Re: Emergency Brakes When Regular Brakes Fail

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

"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.

--
Posted using the http://www.autoforumz.com interface, at author's request
Articles individually checked for conformance to usenet standards
Topic URL: http://www.autoforumz.com/GM-Emergen...ict131062.html
Visit Topic URL to contact author (reg. req'd). Report abuse: http://www.autoforumz.com/eform.php?p=638240

"N8N" <njnagel@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

if your regular brakes are overheated, unless you're driving
corvette or some other car with an exotic e-brake setup, hitting th
e-brake is actually going to get you LESS than hitting the regula
brake pedal. reason? they use the SAME brakes! (well, the rear se
of your normal brakes anyhow. with the exception being like i said
on the corvette, & possibly a very few others). your BEST bet i
if you HAVE to do lots of quick hard stops like that, & don'
already have metallic pads, get them. secondly, you could tr
cross-drilling your rotors to improve cooling (motorcycles & aut
racers have been doing it successfully for years). when brakes ar
that overheated though, continuing to hold the pedal down will onl
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 soone
they'll work again. they can cool down surprisingly fast, so if yo
have enough distance, let off the brakes for a second or two if yo
can, then re-apply. i know from experience that the amount o
braking you'll get from your trans may slow you down a bit, but i
wont bring you anywhere near a stop (i.e. if you're racing from ligh
to light, & you're at 80 & realize you have no brakes
dropping the trans down into low might get you slowed down to abou
65 before you go flying thru the intersection)