E Brake Removal
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,455
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From: MichAgain
I took mine out of my '92, so far just removed the handle inside and disconnected the cables on the rear calipers for now... I haven't pulled the cables and all off-yet. But it was no big deal, just a few bolts and pop the cable out of the handle.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
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St. Jude Donor '12
Yep, its comming out of my 92. Right now I have the cables leading to the rear calipers zip tied out of the way.
No big deal to remove it all.
No big deal to remove it all.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Akron Ohio
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
I just took my whole assembly off this past weekend. Took maybe 1/2 hour. There are two bolts holding the handle to the frame, then there is a nut right behind it holding the cable in place. Right in front of the driver rear tire there is a cable retainer bolted to the frame that has to come out, and then the cables go through brackets with holes in them, and are held by little retaining tabs on the ends of the cable. I didnt remove the ends on the calipers because the calipers were replaced, but all in all it was an easy task.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,170
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From: Watkins Glen NY
Bringing up "old business"
So, Gentelemn, did any of you follow through and remove what look to be the difficult parts - the caliper portions of the system?
It would seem to me the real benefit of the exercise, other than clearing a tiny bit more space for seat installation, is to reduce unsprung weight. In that context, a handle, a spring, and a couple of cables, seems quite trivial.
An updates?
Ed LoPresti
It would seem to me the real benefit of the exercise, other than clearing a tiny bit more space for seat installation, is to reduce unsprung weight. In that context, a handle, a spring, and a couple of cables, seems quite trivial.
An updates?
Ed LoPresti
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
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St. Jude Donor '12
On my 92 the rear calipers have been missing the parts to connect the e-brake cable to for about a year 
IIRC it was a 6MM hex key wrench and 10 min to remove them.
I still haven't got off my duff to remove all the cables and stuff yet.
IIRC it was a 6MM hex key wrench and 10 min to remove them.I still haven't got off my duff to remove all the cables and stuff yet.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Watkins Glen NY
Thanks James and Andrew,
It certainly did not look like rocket science, but somehow this task has never managed higher than about #79 of our To-Do list. Now that you have reassured me that it is almost as simple as it looks, maybe it will move up in priority.
Regards,
Ed
It certainly did not look like rocket science, but somehow this task has never managed higher than about #79 of our To-Do list. Now that you have reassured me that it is almost as simple as it looks, maybe it will move up in priority.
Regards,
Ed
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 190
From: Indiana PA
Why, would you do this, I could understand in a race but in a street car?
Also, you must not live in a area that has a state inspection. I would fail a car with a non-properly working e-brake much less not having one at all, every time.
FYI, your hydraulic brakes fail and you have no back up. Your pretty much screwed.
Also, you must not live in a area that has a state inspection. I would fail a car with a non-properly working e-brake much less not having one at all, every time.
FYI, your hydraulic brakes fail and you have no back up. Your pretty much screwed.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Watkins Glen NY
Ed
Last edited by RacePro Engineering; May 26, 2011 at 10:49 PM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
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St. Jude Donor '12
Yea, but one of my reman calipers didn't come with the e-brake hardware on it. The handle assembly is in the way of a wide enough race seat. Big brakes don't come with parking brake provisions.
Any one want to add to the list?
It is a couple pounds though.
Any one want to add to the list?
It is a couple pounds though.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 705
From: WI
Weight removal is difficult for people with no experience to understand. Having the attitude that a little can add up will take you a long way. There is a huge difference in my car with its weight loss. Leave out acceleration and just look at braking, less weight is letting my car brake much later than it did at stock weight. Braking later than your competitors is a large advantage.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,347
Likes: 224
From: Northeast FL
Weight removal is difficult for people with no experience to understand. Having the attitude that a little can add up will take you a long way. There is a huge difference in my car with its weight loss. Leave out acceleration and just look at braking, less weight is letting my car brake much later than it did at stock weight. Braking later than your competitors is a large advantage.
Every little bit adds up.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,620
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From: Orlando FL
I have no opinion whether to leave it on or off.
But it is really a parking brake and to call it an emergency brake is a real joke, at least from my experience.
If I pull my brake at 20 MPH don’t stand in front of me because the rate it slows down is not much better than putting you foot out on the ground. It does not do much and don’t think there is a chance of locking the rear wheels up.
I did once lose the breaking on the left front once due to the loss of a caliber bracket bolt while a way from home. I did use the parking brake as an aid to stop the car as I did not want to step on the brakes hard while things were loose and banging around. But had to give myself lots of room to stop and picked a point way back from the car ahead.
But it is really a parking brake and to call it an emergency brake is a real joke, at least from my experience.
If I pull my brake at 20 MPH don’t stand in front of me because the rate it slows down is not much better than putting you foot out on the ground. It does not do much and don’t think there is a chance of locking the rear wheels up.
I did once lose the breaking on the left front once due to the loss of a caliber bracket bolt while a way from home. I did use the parking brake as an aid to stop the car as I did not want to step on the brakes hard while things were loose and banging around. But had to give myself lots of room to stop and picked a point way back from the car ahead.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,170
Likes: 6
From: Watkins Glen NY
Weight removal is difficult for people with no experience to understand. Having the attitude that a little can add up will take you a long way. There is a huge difference in my car with its weight loss. Leave out acceleration and just look at braking, less weight is letting my car brake much later than it did at stock weight. Braking later than your competitors is a large advantage.
And yes, on a heavy car like our C4, such details are not as dramatic an improvement as on a lighter, more nimble racer.
Are there other efforts where we can gain performance advantages? Certainly! Are these other efforts essentially "free"? If you know of any, please let us know!
Ed
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,357
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From: Hartford WI
I guess it begs the question "Why?". If it is to reduce unsprung weight for a race car, absolutely. If it isn't for a competitive reason, I'm not sure what you will gain for the effort. Fuel savings, unless you drive a million miles won't work to squat so why bother? If the owner is like many and who are too cheap to fix it right, why not just leave it there? It isn't hurting anything