[kuttapan]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

by that time, an auto or zen will squeeze his head into the gap and you will stay where you are! this is mumbai!

Sometimes, yes. But if you are shrewd enough, you can prevent most of them. All said and done, try to use handbrakes on inclines when you come to a stop, unless you are constantly moving.

[Roshun]

Originally Posted by watashi75

The footbrake technique is good for
1. experienced drivers and fast starts
2. traffic is crawling but not at standstill
3. you need both your hands!
.

True Watashi75. Just to add one more point, if you are driving a vehicle without a functional handbrake like the Amby and Willys jeep I learnt to drive on! And that too in the hills. Plenty of heeling and toeing done. In fact, my dad used to purposely make me stop on inclines and take off again without moving back even an inch. Took quite a bit of practice back then.

The gymnast technique I used then and have never used since I began driving cars blessed with a handbrake (thank you liberalization):

To start on a steep incline.
1. Press clutch. Press brake with heel of right foot (some cars you need to use toe) and accelerator with toe of right foot (some cars you can use your heel - depending on the alignment of the pedals and the agility of your foot)
2. Start car, engage 1st gear, release clutch up to the point it begins to bite, then slowly begin releasing brake, along with clutch, while pressing down on the accelerator.
3. Full release of clutch & brake once forward momentum is achieved.

Thankfully such gymnastics are not needed on modern cars. I use the handbrake when stopped on an incline. By the way, the Scorpio can crawl quite comfortably without having to slip the clutch, if you keep it in first gear and idle along. Boon of good low-end torque and a heavy diesel.

That said, a word of advice to folks who are pure city drivers and work normal hours, thereby dealing with peak traffic every day -- get an automatic! The new ones are worth every rupee and you won't need to even comment on this thread .

Cheers,

[tanwaramit]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

amit buddy, this guy was talking about flyovers and hence the response. we are not talking about climbing mountains here, we are discussing traffic jams on normal inclines like flyovers.



by that time, an auto or zen will squeeze his head into the gap and you will stay where you are! this is mumbai!

Very True, And this is Delhi...zen may not come but bikers will definitely come and u will stay where you are...by the time you move down the flyover u will notice new set of neighbours around you.....

Okay, so one lesson is to press the button before engaging handbrakes so that the teeth doesnt wear off and to keep a regular check on the same... Half clutch is good..but when after every inch you need to wait for around 1.5-2 mins then I feel handbrakes are better.

[straightdrive]

Originally Posted by tanwaramit

.....Okay, so one lesson is to press the button before engaging handbrakes so that the teeth doesnt wear off and to keep a regular check on the same...

Originally Posted by itwasntme

....It's better to gently press the button, ratchet up to the maximum and then release the button and confirm that it has engaged by the little 'click'. ..............

Lesson learnt. I used to press the release button before engaging handbrake. Then after I bought a new car, the GM service engineer who visited me for a "30 day reassurance checkup" saw me doing it that way and told me the release button was meant for just that - release. He said it wasn't to be used to engage the handbrake. Considering he was a GM service engineer I thought he would know what he was talking about but after reading the posts on this it seems to me he didn't. It is definitely smoother when the button is pressed and works just as well.

[arun.kulkarni]

Hello Team BHP

I really need some advice on usage of hand brake
I have a santro Xing 2006 model, I use my car 3-4 days in a week, on other days it is parked in my garage.

when parking I always use the handbrakes and the car is in the 1st gear.

Will this create any long term problem for the car? Brakes? as the handbrakes are always active when parked?


Thanks!
Arun

Note from Team-BHP Support : Thread MERGED. Please use the search feature before creating a new thread on a topic that might already exist. Please continue your discussion in an existing thread. This will keep all the relevant information in one place and make it easier for readers in the future.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by arun.kulkarni

Hello Team BHP

I really need some advice on usage of hand brake
I have a santro Xing 2006 model, I use my car 3-4 days in a week, on other days it is parked in my garage.

when parking I always use the handbrakes and the car is in the 1st gear.

Will this create any long term problem for the car? Brakes? as the handbrakes are always active when parked?


Thanks!
Arun

Note from Team-BHP Support : Thread MERGED. Please use the search feature before creating a new thread on a topic that might already exist. Please continue your discussion in an existing thread. This will keep all the relevant information in one place and make it easier for readers in the future.

dont worry at all, handbrakes are meant for that! it will cause no harm to the car.

[arun.kulkarni]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

dont worry at all, handbrakes are meant for that! it will cause no harm to the car.

Hello Raj

Thanks for your information.

Cheers!
Arun

[carboy]

My Swift has done around 54,000 kms. I replaced the regular brake pads at 49,000 - thought it still had a few months life left. However, now my handbrakes seem to have gone bad. It doesn't seem to be doing it's job - I always have to park the car in gear other than engaging the hand brakes.

I don't use the hand brake for stunts or any such thing. In my opinion, the hand brake wear must have been caused by occasionally failing to remove the hand brake before starting the car & the hand brake being engaged for 100 metres or so.

Is the hand brake as easy to replace as the regular brakes. For my regular brakes, I purchased TVS brake pads from a shop & paid a mechanic 100Rs to replace it. Is the procedure the same for hand brakes or is different?

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by carboy

Is the hand brake as easy to replace as the regular brakes. For my regular brakes, I purchased TVS brake pads from a shop & paid a mechanic 100Rs to replace it. Is the procedure the same for hand brakes or is different?

I think you need to check the rear break pads , When hand break is applied it actually activates the rear breaks. If there is no problem in cable etc then it is the break-pad and procedure should be same.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by amitk26

I think you need to check the rear break pads , When hand break is applied it actually activates the rear breaks. If there is no problem in cable etc then it is the break-pad and procedure should be same.

Does the rear brakes have pads? I thought they were disc brakes - not sure though. I own a Swift VXI-ABS.

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by carboy

Does the rear brakes have pads? I thought they were disc brakes - not sure though. I own a Swift VXI-ABS.

Well sir disk breaks also do have break pads which wear out .. BTW as far as I know Swift VXI has front disk and rear drum breaks and both kind of breaks have break pad / liner whatever you call them

[carboy]

Originally Posted by amitk26

Well sir disk breaks also do have break pads which wear out .. BTW as far as I know Swift VXI has front disk and rear drum breaks and both kind of breaks have break pad / liner whatever you call them

OK, thank you.

Few questions
- How do I know whether it's a problem with the cable or the brake liners/pads?
- What part should I ask for at the shop - is it rear brake liner? What's a good brand & how much does it cost?

[sgiitk]

I think the whole argument is specious. A vehicle must have a functional secondary stopping system - read Handbrake). As long as you do not leave it engaged, there is no additional wear. I even made sure that my Amby and FIAT had functional handbrakes! I doubt whether there are any cars with additional drums for hand-brakes, as was the case in the very early days of disc-disc configurations.

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by carboy

OK, thank you.

Few questions
- How do I know whether it's a problem with the cable or the brake liners/pads? t the shop - is it rear brake liner? What's a good brand & how much does it cost?

Well I suggest that you take it to a compitent garage to check if it is indeed a worn out pad or not and there after buy / replace.
I think expense should be similar to what you did for your other set of pads but I am not aware of Cost / brands for swift.

[SirAlec]

When the handbrake lever is pulled it pulls the rear brakes with a pair of steel cables (just like in bicycles). unless the car has disk all around and in that case a hydraulic hand braking system.

You can adjust the brakes to sum extent. In worst case you need to change the rear brake shoe. Cost of Swift rear brake liners/shoe are about 1500 a piece.