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Applying Handbreak - Press Release button or Not

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Comments

  • Joe_Horner
    Joe_Horner Posts: 4,895 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Yes, that might cause damage depending on the cable spec.

    But bear in mind that a 70kg pull is the same as an 11 stone bloke doing a one-arm pull-up. That's an AWFULLY hard pull on a handbrake!
  • Samsonite1
    Samsonite1 Posts: 572 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    OK well I hopefully I was not so wrong to suggest that you could damage the cable by pulling too hard?

    Thanks again for the responses.
    To err is human, but it is against company policy.
  • Car_54
    Car_54 Posts: 8,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Samsonite1 wrote: »
    Thank you, the revised figures seem good. My friend is building a car and reckoned total advantage on his handbrake assembly was 22:1, so seems realistic!

    So then a 70kg tug on the handbrake will apply around 350kg of force on the cable which seems like it could damage it? I understand force and levers, but I do not really understand why some parts of the handbrake would not suffer from hard yanks (material stress limits) - could you explain that part?

    Apologies for being too inquisitive and thanks for the answers.

    Engineers routinely design things to withstand the worst imaginable force, and then double or treble it for safety. There's no reason to imagine they'd do otherwise with the handbrake cable.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,652 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Car_54 wrote: »
    Engineers routinely design things to withstand the worst imaginable force, and then double or treble it for safety. There's no reason to imagine they'd do otherwise with the handbrake cable.

    That was in The Olden Days :D

    Today they are more likely to add 0.001% to the worst force to save money ;)
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • Samsonite1
    Samsonite1 Posts: 572 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    facade wrote: »
    That was in The Olden Days :D

    Today they are more likely to add 0.001% to the worst force to save money ;)

    Also, engineers have to scale back due to budget constraints. The theoretically best engineered car is probably not viable cost-wise. That is why some cheaper cars have faults more frequently.

    My sister's new Fiat hit a pheasant at 40mph and the bumper fell off. Hopefully that was not the worst possible force expected!:eek:
    To err is human, but it is against company policy.
  • almillar
    almillar Posts: 8,621 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    There is no difference between two different things? Why of course!

    Samsonite - you're trying to be helpful but you're just getting yourself knotted up.

    Joe Horner (for one) has tried to correct you multiple times that the ratchet does not add any force required to pull up the lever, compared to pressing in the button, which you assert would lead to cables being stretched due to over-force.
    Let me ask you a question - go to your car and pull up the lever using both methods. Measure the difference in force required, roughly, with your left arm. Let us know...
  • Samsonite1
    Samsonite1 Posts: 572 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    almillar wrote: »
    Samsonite - you're trying to be helpful but you're just getting yourself knotted up.

    Joe Horner (for one) has tried to correct you multiple times that the ratchet does not add any force required to pull up the lever, compared to pressing in the button, which you assert would lead to cables being stretched due to over-force.
    Let me ask you a question - go to your car and pull up the lever using both methods. Measure the difference in force required, roughly, with your left arm. Let us know...

    Not really getting knotted up. The difference is that there is sensory feedback. I find it almost impossible to pull the handbrake as hard with the ratchet engaged because I can feel the ratchet coming through. Yes, the resistance is not big in reality (I definitely over egged that one) but, when I try it the travel at the very beginning seems much looser with the button pressed, whether this is mostly perceived, psychosomatic it makes a difference - hence saying it is not the same.

    My main grievance was to being berated for saying that you can damage the hand brake assembly by yanking too hard (it was apparently impossible). The science presented was basic and sound, but nobody cared to follow it through with realistic (but admittedly more on the extreme side) scenarios. E.g. a strong (but not unheard of) force, e.g. below what I can pull with one arm (and I am no weight-lifter). That is just one tug as well, let alone repeated wrenching many times per day over time... anyway.

    I do concede/agree/bow my head in shame/*insert as appropriate* that you could do the same damage with the ratchet engaged if you really wanted to - I am not saying it is exactly the same, but saying that you could achieve the same results. I still stand by the fact that you can damage the handbrake by your own hand (or someone with a strong arm), which to fair is a different issue and not the title of this thread to which I am also embarrassed to have spent so much time diverting.

    Thank you and apologies for any offence caused.
    To err is human, but it is against company policy.
  • I understood the point of not pressing the button is that there is a risk that people pull the handbrake on, but as they release the button they release pressure and may tend to set the brake with a lot less tension than they originally intended - ratcheting ensures that you get roughly the maximum pressure you applied.

    On Mercedes parking brakes, they are foot operated and you have no choice but to ratchet - and you get to stomp down pretty hard on them too, so easy to get a firm clamp.
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