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Has anyone installed a hydraulic handbrake on their NA? Im doing more Motorkhanas and with the grippy Toyo R888's on it the std system isn't coping.

It appears there is a single hydraulic line going to the rear so shouldn't be too hard to plumb into that - correct?

Other tips / hints?

Peter

It sounds like something you would need to be engineered to be legal.

I wonder if any of the drifters have installed one?

One of the SR20DET MX-5s has a hydraulic handbrake.

I'll see if I have photos at home.

Cool - thx Okibi.

Im thinking I'll use the std handle mechanism and be able to dis/connect either std handbrake or hydraulic so at events it will be hydraulic (with ratchet disabled) and other times std cable...

Still researching...

Peter

my MX5SR20 det has a hydraulic handbrake. it was easy to fit. Much easier than the last one I did where I had to try and battle with ABS.

the only downside is that when you push the brakes in it pushes the handbrake off (unless you attach a separate caliper to the disc and run a separate hydraulic line) so the trick is drive... brake... turn... release brake... apply hydraulic handbrake and around you go

i did mine all up for $600

Is you car Warwick Gates' old MX?

thats me. I fitted the handbrake in attempt to keep up with these bloody Evo's and Sti's. works a treat on the turns, but the launch is still a problem with only 2wd.

the std handbrake is rubbish and cannot be adjusted to be effective if you have sticky tyres

Warwick had the same issues.

There's a few more pics on this page:
http://www.mx5club.com.au/news.php?eitem=2007072900

depending on how much force you need I remember there was a modification that could be done to the standard brake to increase the handbrake force, someone else can find the thread I'm sure
Because I'm too lazy to google

The first step is to adjust the little allen grub screw in the back of the caliper that is hidden behind a bolt.Adjust this up and it makes a great difference to teh things grabbing.

If you are looking for a hydraulic setup then I believe most of the rally guys just use a brake master cylinder from a series 2 or 3 landrover(cant remember exactly which one) it has a remote resivoir. The rear brake line is run up into the car and through the cylinder which is connected to either the origional handbrake lever or another one. But ofcourse this system would more than likely be illegal on the road. I have seen people fit a second set of rear calipers just for the handbrake though not on an mx5.

Brendan_aussie wrote:...

the only downside is that when you push the brakes in it pushes the handbrake off (unless you attach a separate caliper to the disc and run a separate hydraulic line) so the trick is drive... brake... turn... release brake... apply hydraulic handbrake and around you go

i did mine all up for $600

OK - great - can you describe how you did it? Im assuming you've looped the rear brake line up to where the hand brake is and plumbed it in with the h'brake. Is there a design to avoid the foot brake issue without having a sep system /calipers?

Thx
Peter

Okibi wrote:Warwick had the same issues.

...

with beating the Evo / STI's or the handbrake operation?

Peter

Both

zoom zoom is exactly right. the landrover kit system was the first one I went for, but then I split the slave cylinder, so I went for the Stewart Wilkins motorsport kit (www.swmotorsport.com.au) and that worked really well.

I mounted a vertical brake lever in front of the existing handbrake (and kept the existing handbrake) Its a neat fit with little flex and pleanty of leverage. Happy to post pics if anyone interested

regards

brendan

Brendan Aussie - yes - Pics pls!

Peter