I have been watching too many Ken Block videos..

What is the deal with these Vertical handbrakes that sit next to the gear stick?

Are they good? Where do you get them?

Never used or seen one, but I suppose the hydraulics have the same benefit as the hydraulics in the normal brakes do. More travel but with less force applied, resulting in a greater braking power. They're probably great for drifting if you're into that sort of thing.

They are usually set up to lock the rear wheels only. Very useful for motorkhanas and autox.

You can buy complete kits with fancy alloy handles on eBay for about $250-300. Ouch! Search on "Hydraulic Handbrake".

Or you can but the Landrover Series Two clutch master cylinder used in the kits for $45.00 posted. Then make up your own brackets and handle however you want.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220620767093

I bought the landrover cylinder above yesterday to fit it to the Moke.

Caveat: They are not road leeeegal, so set it up so you can remove the handle when not in use...

Cheers,

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

rockcrawling vehicles also use a similar device to lock wheels individually, so you can lock say the front left, and when you put the power on, youll turn in a circle around that wheel.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

The main benefit of a vertical handbrake in a mini is that as it's closer to the steering wheel, it takes less time to grab it. You don't really need a hydraulic handbrake in a mini as th rears lock up fairly easily anyway.

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Too many cars, and too little time.

I considered connecting the hydraulic cylinder to the now-redundant clutch pedal so I could keep both hands on the wheel.

But that would put me in the "specials" class if the scrutineers noticed.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

you idiot - why say that in public!

I couldn't do it, I usually only have one hand on the wheel in a khana anyway, and as soon as I lift my left foot off the firewall I fall over in my seat

Andrew Collier's automatic special that they win the AMC with has a hand operated handbrake - I think so do the other Renault based specials that compete

Because if I think of these devious things and then say them in public, I'm not tempted to cheat and actually DO them.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

No, I think it is only AC's. The others have push/pull levers for left or right or various other similar means. The big difference here of course, is that the specials are designed to lock either side individually, whereas the type discussed here normally lock both wheels at the same time.

EDIT - actually I'll rethink that. They are ALL Hand operated. Are your confusing it for the switch he uses to flick it into reverse or drive (which from memory is mounted in top of the handbrake lever)?
KB

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At least a couple of the specials I've seen have 4 pedals:

Throttle
Clutch
Brakes
Rear brakes only (both sides)

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Too many cars, and too little time.

Ppppffffttttt specials!!! Even fat blokes in 50 y/o mini's can beat them

Doogie

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I won Hay once, here's the pic to prove it..


Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

Did he break something again?

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Not this time, well the fat bloke did'nt actually beat Andrew, but beat all the other ones & got within 0.23 of Andrew.

Doogie

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I won Hay once, here's the pic to prove it..


Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

I made the hydraulic handbrake for my mini, the handle pivots just behind the standard hand brake and sits forward at about 45 degrees, the end of it is just above and a little to the left of the gearstick. The handle is easily removed and the master hides under the back seat

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Dean Hutton's first car was a Mini.