Emergency Brakes When Regular Brakes Fail

"Brad" <bpetria.RemoveThis@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:42e8c465.503772@news.bellatlantic.net...
> Hi,
>
> If you lost your brakes, the emergency brakes are used, but
> they will not stop you right away (I did a test). With an automatic
> transmission in an old 79 Chev station wagon, is it ok to shift
> to low gear (to slow down) first when you are traveling, say 50 MPH?
>
> Thanks in advance, Brad
>
>@#@ I had to use the emergency brakes once when an brake hose on my old
>chev broke as I was comming to an red light, I down shifted and gently
>pulled on the brake lever I did manage to stop in time. It was an somewhat
>unnerveing experience.

Rey
>
 >> Stay informed about: Emergency Brakes When Regular Brakes Fail 

N8N wrote:

Brad wrote: > Hi, > > If you lost your brakes, the emergency brakes are used, but > they will not stop you right away (I did a test). With an automatic > transmission in an old 79 Chev station wagon, is it ok to shift > to low gear (to slow down) first when you are traveling, say 50 MPH? > Probably not. It is likely that that would lock up the rear wheels and cause a possible loss of control, although it would slow you right down. nate

It would not be a problem at all to downshift (just not reverse) Hydromatics are locked out at engaging at speed above which could cause control loss or damage to drive train. You can even select first at 80 but it will not engage until between 25 and 40 mph (depending on rear axle ratio) and instead will go into second gear until it gets to a safe downshift shift speed. The only time you "might" ever lose traction momentarily would be on very slick pavement because a 79 chevy wagon is not light in the rear end and it will take a lot to break it loose and the down shift is not that harsh anyway.
 >> Stay informed about: Emergency Brakes When Regular Brakes Fail 

"N8N" <njnagel RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in news:1122554903.373612.157020
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

>
>
> Brad wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> If you lost your brakes, the emergency brakes are used, but
>> they will not stop you right away (I did a test). With an automatic
>> transmission in an old 79 Chev station wagon, is it ok to shift
>> to low gear (to slow down) first when you are traveling, say 50 MPH?
>>
>
> Probably not. It is likely that that would lock up the rear wheels and
> cause a possible loss of control, although it would slow you right
> down.
>
> nate
>
>

Um, most attomatics wnt hit first till they slow down enough in 2nd. From
personal experience, but this was a much older car. I would use a combo of
trans downshifting, and e-braking. Anything to bring down the speed!



--
1984 RZ350
 >> Stay informed about: Emergency Brakes When Regular Brakes Fail 

if your regular brakes are overheated, unless you're driving a
corvette or some other car with an exotic e-brake setup, hitting the
e-brake is actually going to get you LESS than hitting the regular
brake pedal. reason? they use the SAME brakes! (well, the rear set
of your normal brakes anyhow. with the exception being like i said,
on the corvette, & possibly a very few others). your BEST bet is
if you HAVE to do lots of quick hard stops like that, & don't
already have metallic pads, get them. secondly, you could try
cross-drilling your rotors to improve cooling (motorcycles & auto
racers have been doing it successfully for years). when brakes are
that overheated though, continuing to hold the pedal down will only
increase the time it takes before you will be able to use them again.
the sooner you let off, the sooner they'll cool, and the sooner
they'll work again. they can cool down surprisingly fast, so if you
have enough distance, let off the brakes for a second or two if you
can, then re-apply. i know from experience that the amount of
braking you'll get from your trans may slow you down a bit, but it
wont bring you anywhere near a stop (i.e. if you're racing from light
to light, & you're at 80 & realize you have no brakes,
dropping the trans down into low might get you slowed down to about
65 before you go flying thru the intersection).
 >> Stay informed about: Emergency Brakes When Regular Brakes Fail