well my friend has a problem, he has planned to build a mid engined ultra locost...hehe

he will be using mcpherson strut and all the engine tranny setup of a front engined car..... now the problem comes of hand brake....

is there any solution for it ?...
thanks

[Edited on 3/3/07 by ghuncha]

Afaik there is no regulation that states that the parkingbrake should be on the rearwheels. Citroen has it on the frontwheels in some models; at least in the past they had.

So your friend could use, for instance, rearwheel calipers of some bigger sportier sedans (audi a4, bmw, etc.) on the front. For a lightweight car these calipers should be more than sufficient.

Another solution is to add mechanical calipers to the rearwheel set up. RallyDesign sell these and your friend only needs to weld a bracket to the strut.

well thanks for the reply, i think the mechanical calliper will be better, can the callipers be modified in anyway to accept hand brake...???

You can put a hydraulic handbrake in the rear brake lines - saves any need for a separate caliper.... but I don't think they are very SVA friendly.

Must be a mechanically operated handbrake only.

Hydraulic handbrake is not permitted for SVA, it has to be mechanical. At the SVA they spend a lot of time checking the flex in the system. From cables to brackets; quite rigourous.

The mechanical ones from Wilwood ( www.rallydesign.co.uk ) are 39.50 a piece and 17.50 for a bracket if you want that. They are made for handbrake use. Have never seen them 'live' though so cannot comment on performance, look or quality

The hand brake calipers/drums must be held mechanically then (if you want to get picky!!!!)
A hydralyically held slave cylinder is not allowed.

[Edited on 3/3/2007 by nitram38]

Hi Mark,

Do you have epxerience with the VW system? Things like weight etc.

Is it ok to have an actuator directly linked to the brakecaliper? If so; what would be the weight penalty?

I have never like the handbrake solution in a seven; routing the cables thought the tunnel; somehow get past the diff etc.

An alternative would be interesting.

The holes in caliper brackets are in a range of standard pitches, but because of weight distribution front calipers on FWD calipers are always larger than rear calipers. Sometimes the rear caliper from a larger car will fit the upright from a smaller front drive car -- for example Rover 216 rear calipers fit Metro fronts.


BEWARE with using a fwd front suspension at the rear the problem of bump/roll steer will raise its ugly head. Toe-out on the loaded (outside) wheel when cornering can be lethal espeically on a car with a rear weight bias and a low polar moment of inertia.

Also be aware that using existing front calipers on the rear will result in the rear wheels being grossly over braked.

well where i live(asia) we dont have the problem of SVA....lucky us.....

so no matter its hydrolic or elctric if it worls ok then its fine with us

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You can put a hydraulic handbrake in the rear brake lines - saves any need for a separate caliper.... but I don't think they are very SVA friendly.

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BEWARE with using a fwd front suspension at the rear the problem of bump/roll steer will raise its ugly head. Toe-out on the loaded (outside) wheel when cornering can be lethal espeically on a car with a rear weight bias and a low polar moment of inertia

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Also be aware that using existing front calipers on the rear will result in the rear wheels being grossly over braked.

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A hydraulic handbrake is really just a hand operated master cylinder with a ratchet stop which is plumbed into the brake circuit. It operates in such a way that the system is kept pressurised as long as it is actuated.

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A hydraulic handbrake is really just a hand operated master cylinder with a ratchet stop which is plumbed into the brake circuit. It operates in such a way that the system is kept pressurised as long as it is actuated.

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That's it - it also saves a lot of mechanical linkages and cables. Personally I wouldn't trust it 100% for parking on hills etc though. If the brake is applied when hot and as it cools it might gradually release the brake .... with inevitable results

i have an electric handbrake fitted although a tad expensive, but can be done.
Rescued attachment DSC01587.JPG

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i have an electric handbrake fitted although a tad expensive, but can be done.

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Originally posted by jambo
i have an electric handbrake fitted although a tad expensive, but can be done.

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I'm building a mid-engine clubman using a complete Corolla drivetrain (including suspension) in the back. I've looked at a number of options for a handbrake. To be legal here in Australia (and I suspect similar regulations apply in most parts of the world) the handbrake must use an independent method of application. Therefore, hydraulic handbrakes are NOT legal unless they actuate a separate set of calipers

I've just bought on eBay a pair of Series 4/5 RX-7 rear calipers which will fit over the thick ventilated discs found on the front of the Corolla, and have a cable operated handbrake mechanism. I haven't got them yet, but here's the picture from the eBay listing:
[img][/img]

Other possible calipers are Series 2 MR2 Turbo (hard to find and expensive here) or earlier Subaru fronts (they have handbrake on the front wheels).

Hope this is helpful,

Dominic