[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by carboy

- How do I know whether it's a problem with the cable or the brake liners/pads?

Does the lever have some resistance?. If yes, cable is fine, If no cable is shot. I suspect the rear brake shoe.

Originally Posted by carboy

- What part should I ask for at the shop - is it rear brake liner? What's a good brand & how much does it cost?

Go OEM way.

[swiftnfurious]

I always make sure to engage handbrakes in my car whenever I stop in signals / after switching off. I make sure to disengage as well before starting to drive. Sometimes I feel that the travel for the handbrake to engage is more than usual [after driving for 10K kms or so]. Once it comes back from service, the play reduces. Is it because handbrake also uses the normal brake pads to lock the wheels and hence more play after 10K kms ?

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Is it because handbrake also uses the normal brake pads to lock the wheels

Yes, just the method is actuation is different.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by SirAlec

You can adjust the brakes to sum extent.

The brake liners are usually self-adjusting type, so even when the liners start to fade, the brakes will still work with the same force. So the only thing you need to do is change the liners when they are worn out. But it would be good to also get the cylinders checked, as sometimes they may leak the brake oil and so lose effectiveness.

@arun.kulkarni, sometimes the brake liners get stuck to the wheels, specially if the wheels were hot. In such a case disengaging the handbrake may not bring the liners back to their original position (ie. they will still be stuck onto the wheels). If you start your car, you may hear a metallic noise from the rear wheels when this happens. So after disengaging the handbrake fully, start the engine and pump the brake pedal a couple of times, and then start off slowly to ensure the liners come off the wheels. I have had this happen many times, but no permanent damage.

On inclines, use the half-clutch (or riding the clutch) method only when starting off, not when trying to hold the car still. If you are going to stand still for more than five seconds, it's better to shift to neutral and use either the footbrake or handbrake to hold the car in place.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by honeybee

But it would be good to also get the cylinders checked, as sometimes they may leak the brake oil and so lose effectiveness.

It would be case if rear hand brakes are discs. But in a swift its drum brakes, and handbrakes are cable actuated.

Originally Posted by honeybee

On inclines, use the half-clutch (or riding the clutch) method only when starting off, not when trying to hold the car still. If you are going to stand still for more than five seconds, it's better to shift to neutral and use either the footbrake or handbrake to hold the car in place.

Even 5 seconds is enough to fry the clutch. I would not advise half clutching at any circumstances. Better use the handbrake.

[mempheS.D]

Boy am I happy to find a thread on handbrakes!

Recently at the ASC, the service engineer advised me that when one is leaving the car parked for say at least 2-3 days, it is preferable to leave the car IN-GEAR and NOT HANDBRAKE. According to him, engaging the handbrakes on a stationary car poses unnecessary strain on the brake liners.

From the time I started moving my dad's car around, I've known to engage the handbrakes while leaving the car parked, irrespective of the time period for when the car is parked.

Going by what the service engineer says, then doesn't it also put unnecessary strain on the gear as well in case the ground level is not PLAIN? Thinking logically, isn't a brake liner cheaper than a gear itself?

[carboy]

Originally Posted by mempheS.D

Going by what the service engineer says, then doesn't it also put unnecessary strain on the gear as well in case the ground level is not PLAIN? Thinking logically, isn't a brake liner cheaper than a gear itself?

I would think so. I also don't use engine braking for the same reason.

[mempheS.D]

OK, a little googling and what I find is that the handbrake is not something to be relied on heavily, as the cable does tend to get weaker over time. I presume, cables would exist only on rear drum brakes.

So, a foolproof method while parking would be to use handbrake and in gear, to ensure that one's car remains at the place you left it while you went.

[MrinalSinha]

@memphesS.D

What I understand with the discussions going on the other threads is that for Auto transmissions, it is advisable to leave them at P with hand break diengaged. This dosent stands true for manual transmissions though.

If you do not park on a huge incline, there wont be any substantial starin on the handbrake - they are designed to undergo that much of starin on either the hand brake or the gear. If the gradient is too large - do not rely on putting up the hand brake or gear only- use a wheel restraint (boulders) along with both the Handbrake and the gear. The usual norm is to park the car in 2nd gear if the incline will take the car ahead or reverse gear if the incline will take the car behind.

If there is any slight intent of motion after restraining the car with gears or handbrake, that is a definite indication of damage and not a proper parking condition.
@Carboy
Engine braking, if done in right sense, will never be straining on the car and is a useful & recommended practice. I put up a lot pf pride in -
1. Maintaining a constant speed, with minimal acceleration or deceleration.
2. Slow down with a very constant and smooth decelaration, with optimal usage od the brakes. My brakeshoes are running in great shape even after doing 55K. I use alot of engine braking without any issues in all of my cars.

[mempheS.D]

Originally Posted by MrinalSinha

The usual norm is to park the car in 2nd gear if the incline will take the car ahead or reverse gear if the incline will take the car behind.....


.....I use alot of engine braking without any issues in all of my cars.

Woho! Isn't it supposed to be the other way so that an engine braking is enabled.
2nd gear - if incline will take the car behind
REVERSE - if incline will take car ahead

Engine braking is good practice to minimize wear on the brakes. BUT BUT BUT, ensure that the engine braking does not send the RPM shooting high from say 2500rpm to 5500rpm on downshifting. A 2500rpm to 3500rpm may be a good range for a smooth gradual effective braking. Once again, I'm not quoting numbers here using gear ratios but arbitrary numbers which have worked decently for me.

Throw in some double clutching while downshifting if you would like to save those synchros for a longer period. But double clutching is a hit or miss unless you master it. Moreover, I wouldn't use anything but an 800 to try and learn double clutching.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by MrinalSinha

@Carboy
Engine braking, if done in right sense, will never be straining on the car and is a useful & recommended practice.

Why is it a useful and recommended practice?

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by mempheS.D

From the time I started moving my dad's car around, I've known to engage the handbrakes while leaving the car parked, irrespective of the time period for when the car is parked.

Going by what the service engineer says, then doesn't it also put unnecessary strain on the gear as well in case the ground level is not PLAIN? Thinking logically, isn't a brake liner cheaper than a gear itself?

Handbrakes have been known to freeze if applied for too long. Rusting on the cables etc.
No damage to gears.

Originally Posted by mempheS.D

2nd gear - if incline will take the car behind
REVERSE - if incline will take car ahead
....
Throw in some double clutching while downshifting if you would like to save those synchros for a longer period. But double clutching is a hit or miss unless you master it. Moreover, I wouldn't use anything but an 800 to try and learn double clutching.

Why not ist gear?

If you fluff a double declutch, you are essentially using the GB as a synchronised GB. (Not talking of 1st gear in the older Indian cars). Which is what it is meant to be. Why should a missed double declutch be any more 'damaging' than an ordinary gear change?

Regards
Sutripta

[SirAlec]

Originally Posted by mempheS.D

OK, a little googling and what I find is that the handbrake is not something to be relied on heavily, as the cable does tend to get weaker over time. I presume, cables would exist only on rear drum brakes.

So, a foolproof method while parking would be to use handbrake and in gear, to ensure that one's car remains at the place you left it while you went.

Definitely not!! while parking for a prolonged period put in reverse or first gear. In hills we use stone or brick.

Handbrake is applied on rear drum or disc (disc on expensive cars). Most of the common car uses cable operated unit. Rear drum is an enclosed unit and uses a brake shoe unlike from disc which uses pads. When parked for long period of time this shoes sticks to the drum and jams the rear wheels.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by SirAlec

When parked for long period of time this shoes sticks to the drum and jams the rear wheels.

Hi Ken,

Rear wheel gets jammed, but is it due to brake shoe sticking to the drum? Or like Sutripta mentioned?

Any other probable reasons?

- Dhanush

[rajeev k]

Drum brakes are likely to get jammed during monsoon season when mud and slush are likely to get inside the drums causing brakes to get jammed if parked for long even without handbrakes pulled up.