Has anybody ever used one of these for an emergency brake?

 

LOL.. A line lock.. I have one on mine.. Its a manual type.. But the best e-brake I have.. great for trem jobs.. something I wouldnt use all the time.. I use it while im on a boat ramp with my hand e-brake engaged also..

 

There is one solenoid that is actually marketed as this, the Ja-Mar "parking brake lock". Same thing as the Hurst unit et al. but you plumb it into the rear line.

My experience with the Hurst units is that they tend to leak internally after awhile. They are rebuildable.

As Mad said, I'm inclined to suggest it more as a temporary use item. It will work for your intended use though.

 

Thanks guys....I would only use this for a short term thing. You think the rear would be better than the front? I have a disk/drum setup.
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XFM.....

 

yes put it on the rear, drums are self energizing, discs are not, plus it you ever did use it in an "emergency" you're likely to spin like a top locking up the front brakes.
Caveat: If they still work like they used to tho, you have to apply and hold the brakes first and then activate the line lock which is just a solenoid valve that holds the pressure until you release the button. It's binary, all or nothing, you cannot modulate it nor use it for extended periods of time like to hold it on a hill, therefore it isn't like a true parking brake. What's wrong with a traditional mechanical emergency brake?

 

XFord,

The TCI, Hurst, Summit, etc. solenoids all still work in the manner AX described. It is possible to easily work around the "momentary contact" design intent. However, (just in case you aren't familiar with them yet) that means the solenoid will be powered for that length of time. They don't draw (or at least didn't used to, I haven't seen a new one) much power...but it could possibly present a battery drain issue.

More importantly, the solenoid could overheat, either failing & releasing the brake pressure, or seizing & effectively locking the rear brakes. I have never had one fail in this manner, but I've never powered one for more than ten minutes at the most. Hurst used to actually market them as helping to hold vehicles on steep hills in traffic, to assist you while driving a manual trans vehicle (as opposed to marketing them as being used for burnouts ) They are not officially rated for continuous use. I have, however, known two people who used them as theft prevention, evidently with no problems.

The only issue I have personally seen with them is internal leakage, after a few years use.

So, it depends on what your intended purpose is, & what your definition of short-term is.

 

Thanks guys, you saved me a hundred bucks. Thats not what I need. I guess I'll have to mess with those cables after all.
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XFM...

 

What's up with your cables? frozen? Emergency brake cables are about as simple an apparatus as there is, I'd be glad to offer suggestions to whatever problems you have.

 

I plumbed in a line lock set up on my truck but not for an emergency brake use(NO! I won't be doing any burnouts).

I do think that they make a manual valve that can be plumbed into the rear lines and can be used as a parking brake

Good luck
Bobby

 

Many years ago, when I was in The Forest Service, our tanker truck had a manual line lock. It was a dash-mounted lever-operated valve plumbed directly into the brake system. After putting chocks under the rear wheels (a required safety thing), the brakes were mashed down and the lever was moved up shutting the valve and locking the hydraulic brake system. The engine could then be left in neutral so that the power take-off could run the pumps. Worked great. Used it for hours on end to hold the tanker on hillsides and fire roads while pumping. I have never such a system marketed for customs. Maybe big truck suppliers have them.

 

Guys PLEASE do not get confused a line lock or roll control or micro lock or what ever is not an emergency brake. They all depend on the brake hydraulic system to be working properly to do they're job. If you lose your brakes you lose that system also. This said it is alot easier to install them on the rear then the front. However it has been my expierience that they tend to bleed down faster on the rear (on disc/drum). I have a "Micro-lok" on my truck(rears) and shortly after I installed it the wheel cylinders started leaking. Rich.

 

Cobraguy...I wondered if that constant pressure would cause leaks.

AX....the PO has removed all the em. brake stuff. Inside the rear brake drums looks like a front drum. All the guts, cables everything. All the junk yards around here only have new stuff, mostly econo cars. Hey, that says something right there. Anyway, I know how to do it I'm just getting tired and lazy. Usually when I get this far into a restoration I start muttering to myself, what the hell are you doing....you don't need this....hey, look, see what I mean.....blah blah blah....
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XFM...

 

LOL....suck it up! Just kidding, that sucks about the wrecking yards in your area. You might try looking inyour local classifieds for a complete rearend of a truck being parted out

Good luck
Bobby

 

XFM, what year make rear end? If the rear backing plates are actually rears not fronts, returning the mechanical EB should not be a real problem. The cables themselves are available new, the few small parts to attach them to the shoes should also be easily sourced they didn't change much thru the years. If he took out the EB handle inside the cab, I have the one from my 56 I took out when I converted it to a foot pedal operated EB, or you could use a later foot operated unit like I did.