Emergency brake

Do you guys install an emergency brake on your drag cars? Just trying to decide if Im going to install the ebrake drums shoes in my 8.8 or not.

Not me.I really don't even have one on my work car.lol

No E-brake on mine.

BUT,.....
I do plan to install a Chute real soon,..........does that count?

Only if you deploy it before you discover you need it lol

No emergency brakes.

Use a chute every pass. Its just a good habit.

There's really no reason to use an emergency brake/parking brake setup on a race only car that never sees any street use. But if it's a "street/strip" combo that will actually see street use, and will need an inspection sticker, an E-brake setup might be needed to get the sticker depending on what state you're in.

For example an independent E-brake/parking brake setup (that doesn't rely on the hydraulic brake system to apply it) is required to pass inspection & get a sticker in Texas (IIRC).

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:There's really no reason to use an emergency brake/parking brake setup on a race only car that never sees any street use. But if it's a "street/strip" combo that will actually see street use, and will need an inspection sticker, an E-brake setup might be needed to get the sticker depending on what state you're in.

For example an independent E-brake/parking brake setup (that doesn't rely on the hydraulic brake system to apply it) is required to pass inspection & get a sticker in Texas (IIRC).

SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIi Don't remind them they may rember to check it.  

I brought this up because the closest track to me is 1/8 mile, and I have heard about a vehicle that had a brake line failure and he went through the sand trap, through the fence and onto the road, fortunately no one was hurt.

It seems like an emeregy brake with drums does not have much stopping power, but I guess if you combine it with downshifts, it's better than nothing. If you have a manual valve body, or one that will grab 1st at any speed, don't get excited and go from drive to low. I did that once on a pass durning a brake failure. I was lucky, and it only did minor damage to a rim and rear control arm. I will not mention the rest of the story, but it could have gone alot wore, and an emergy brake would not of helped in this case.

HorsinAround wrote:I brought this up because the closest track to me is 1/8 mile, and I have heard about a vehicle that had a brake line failure and he went through the sand trap, through the fence and onto the road, fortunately no one was hurt.

At first glance using an E-brake on a drag car as a backup for the hyd braking system might sound like a good idea. But having the brakes fail on a pass, & then suddenly locking up the rear tires & spinning the car around & around because you grabbed/stomped the E-brake too hard is the last thing you want to do.


On the other hand disabling the emergency/parking brake's ratchet-locking system so it's super easy to lockup the rear tires at will & do some Dukes Of Hazzard 180* power slides is kinda fun.  

My cars are driven on the street so I made sure it works..

A long time ago....

My Maverick sat all winter long. Jumped in it for a spin down the street and a cruise down the main drag. I was a nice day so with no one around, I opened it up a little. Coasting up to traffic, I went to stop......... Pedal went to the floor. Cars at stop light, curbs and no dam brakes..... I was able to sneak it around the corner between traffic and the curb.

That feeling will never go away. I might even put a neutral safety switch in it for my kid when he takes over. Its a stick car.

Never had the brakes fail on the track but have on the street a few times , one thing that scared me was the nos switch sticking open when I lifted over the line once , it was only 10.80's but still I ended up in the grass between the track and return road cause I had to kill it with the key which locked the wheel   Nothing got damaged tho but my racing pants