How does Forester Hand Brake work?

[Chris Phillipo]

Can anyone tell me how the hand brake works on the Forester if it has 4
wheel discs? Does it lock all 4 wheels or just the rear?

 

[harv]

It is a parking brake and two wheels have brake drums activated by a cable.
It is not much of a brake.

 

[Chris Phillipo]

It is a parking brake and two wheels have brake drums activated by a cable.
It is not much of a brake.

Is there a separate drum brake just for the parking brake or does it
activate the disc brake caliper somehow?

 

[Richard Paquette]

Is there a separate drum brake just for the parking brake or does it
activate the disc brake caliper somehow?

the rear brake have a drum and disk in the same part, and 2 diferents
sets of pads.

 

[R]

Is there a separate drum brake just for the parking brake or does it

yes, cable operated mini drum brake on inner side of disk rotor

 

[John Varela]

It is a parking brake and two wheels have brake drums activated by a cable.
It is not much of a brake.

As recently as 50 years ago, what's now called the "parking brake" was called
the "emergency brake". Still earlier, before hydraulic brakes became common,
and when the service brakes were cable operated, the hand brake's performance
would have been comparable to that of the service brakes. Cars went slower in
those days, too. Eventually it became clear that the hand brake wasn't
actually useful in an emergency, and the introduction of dual braking systems
put the coup de gras to any pretense that an emergency brake was needed or
useful. So now it's called the parking brake. Personally, I never use it; I
leave an automatic transmission in Park and a manual transmission in forward
or reverse (depending on which end of the car points down).

(My first car was a 1949 Dodge. Its parking/emergency brake operated by
closing pads on the drive shaft. Thus, if one rear wheel was on slick ice,
the differential would permit the other wheel to turn. That was even less of
a brake than most.)

 

[CompUser]

4.249.72.35.Dial1.Washington2.Level3.net>,
(e-mail address removed) says...

those days, too. Eventually it became clear that the hand brake wasn't
actually useful in an emergency,

They come in pretty handy when a brake line snaps
off. Ask how I know this...

Personally, I never use it; I
leave an automatic transmission in Park and a manual transmission in forward
or reverse (depending on which end of the car points down).

I would not recommend this as a normal course of
action. The parking pawl in automatics is not as
strong as you might think, and if an MT car is
"bumped", it can "pop out" of gear. In either
case, a low-speed bump could end with your
vehicle rolling away to where ever.

Unless you expect freezing temps (and a lot of
vehicles don't have problems freezing up,
either), use the parking brake when parking.

Steve

 

[Chris Phillipo]

4.249.72.35.Dial1.Washington2.Level3.net>, (e-mail address removed)
says...

As recently as 50 years ago, what's now called the "parking brake" was called
the "emergency brake". Still earlier, before hydraulic brakes became common,
and when the service brakes were cable operated, the hand brake's performance
would have been comparable to that of the service brakes. Cars went slower in
those days, too. Eventually it became clear that the hand brake wasn't
actually useful in an emergency, and the introduction of dual braking systems
put the coup de gras to any pretense that an emergency brake was needed or
useful. So now it's called the parking brake. Personally, I never use it; I
leave an automatic transmission in Park and a manual transmission in forward
or reverse (depending on which end of the car points down).

(My first car was a 1949 Dodge. Its parking/emergency brake operated by
closing pads on the drive shaft. Thus, if one rear wheel was on slick ice,
the differential would permit the other wheel to turn. That was even less of
a brake than most.)

The reason I was wondering about the one in the Forester is that it's
useful for getting started on steer hills with the manual transmission,
but not if it can't even hold the weight of the car like many I've
owned. Then of course there's the need to yank on it once in a while
when you go into a gravel turn with too much understeer

 

[John Williams]

The reason I was wondering about the one in the Forester is that it's
useful for getting started on steer hills with the manual transmission,
but not if it can't even hold the weight of the car like many I've
owned. Then of course there's the need to yank on it once in a while
when you go into a gravel turn with too much understeer
--

For better or worse, that is what the hill holder is for.

 

[Chris Phillipo]

For better or worse, that is what the hill holder is for.

Problem is, it doesn't come on the 1999-2000 Forester.

 

[Jon]

I have a WRX and the parking/emergency brake holds the weight of the car on
steep hills. The only thing i need to work on is to slip my clutch better to
avoid that stench

 

[Al]

I have a WRX and the parking/emergency brake holds the weight of the car on
steep hills. The only thing i need to work on is to slip my clutch better to
avoid that stench

Leaving your car in gear while parked is unwise. If someone bumps your
car, it will likely damage your transmission. Better to turn your wheels
into the curb so if the parking brake fails, the roll will be stopped by
the curb.

In a number of areas, I have seen police cruisers, when they are parked
behind a car on a highway in the breakdown lane, point thier cruisers to
the side of the road. When an idiot hits them, the cruiser is pushed
into the bushes and doesn't hit the car in front of it, nor the officer
and the deliquent.

Al

 

[John Varela]

In a number of areas, I have seen police cruisers, when they are parked
behind a car on a highway in the breakdown lane, point thier cruisers to
the side of the road. When an idiot hits them, the cruiser is pushed
into the bushes and doesn't hit the car in front of it, nor the officer
and the deliquent.

Which is a reason for *not* turning the steering wheel for a left turn until
actually making the turn, so that if hit from behind you're not pushed into
oncoming traffic.

 

[John Varela]

Leaving your car in gear while parked is unwise. If someone bumps your
car, it will likely damage your transmission. Better to turn your wheels
into the curb so if the parking brake fails, the roll will be stopped by
the curb.

I've been driving for 50 years, have habitually left the car either in first
or reverse if a manual, or in Park if an automatic, and have never had a
problem of the sort you describe. The mechanical advantage imparted by the
differential and the low gear make the practice safe short of someone smashing
into the car at speed.

 

[Mike]

I've been driving for 50 years, have habitually left the car either in first
or reverse if a manual, or in Park if an automatic, and have never had a
problem of the sort you describe. The mechanical advantage imparted by the
differential and the low gear make the practice safe short of someone smashing
into the car at speed.

I haven't been driving, or even alive that long , and I'd agree that
leaving a standard in 1st is generally the norm, and to think that someone
bumping your car would damage the transmission, seems foolish. Imagine
the state of the part of the car that got 'bumped' if your transmission is
damaged?
Now a tired motor losing compression, parked on a hill is another story.....

 

[Charles Perry]

I haven't been driving, or even alive that long , and I'd agree that
leaving a standard in 1st is generally the norm, and to think that someone
bumping your car would damage the transmission, seems foolish. Imagine
the state of the part of the car that got 'bumped' if your transmission is
damaged?
Now a tired motor losing compression, parked on a hill is another

story.....

I drove my last truck (a full size Ford 4x4 with manual) for over 10 years.
Before that I drove an Isuzu truck with a manual tranny. I always did the
following when I parked: of course use the brake to come to a stop; while
holding down the brake pedal and clutch, shift to first; turn off engine
(still holding brake and clutch); release clutch (still holding brake); set
emergency brake (still holding brake); release brake. Now I drive an
automatic and still park the truck and set the emergency brake before
releasing the brake pedal. Habits die hard.

My wife has been driving automatics longer than I have and never sets her
emergency brake on her Subaru. She just puts it in park. She does the same
when she drives my truck, and for some reason that bothers me (doesn't seem
to bother me that she does not set the emergency brake on her car).

Charles Perry P.E.

 

[John Varela]

Now a tired motor losing compression, parked on a hill is another story...

I seldom park on hills, but when I do I always turn the wheels toward the curb
and let the car roll until the tire is up against the curb.

 

[Chris Phillipo]

I haven't been driving, or even alive that long , and I'd agree that
leaving a standard in 1st is generally the norm, and to think that someone
bumping your car would damage the transmission, seems foolish. Imagine
the state of the part of the car that got 'bumped' if your transmission is
damaged?
Now a tired motor losing compression, parked on a hill is another story.....

If in reverse and bumped from behind it could cause damage to a lot of
things, since hand brakes are unreliable and frequently out of
adjustment I think leaving it in gear in addition to using the brake is
the safest thing to do.

 

[Chris Phillipo]

I drove my last truck (a full size Ford 4x4 with manual) for over 10 years.
Before that I drove an Isuzu truck with a manual tranny. I always did the
following when I parked: of course use the brake to come to a stop; while
holding down the brake pedal and clutch, shift to first; turn off engine
(still holding brake and clutch); release clutch (still holding brake); set
emergency brake (still holding brake); release brake. Now I drive an
automatic and still park the truck and set the emergency brake before
releasing the brake pedal. Habits die hard.

My wife has been driving automatics longer than I have and never sets her
emergency brake on her Subaru. She just puts it in park. She does the same
when she drives my truck, and for some reason that bothers me (doesn't seem
to bother me that she does not set the emergency brake on her car).

Charles Perry P.E.

My father has always done that with automatics, and he never has a
problem getting it out of park because the car is never resting on the
parking pawl of the transmission. Me ont he other hand, I always leave
my 4000 pounds of truck resting on it and then pull the brake because I
never think about that stupid handle Toyota has buried under the dash
until it's too late

 

[Charles Perry]

(e-mail address removed) says...

My father has always done that with automatics, and he never has a
problem getting it out of park because the car is never resting on the
parking pawl of the transmission. Me ont he other hand, I always leave
my 4000 pounds of truck resting on it and then pull the brake because I
never think about that stupid handle Toyota has buried under the dash
until it's too late

My mother-in-law had a Dodge (some form of k-car) that was nearly impossible
to get out of park if on even a slight grade. My wife drove that car for a
couple of years and still never "learned" to set the emergency brake first,
hahahaha.

Charles Perry P.E.