Handbraking rear wheels individually?

Hi,

While I wait for lighter, warmer evenings to return so that I can start on my planned lift and other mods, I was pondering what else to do to the Jimny. I am not planning on massive mods.

One thing that I end up doing every time I play off-road is spinning 2 opposite wheels as I get cross-axled. I don't want to go to the extremes off diff lockers etc, so I was thinking about whether I could apply the brakes to one wheel to regain some traction. Again, for ease, the rear is easiest with mechanical handbrake cables. As the handbrake cables are separate until the equaliser just under the floor, extending them inside and finding a way to pull each one individually seemed a potentially non-complex mod with some real benefit. Maybe just clamp one at a time so the standard handbrake only pulls one via the equaliser. All I need to do is work out a way to do it

Has anyone tried anything similar? And does anyone know whether the handbrake on the Jimny is strong enough for this? I am not looking to brake a moving wheel to slow the entire vehicle, but just to lock up one side of the axle enough to drive the other from stationary.

Nick

You are talking about fiddle brakes, which were very popular in The Olden Days on trials vehicles, when they were made from old Ford Populars.

They possibly aren't road legal, but no-one manages to pint out why- it is most likely due to the imbalance if you apply one at a time as an emergency brake.

Have a search, try this thread first

www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum?view=to...39768&layout=default

I have used fiddle brakes on a Landrover and they are good in tight turns (locking the inside rear wheel) but
that is using the hydraulic system. I have had some success with the Jimny in a cross-axle just by using the
normal hadbrake applied about 3/4 of full as it acts like a poor mans LSD.

1066Boy wrote: I have had some success with the Jimny in a cross-axle just by using the
normal hadbrake applied about 3/4 of full as it acts like a poor mans LSD.

I remember doing that to get moving in The Olden Days when we used to have Proper Snow and I had a Proper Car with a sack of sand in the boot a V8 and a BW 35 gearbox that only drove the rear wheels

Thanks facade. I wonder if Jo King ever got them made up as a kit. That looks a great solution. For ease and speed of application (as per the video in that link), 2 levers is going to be hard to beat (apart from 3 in total!!) Looked very effective though.

I shall have to check the legality of it. Maybe a second cable to each drum would be needed to leave the legal system intact.

1066Boy - I have never actually tried using the handbrake while spinning a wheel! Seems so obvious now you mention it

Nick

They are pegged together for road use, but without the swinging compensator, they will need very careful cable adjustment.

NickR wrote:
1066Boy - I have never actually tried using the handbrake while spinning a wheel! Seems so obvious now you mention it

Nick

Got lots of practice with my old Hi-Lux, no difflock and a very light rear end. It was just the same with my KJA.

You can tell I am new to Suzukis as I had to google what a "KJA" was

Had a quick scan of the MOT manual. There are a few key phrases :

It must be:
"designed to prevent at least two wheels from turning"
"Hydraulic parking brakes as a sole means of operation are not acceptable"
and specifically has a section for extra brakes
"This inspection applies to all vehicles with a secondary brake operating mechanism in addition to, or in place of, the normal parking brake lever. "

MOT rejection reasons include
"the parking brake is not capable of being maintained in operation by direct mechanical action only"
"A parking brake lever or control inappropriately repaired or modified. "

and lots of catch-alls about condition, obstructing smooth action etc.

So, there will be a lot down to the individual opinion of the MoT tester, but I can't see that cable operation of one wheel is a no-no as long as it leaves the main system working. Extending the individual cables to separate fiddle levers, so the normal system is unaffected would be good, but that is in the massive grey area about obstructing the mechanism. A simpler system to clamp/block an individual cable so the handbrake only acts on the other wheel might be the way to go as it may be easier to demonstrate to an MOT inspector.

Food for thought in the winter months anyway

Nick

i would have thought it easier to use 2x motor bike front leavers
and tee into brake lines near to the wheels

Jack

jackonlyjack wrote: i would have thought it easier to use 2x motor bike front leavers
and tee into brake lines near to the wheels

Jack

How would the normal footbrake work then?

i'm no brake expert but wouldn't the pedal brake work just the same
because all your adding is 2 more reservoirs with a cylinder on each

Jack

Perhaps a NRV in each main brake line up stream of the tee in?