes or drums than the adjusters can compensate for.

    Rear brake shoes are easy and the parts are cheap. If your drums are out-of-spec things get a little trickier.



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