Emergency Brake

Had a question. Today as I was driving home I wondered what my car would do if I put on the emergency brake. Well, I did and the car didn't really seem to act like it was stopping. The light came on and the but went down some but the car didn't really slow down. Then again, it might not have been doing so much since it has been raining out. As I recall on the GTP when you do that you can hear the tires lock and squeal.

What gear was the car in and how fast were you traveling when applying the Emergency Brake? Flat road, up hill, down hill? I just think a little more information would help is all.

Cheers

Flat road and I was going about 20 mph (Wasn't about to try it going fast). Most likely it was still in 1st.

at 20mph you were in 2nd unless you were heavy on the gas. the ebrake has an adjustable cable if you feel it isnt tight enough. but the rear brakes are not that effective anyways. they are used only 20%.
here are some things to consider:
1. a rear drum will be more responsive and powerful than rear disk.
2. a foot brake will be less effective than a hand brake due to longer cords, and the mechanics behind stepping fast or yanking up.
3. its a 4klb buick, not a miata. the shear weight of the car makes a 10" rotor and 2" pad work really hard to stop the car's momentum.
4. different pads will make a difference between your riv and the GP.
5. tire will also make just as much difference, if not more, than the pad/rotor combo.
6. ABS should prevent the tires from locking up
7. it is pretty normal to not feel much happen when you step on the ebrake, it is really ment to hold the car still, not at stoping power. when you press on the regular brake the rear brakes do more work than if you were to do them manualy.
HTH's
Matthew

Ahh, okay then. Wasn't sure if that was normal, I know my dad does it in the GTP sometimes and it seems to always do the same thing. I remember in our Volvo 850 (It had the manual pull up kind, my favorite) when you start to pull it up the harder you pull up the harder it puts on the brakes. Pretty easy to slide around with those kind of E-brakes too.

The rear pads and rotors are relatively new so they should be good as far as stopping goes and the Riv's brakes are very good. Thanks for the clarification though.

Mine will surely lock up the rear wheels. If you haven't used them in a while you might need to set and release a couple of times to get the pads close. I set the brake at least once a week. Keeps the cables free.

Also, with the screw-ey rear caliper pistons it shouldn't matter how much the pads are worn or whatever, it should still at least grab hold and slow you down that you can feel. Are you locking the pedal to the floor?

deekster_caddy wrote:

Are you locking the pedal to the floor?

No, but I did it pretty far down.

Ok. So the brake pedal puts like 75% on the front wheels and 25% on the back?
and the e-brake does what? Just 25% on the back?

Is there anyway to just use the rear wheel brakes and not the front?

I really wish they wouldve given the Riv a hand brake and not that dumb ratchet foot brake thing...

Not sure the exact proportion, because the P-brake is mechanical, so it's different when you apply the parking brake pedal than when you normally brake, which is a portion of the hydraulic pressure. My guess is it's something around 80/20.

You can modulate the p-brake by pressing in, then quickly disengage. You will then be able to apply rear brake with your left foot. Be careful. It's not a lot of braking force, but enough to throw the back out in a corner. There will be a constant dinging when you engage while rolling, because the car thinks you are going to kill yourself or someone else.

The only reason I've ever had to do this was when my front brakes were grinding, and had to wait on pads to arrive in the mail. Got me through the week, but was not fun! Also, it's fun to try in the snow when trying to redirect the nose of the car.

...if its not too much hassle to get to it, could someone take a cell phone snapshot of the parking brake control pedal mechanism, showing where the return spring is (supposed to be) above the pivot? and where it's attached?

Here is the problem:   Now that mine is back from the auto shop I noticed when I got home (ha ha) that the lever does not return as it's supposed to.  My guess is that spring is fatigued or lost - looking at the mechanism I don't see one, and I can't find one to purchase.  But if I saw a picture of one, I am pretty sure I can make one that will work fine from an appropriate stock spring (using a torch, and some oil to reform and temper the ends).  

You can (usually) send the pic to me from your phone text messaging as an email by putting my email address in instead of the phone number.   PM me for the email.

Thanks in advance, folks.

Albertj

Hey Albert, there is no spring on the pedal. The way it gets pulled up is from a spring on the brake caliper that pulls the cable which pulls the pedal back up. Either the shop unhooked your cable that attaches to the caliper or the cable broke. I know from experience because my cable broke and the pedal would not return up. The shop just probably didn't put the cable back on the caliper because it is a pain in the ass. To get the pedal back up for now so the car doesn't chime you can reach under the car and pull the cable yourself. Hope this helps.

kylan_13 wrote:

... there is no spring on the pedal....

What a twist!
Thanks for the info. I was about to get to the pedal to see what kind of spring is there. Mine seems to be too weak.

Welcome, it through me for a loop too! lol

kylan_13 wrote:

Hey Albert, there is no spring on the pedal. The way it gets pulled up is from a spring on the brake caliper that pulls the cable which pulls the pedal back up. Either the shop unhooked your cable that attaches to the caliper or the cable broke. I know from experience because my cable broke and the pedal would not return up. The shop just probably didn't put the cable back on the caliper because it is a pain in the ass. To get the pedal back up for now so the car doesn't chime you can reach under the car and pull the cable yourself. Hope this helps.

I have to find a picture somewhere, showing how that's rigged.

Thanks!

Albert