MotorsportsAustin

iTrader: (1)

primer: I do not want a vehicle with electronic parking brake in place of a mechanical manual emergency brake, hence the thread question (which probably should be a poll).

Do you prefer electronic, or mechanical, and why?


I'll go first. Mechanical because it's a 100% separate brake system, and not hydraulic, nor battery powered. It's literally a drum brake on the inside of the rotor, and will work every time if it's in good shape. So it's an actual back up system, a true emergency (not just parking) brake. I also value simplicity where available.

Thanks!

20004.6

Mechanical, because it is more reliable, when properly adjusted and working.

STeXy

Seems the electronic brakes use the actual hydraulic brake system because the brake pedal goes down if you have your foot on it while engaging it. So that parking brake is superior in aspect to stopping the truck from rolling. Also like how I don't have to release it, just put it in gear and step on the accelerator.

BlackBoost

Mechanical. Because I can feel the brake being engaged instead of assuming that it is. Also as mentioned, good for emergencies so you can slowly put the e-brake on. I can only assume the electronic parking brakes won't engage if in drive and rolling. Even if it does engage, it uses the hydraulics, which probably aren't working which is why you're using the parking brake to stop in the first place.

moparado

There's enough electronic crap in these new vehicles. Just because they can doesn't mean they should.
They used to call them emergency brakes, now they call them parking brakes.

My preference would include both. Electronic strictly for everyday parking and old school mechanical for emergency brake failure and working on a vehicle.
A bunch of years ago i had a catastrophic brake failure in one of my cars and white knuckled it back home using the mechanical emergency brake.

When working on a lifted vehicle with the battery disconnected the last thing i want is an electronic brake.

Alan in bc

That is because the electric actuators in the rear calipers push the piston and pads in to the rotor, and what you feel through the pedal is the small increase in the amount of brake fluid that is now behind the piston to take up the space. Sorry, not a very well-written technical description.
Overall, I like the electric parking brake. It is either "on" fully or "off". No being on the boat ramp and "hoping" that I full engaged the brake. Also good for taking off on a steep hill.

johnday in BFE

iTrader: (1)

^^Exactly.
BTW, there's hasn't been an "emergency" brakes on a vehicle in any of our lifetimes. It's a "parking" brake, not that it can't be used in an emegency, at low speed, in case you were to bust a brakeline, yes that happened to me a few years ago. But in an emrgency? LOL, you're just gonna be SOL.

Finlay150

I prefer the mechanical because it's easier/cheaper to fix. My 18 is electronic. Not a big deal.

Napalm

before I vote a query

Are you referring to the drum in rotor parking brake on the previous edition F150? Was it actually meant to be a emergency brake? I believe it was a parking brake only - and that if applied at speed it would release.

Similar to what is found on other cars. It is not sized nor intended to be a backup to the real brakes on the vehicle. I never owned a previous gen F150 so I don't have a owners manual reference on hand.

Napalm

now my vote - electrical version 3 as found on few sports cars. This is coming from currently owning 2 cars with mechanical pull cable parking brakes. Neither is listed or intended to be used as an emergency brake.

Where version 3 comes from. On the market today are 3 versions of electronic parking brake. the F150 uses V2. V1 was a motor and gear set that pulled a cable on a dedicated ratchet caliper on the brake rotor.

V2 also pulls a cable but this uses a different caliper design such that it is the standard brake caliper that applies the pressure. As someone above pointed out this is why your pedal falls a tick when you apply the parking brake on your F150 it is pulling down fluid in the piston and also locking the caliper in place. This new motor is also self adjusting.

V3 however is the most expensive and the version I would prefer as it has a second back up. This uses a new brake caliper with a motor and screw drive on the back that drives home the pison upon application - and since it would be on either 2 or even all 4 wheels - it has more redundancy. I prefer this better but it makes for a rather expensive caliper.

I like what's on the F150 it suits the needs - but I'd prefer the more expensive version. I however don't mind the mechanical system either but I'm glad not to have it on the new truck. When titled a parking brake in the manual, it is not intended to be a emergency brake. 2 different needs.