E-Brake usage

[Frankenstipe]

I admit I'm ignorant when it comes to cars, but I would still like to learn how to have fun in it without damaging it too much. There are some good farm roads around where I live so I will often go out and challenge the corners as Itsuki would say. I do so as safely as possible, always watching my speed and for oncoming cars. But often I get a little feisty and will purposely go a little faster before the turn, let off the gas, turn and pull the e-brake, then let it go once I am around the corner enough and get back on the gas. There's a fair amount of dirt/gravel on the road, but it doesn't feel like enough to initiate an actual slide. So I don't do this much because I've read it can damage your e-brake due to fluids or something, still a little fuzzy on it.

My question is this. If I eventually wear out my rear drum brake pads due to what I've been doing, would it be a better idea to switch the rear brakes to disc, or would I still wear those out as much as the drum?

Also what exactly is better for using the e-brake, drum or disc, and which is the least expensive to replace? And which is safer?

Please don't tell me I'm stupid, just answer my questions in a civilized way.

[falnfenix]

you drive a FWD vehicle, right?

i'd worry more about the cost of tires than the ebrake...because FWD "drifting" creates mad bald spots.


as a sidenote, if you really want to drift, get a RWD vehicle. if you want to have FUN with what you have, get involved in the sport of autocross...that's at least in a controlled environment.

[REN69]

and yes, it does wear out your brakes

[Donald]

Originally Posted by falnfenix

you drive a FWD vehicle, right?

i'd worry more about the cost of tires than the ebrake...because FWD "drifting" creates mad bald spots.


as a sidenote, if you really want to drift, get a RWD vehicle. if you want to have FUN with what you have, get involved in the sport of autocross...that's at least in a controlled environment.

I second all of what falnfenix said .........

Autocross to me is just about the most fun you can have in a car, still keep all your clothes where they should be, and not break the bank.

Balls to the wall at 40mph! Oh what fun!!!

Search for a sports car club in your area. If there isn't one, start one.

[Dragonmaster]

Both drum and disc brakes use a drum type ebrake. Z the rear disc brakes are shaped like a hat and house a drum type e-brake in the part you would put your head in. Because the circumference of the disc hat is smaller the brake is less effective.

All you'll do by e-brake sliding is create bald tires, wear out your PARKING brake (emergency was dropped a number of years ago by most manufaturers due to a number of reasons I won't go into) and wear out your bushings on your rear ssupension due to sideways forces they are not designed to take.

Have fun.

[94_Rolla_Guy]

also be careful because the e-brake ratchets your pads outwards to account for wear, if you use it too many times in too short a time you can acctually jamb your brakes on! also yes it does quickly wear out your brakes...

[Frankenstipe]

Thanks for the feedback, I'm convinced that I won't be using my e-brake anymore for what I have been doing. I didn't realize it had that much of a negative effect. I will definitly start looking into this autocross thing, but I don't really want to spend a serious amount of money tuning up my car for this one thing that I'm not that interested in in the first place. It sounds like fun but I'd much rather save my car as a gas saver and not a suped up econo car. Which is why I've been talking about getting a hachi roku.

[falnfenix]

if you're not interested in it, then don't abuse the car in the first place. a stock vehicle just isn't meant to handle the kind of abuse you're going for.

FYI, Corollas are NOT easy vehicles to drift...get a 240 first.

[Frankenstipe]

Yeah I just realized I shouldn't be doing what I've been doing. I'm not really in any position money wise to be doing anything with my car but driving economically, which is what I'm going to be doing from now on....most of the time.

I don't really care if it's easy to drift or not, the harder it is the longer I'll have fun learning with it. I don't want to learn too fast and have all the fun of cars vanish within a couple years, I want this to be a long lasting thing, I'm only 20 after all. (I'm a bit of an optimist in the respect that I think I'll live to be an old man)

Plus as I'm sure you've already deduced I just started getting into this after my friend showed me Initial D. I kinda have my mind set on a hachi roku, if I try learning on anything else I just don't think I'll have as much fun.

Thanks for everything guys, it's appreciated.

[falnfenix]

you still won't have too much fun, as you'll be repairing/replacing parts fairly regularly. remember, the car is going to be more than 20 years old. expect to replace the suspension, possibly the transmission, maybe the rear diff, all 4 tires on a fairly regular schedule...and this is on top of the general maintenance and whatever else may break.

if you can't afford it, then start saving up now. this is one of the more expensive hobbies out there...and i've watch people go bankrupt trying to keep their fun car on the road.
[/wet blanket]



all that said, i'm sure drifting can be fun...because of things like Initial D, actual drift schools exist. supposedly there's one in Cali. i suggest you look into it. good luck, and please learn as much as you can before you jump headfirst into something you may not be able to handle.

[Frankenstipe]

Originally Posted by falnfenix

you still won't have too much fun, as you'll be repairing/replacing parts fairly regularly. remember, the car is going to be more than 20 years old. expect to replace the suspension, possibly the transmission, maybe the rear diff, all 4 tires on a fairly regular schedule...and this is on top of the general maintenance and whatever else may break.

if you can't afford it, then start saving up now. this is one of the more expensive hobbies out there...and i've watch people go bankrupt trying to keep their fun car on the road.
[/wet blanket]



all that said, i'm sure drifting can be fun...because of things like Initial D, actual drift schools exist. supposedly there's one in Cali. i suggest you look into it. good luck, and please learn as much as you can before you jump headfirst into something you may not be able to handle.

Thanks, I intend to. I won't have anywhere near enough money for anything for at least another year. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can now so it doesn't seem like such a heavy burden in the future. I agree though it will be expensive and alot of hard work, but I don't have anything else besides food, bills, gas and mixing music to spend my money on so I figure when the time comes everything should be ok.

I've never had anything I've wanted to be committed to for a long time so this is all just soo exciting to me. I have to constantly remind myself to calm the eff down and think.

[falnfenix]

well, i'm glad you're taking my advice. enjoy not having any real cost of living expenses...stay there as long as you can, dude. when you move out and are on your own, your money will be stretched very thin if you try to keep your toys as well as keep a roof over your head.

now if only i could listen to myself...lol. two cars, looking to get a bike, one guitar and one bass guitar, one range pistol, and there are so many other things i want to do. MAN i wish i still lived at home!

[Frankenstipe]

Hehe yeah it's nice, although I don't technically live with my parent's, but I still live under a roof they pay for. My parent's bought a house for my sister and I because they knew we were both going to be living up here for a very long time. I'm not sure how much longer they plan on keeping this house but it's a very nice house with a great location so we are both going to be fighting them all the way on selling it, even if it means paying rent ourselves. We live with 4 or 5 other people we've grown attached to aswell.

[falnfenix]

damn...now i'm jealous. i've been paying my way since i was a little younger than you...started paying rent at 18, and my rent costs increased when i discontinued school(damn tuition is too expensive!). what you SHOULD be doing is saving to buy that residence off your parents...a home is the best investment you can make for yourself. home ownership will actually benefit you, while paying rent, paying for cars, etc is nothing more than throwing that money away. true, money is meant to be spent, but you've gotta take care of your needs first. put away enough for a down payment on a home, then worry about the toys (i wish someone had told me this years ago).

as a little tip...DO NOT overpay on a Corolla. since you're hellbent on getting one, shop around. don't pay a lot...the car isn't worth a lot to begin with, and people jack the sale price up. go over the cars you look at with a fine-toothed comb. bring a mechanic with you for the professional opinion.

[Frankenstipe]

Yeah that's another thing that concerns me, but I'm confident things will work out. I've gotten many lectures from my dad (a tax attorney ) about planning for my future, but I'm not one to dwell on such issues, life can be fun no matter what you do so long as you remain at least a little positive. I think I would have made a great mental patient.

I don't really plan on spending more than $1500-$2000 on a used car, anymore than that and it won't be worth fixing up seeing as how the previous owner probably already poured money into it fixing it themselves.