ATTN: People who have 5-speed conversions. ABS trouble?

scottzg · Post by **scottzg** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:09 pm

vrg3 wrote:Scott - Small brakes in the front aren't good.

i know, but i thought you could separate the drum mechanism from the disc. I guess now everyone knows i havent really looked at the rear brake assembly

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:20 pm

If you could rig it up like the GLs had, you wouldn't have to change the size of the front brakes since the GLs just actuated the calipers via cable rather than using the hydraulics. Although, I'm not sure how you would do this easily... Then you'd save a little weight since you could gut the inside of the rear drum mechanism. The only problem would be if you parked the car after hard braking, you would be holding the pads on one spot which could ruin the rotors (my old GLs all had multiple pad-shaped burn marks on them and didn't last very long).

Steve

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:25 pm

Wait -- Why would you want to be able to brake the front wheels without braking the rears?

Scott - The parking drum brake is incorporated into the normal brake disc on the rear. The center portion of the rotor (the "hat") acts as a disc:

http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~v/pics/rear_brake.png

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:46 pm

vrg3 - I don't think you would want to do it. They didn't help me in the old GLs. I think Scott just wanted to know if it could be done.

Steve

scottzg · Post by **scottzg** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:15 am

well, i was just thinking that if you took the gl system and incorporated it into the legacy system, you could have "awdebrake" and could stop very effectively with the handbrake, have an abs-free brake, reduce potential damage to the drivetrain, etc etc etc

it would also be handy in eluding cops, effective slowing without brake lights.

its certainly more trouble than its worth, but if its possible, it would be neat and different.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:30 am

I don't think it would have any effect on damage to the drivetrain... the performance braking we've been talking about is meant to focus on the rear wheels anyway...

But "stealth mode" would be cool. I was once thinking of wiring it so when my handbrake was on, my brake lights would never come on. That way, if I wanted to stop without the brake lights coming on I could just pull the handbrake up a click. Never did, though...

scottzg · Post by **scottzg** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 6:01 am

mine is set up like that. The cops are more likely to stop the guy who brakes, he already knows he's in the wrong. Trouble is, at 85mph, the rear brakes dont do as much as id like, and im not gonna rip on them, i dont want to damage anything or lock up my car.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 6:32 am

No, I'm saying I was gonna make it so if the handbrake were at all engaged (even if it's just a click so it doesn't actually do anything), I'd be able to use the normal brakes without the lights coming on.

Yukonart · Post by **Yukonart** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 6:36 am

Basically, turning the e-brake handle into a brake light cut-off switch. When the ground from the switch is released, it'd cut power to the brake light circuit.

Just be sure no one behind you slams into you when they don't see any red lights in their face.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 6:57 am

Yukonart wrote:Basically, turning the e-brake handle into a brake light cut-off switch. When the ground from the switch is released, it'd cut power to the brake light circuit.

Yeah, you said it much more clearly than me.

Just be sure no one behind you slams into you when they don't see any red lights in their face.

I wasn't planning on using it when there was any other traffic...

Yukonart · Post by **Yukonart** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 7:00 am

Ah, then it should be a snap to wire-up.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 7:11 am

Yep. Get a SPDT relay. Cut the green/white wire going to the switch at the top of the brake pedal. Connect the car side to terminals 86 and 87a. Connect the switch side to terminal 30. Then run a wire from terminal 85 out to the handbrake and splice it into the wire going to the parking brake switch. Done.

Oh... uh... but... um... don't do this. Because it would be illegal probably. And could be dangerous. And if you have cruise control, it would prevent the brake pedal from disengaging cruise when you have the handbrake up. Yeah...

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 7:50 am

The character in my book has toggle switches to disengage the brake and tail, parking lights (the latter so you could drive with just the headlights at night). You could easily hide them in the space where that useless open pocket to the left of the wheel is.

I think it was Paddy Hopkirk that was chasing an Austin Healey 3000 around a corner during a rally (Monte Carlo? I can't remember) and when he saw her take it without braking in 'that awful Healey', he knew he could take it in his Saab against what his instinct said. He ended up in a pond and later found she had a switch to turn off her brake lights. He ended up marrying her. Lucky bastard.

Steve

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ATTN: People who have 5-speed conversions. ABS trouble?