Is the hand brake redundant?

[Clan]

Originally Posted by dingov70

At least with the electric handbrake you know it is firmly on ... ( It's cheaper to make too of course ! )

I have to disagree with all you posted . I test electric handbrake daily ( as an MOT tester ) , many require multiple attempts to achieve full effort and NO WAY are several hundred pounds worth of electronics / electric motor / actuators / whizzo gizmo's cheaper or better than a mechanical method of applying a parking brake .
Trying to perform any sort of adjustment / repair WITHOUT a diagnostic device is simply not going to happen

I would also shudder at the number of well intentioned people who use park to hold their expensive car on a hill .[/QUOTE]

Well i have been in this trade for 47 years and seen it all and yes I've done MOT Tests too . people do not put much if any thought into pulling the handbrake lever on , I have seen many cases of cars rolling away due to a poor handbrake or insufficiently pulled on . I don't suppose you are aware of the volvo handbrake recall on the S40/V50 when it came out? some more grippy pads were specified and a label pasted into the handbook to describe the proper way of setting the handbrake , I guess you don't now what that is ?

With the volvo electronic parking brake all you have is 2 cheap motors and a control unit those parts are going to cost the manufacturers less than a handbrake lever , a fancy leather boot , a short cable, a balance piece , 2 high quality long handbrake cables , special back plates , a set of shoes , springs , 2 expanders and the machining up of drums inside the disc .

You say you test electric handbrakes which are variable in their grip that's probably on french cars with a motor that does the work of the lever yet still has cables which rust and stretch,it defeats the object really . Volvo electric parking brakes are instantly on at full grip always and the motors are directly acting on the pistons they are intelligent too , they are always aware of the disc temperature and if the discs are considered hot the handbrake motors are tensioned again after 15 minutes .

Let's hope these who never use the parking brake on a hill are educated by our posts !

[green van man]

Originally Posted by Clan

Have you ever seen a holder ? It is soft lined and and has a soft damped self closing hinge which closes the box ..it is like a proper glasses case .

No I haven't and should of before making my flippant reply. Will see what my dealer has and report back..

Thankyou.

Paul.

[Dastardly Diesel]

Originally Posted by dingov70

I have to disagree with all you posted . I test electric handbrake daily ( as an MOT tester ) , many require multiple attempts to achieve full effort and NO WAY are several hundred pounds worth of electronics / electric motor / actuators / whizzo gizmo's cheaper or better than a mechanical method of applying a parking brake .
Trying to perform any sort of adjustment / repair WITHOUT a diagnostic device is simply not going to happen

I would also shudder at the number of well intentioned people who use park to hold their expensive car on a hill .

The electronics are Taiwanese, and probably cost pennies to make. Look at the iPhone - less than a tenner to manufacturer, yet some sell retail for over a grand. If it flows electrons then it's almost inevitable,y cheaper to make than a mechanical contrivance that does the same job.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by green van man

No I haven't and should of before making my flippant reply. Will see what my dealer has and report back..

Thankyou.

Paul.

there you go:

https://accessories.volvocars.com/en...CC-499390/2016

they were/are on special offer ..

[canis]

Originally Posted by Harvey1512

Maybe you have stopped learning as well 🤔😄. An EPB means you no longer need to balance as you have described. If you are on an incline at traffic lights pop on the EPB. When the lights turn to green you just drive off. You don't disengage, you don't need clutch control, you just drive away. Couldn't be easier.

I think it is only 30% of new cars have a mechanical hand brake now. There's a reason for that, epb are better 👍

It sounds to me like wiggling out of a tight spot with only inches either side of the bumper will be not possible with a button push arrangement.

An electric button is a dumb tool. There's no finesse, it's either on or it's off. How the flying feck can you "control" a handbrake when you've got only one of two extremes to choose from? You can't let it off a little bit, you can't apply it a little bit. You've got no control at all!

It's just another excuse to electrify stuff. More to go wrong, more to charge you for, and you can bet your bottom dollar all the "clever" decision-making is occuring inside a £550 box of semi-conductors just waiting for the warranty to run out and mysteriously not work anymore. Being an MOT item, you're a sitting duck. Might as well just hand over a blank cheque.

Give me a cable handbrake. I'm not impressed by button pushing, nor those who push them.

[canis]

Originally Posted by Clan

they are intelligent too , they are always aware of the disc temperature and if the discs are considered hot the handbrake motors are tensioned again after 15 minutes .

You see?!!! Another sensor! Delicate instrument mounted on unsprung weight! So that's bound to go wrong every couple of years then! Just like ABS sensors do.

Originally Posted by Clan

Let's hope these who never use the parking brake on a hill are educated by our posts !

Ha! We can hope, but I see it every single day.