I don't think that my Emergency brake is doing its job correctly. For example, lets say I am driving at around 30 mph and then pull the emergency brake in an abrubt manner, shouldn't the rear wheels lock? My car seems to just slow down, and it doesnt seem that it would be worth a **** in an emergency. I counted the clicks and I think it was something like 16 clicks before I could not go any further. If i put the car in nuetral and put the ebrake on, I cannot push the car however. I am not sure whats going on.

 

I don't think the e-brake will lock the rear wheels.. at least not on asphalt or cement.... but it may on gravel/snow. 16 clicks is a tad high. You can adjust the clicks via the adjusting nut near the e-brake lever. It's easy to do - just pop the center console off and it's self explanatory.

 

hehe i wondered about that too for a while. the e-brake is supposed to be used in an EMERGENCY in combination with footbrake or in case footbrakes break. also, i think if u do it correctly, u can lock up the rear wheels... aka fw drift... but i don't suggest being an asshat like me and trying to be the first d1 driver in a maxima. i need to stop doing that...

 

mine lockup only when my brake pads and rear brake system is up to operating temperature, then the pads grab and lock up. and this is with all OEM rear brake setup. I have Hawk HPS pads up front. But the handbrake doesnt work as effectively as the footbrake because, most of braking power is at the front. Plus the pressure exerted when using the footbrake is much greater than the pressure exerted when using the handbrake.

 

wOw... the emergency brake is simply a backup brake to keep your car from going anywhere when parked, which is also why its know as a 'parking brake'... It's NOT meant to lock up your rear wheels when driving. The rear brakes barely lock up when slammed on. Stop trying to play D1 in your maxima, it's not a 240sx on a drift course.

 

The ebrake will definately lock your rear wheels if you engage it fast enough. Trust me. I had some fun before I went to go get some new tires one day.

 

you are a ****in idiot for pulling you ebrake going 30, way to hurt the car....let alone a maxima

 

You lost me on that one. The braking power is like 80% front 20% back, or somewhere along those lines. My rears get no love as long as my fronts are good. My e brake does the same, it gradually slows it down but I think if you yanked it hard enough at that speed it could lock it up.

 

I think you've watched too many rally videos. Cars like the STi and Evo driving on dirt roads have no problem using the e-brake to lock the tires and drift (they have much larger brakes and a better leveraging system to engage it,) not to mention *normally* when it's done they are not on dry pavement, causing less much harm to the cars drivetrain...

Also, do you know how the brakes actually work? The e-brake is using the same pads as your foot brake, they're just being engaged in a different manner (one not assited by hydraulics ... now just think, what is more powerful here, the hydraulic system, or your poor leverage pulling on a cable?)

If you can barely lock your rear brakes with your foot, imagine how much more difficult it would be with the hand brake.

Granted, it IS definitely possible and can be done, but as said before.. you probably have to pull very fast, and have a good working cable with little slack that is properly calibrated.

my .02

 

Also, if you're doing this on dry pavement causing your rear end to slide, imagine the stress you're putting on your suspension in a sideways motion! You do realize your rear tires don't turn right, there's a reason for that...

 

I may be wrong, but I think the guy just wanted to know if his emergency brake is working properly, in the event that he would need to use it. With ABS, there's very few emergency situations that would require you to use the hand brake. There's one that I can think of, and that's when driving in fairly deep snow. Locked tires will stop you better than ABS, since the locked wheels will push up the snow, creating a barrier that will help slow you down. I had to stop pretty fast in about 4 inches of snow last winter, and using my emergency brake definitely helped. Here's a tip for that kind of situation, use it at the last possible moment. Pull it too early and you'll start swerving like crazy, as opposed to swerving slightly.

Then there was the time my brake fluid froze on a -35 celcius morning, but didn't realize it until I reached a stop sign. Well, the emergency brake slowed me down enough to keep me from driving into the intersection. (of course, I had my brake fluid bled later that day to get any water out of the lines)

It sounds like your emergency brake is working properly, though you may want to have your cables checked out. They can get pinched by careless work on the underbody.

 

Last time I was bored enough to count the e-brake clicks, it was 17 or 18 for me, and my rear wheels definitely lock up when fully engaging the e-brake quickly.

Great story about e-brake lockup though...I was in my friend's Prelude (with him driving) on some road, coming up to an intersection we see some old teg with a ~30s ish guy driving with a friend, they make eye contact then he yanks on his ebrake quickly, just enough to create a long skid mark on the pavement, the light turns red and he totally ebrake stops to the light, no regular brakes at all - he went from 30-0 at an intersection with cars in front of him with his e-brake, and stopped about a foot behind the car in front of him, mad white smoke coming from the rear tires. Then when the light turned green he totally peeled out from the light, creating more smoke...that guy was an idiot.

 

Rocco, thanks for understannding me. I NEVER abuse my Max. I simply wanted to know if the ebrake cable actualy was supposed to do that. This iss why we have the Org. Thank you all for explaining to me. I guess I am a paranoid person about my car....forgive me.

 

The mechanic said the e-brake is getting stuck and is corroded, so he suggested replacing the whole thing. The getting stuck, ok maybe but this thing is covered by a rubber sheath. How could it be corroded??? Does that make sense? That thing is expensive so I would rather just spray some lubricant and see if it loosens up. Other plan, just don't use it. Any information would be nice. Thanks.

 

The cable can get bent when putting the car on a lift, cracking the sheathing. Once the sheathing is cracked, water, dirt, etc. can get inside and ruin the cable, causing it to bind, corrode, etc. The only fix (assuming you want a working e-brake) is to replace the cable. You might have to replace the affected caliper - as it may also have been damaged.

 

He said "for example" and "what if" he pulled the e-brake doing 30 mph, he never said he actually did it. Read more carefully next time

 

lol thx mtrai760 for being one of the only ppl on this thread to have a sense of humor/possibly admits to being a jer*off in his car. i know that ebrake drifting aka trailbraking is bad... and tom, i don't mean to be an ******* know it all or anything. just talking from my experiences, it IS very easy to slide ur car. going around 30 or higher, i've even done it around 10-15 on a steep hill, all you do is stomp the foot brake, causing the weight of the car to transfer to the front, pull the e-brake and release it quickly, while steering around the corner. the whole concept is weight transfer so there's not so much weight on the rear of the car, thus reducing traction. BUT like everyone has already stated, don't make it a habbit. it's real bad for ur suspension/tires. if ur gonna do it, practice in the rain in an empty parking lot. but don't blame me if u get arrested/ticketed. i do think it's okay to have fun in ur car once in a while, just not to abuse it on a regular basis. I love my maxi, and wouldn't do anything that would be absolutely stupid in her... 99%of the time...

 

16 clicks seems like a lot of travel. Readjust it to about half that.

Dave

 

Indeed, my e-brake probably clicks 8 times at most .. i normally only have to pull it a few (maybe 4-5) for it to be fully engaged... I do have a 5-speed, but the e-brakes aren't any different (other then the fact I might use mine more often then someone with an auto.)