Handbrake

[gassed up]

Always use the handbrake, as per "One for the roads " post the locking mechanism is not the most substantial. Belt and braces just in case you find yourself with your trousers around your ankles.

 

[Jim2]

Lifelong force of habit, can't help it. Left leg automatically goes on the brake pedal, and that's it. ( on the other hand,,,sometimes, forget to release it.....)
But now it's due it's NCT ( MOT ) and I think that it may need adjusting. Any advice / tip's, or things to watch out for?? Have never done a handbrake in an MB before, so any help is appreciated.
In general, I find that while it does the job, it does not have quite the same "bite" that you will find in other car's ? Or is it just my imagination???

 

[gassed up]

With Mercedes the handbrake and service brake are independent of each other consequently the handbrake shoes should not wear. Problems can arise if the cables and/or compensators become stiff or seize. This can stop the shoes releasing and then they will wear rapidly. If you want to inspect the shoes it's relatively simple to unbolt the caliper, cable tie it out of the way and pull the combined disc and drum off. There's plenty of youtube tutorials on this and also how the adjusters work.

 

[LostKiwi]

When parking on snow on a slope if you only put it in P you risk the car sliding down the hill.
If one wheel has minimal grip the other will spin the wheel with no grip in the opposite direction and roll away. Applying the parking brake prevents this.

 

[NBurns]

Personally I will be using my foot/hand brake when I get my next Mercedes-Benz with automatic transmission.
Mmmm. I'm also feeling like an upgrade to the E class version of mine. If there is one.


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[EmilysDad]

With Mercedes the handbrake and service brake are independent of each other consequently ......

A top hat disc drum set up is not just a Merc thing. My big Vauxhalls had exactly the same thing though they used a conventional hand brake, and my Dad's Kia is the same and uses a foot operated parking brake. Conversely, my ML's electric parking brake uses the the pads on the disc ..... presumably cheaper.

 

[davidsl500]

My Series 1 XJ6 had separate handbrake pads (GDB709 - always remember that!) They were as grippy as grabbing an eel with wet hands.......

It's so much nicer pushing a button to engage it on the R172 and it releasing automatically if I forget to take it off.... I was always a little disconcerted by the "Bang" when releasing the R129's handbrake...

 

[mioba]

Look at it another way, Why is there a handbrake there...

Anyway your Father in Law is correct.

Brakes are used to hold a car. Gears are not - they serve an entireely different purpose.

 

[Botus]

Hi chaps..would you all settle a friendly argument between my father in law and myself..i ask him to move my car off the drive earlier on today.which he did.but i dont use the handbrake as its an auto(my dad never did when he drove his sdi rover(auto).father in law gets out my car and says..y dont u use ur handbrake,u have to use the handbrake itl roll if u dont..i say dont need to its auto...whos is right


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its the law to use the handbrake to park on public roads
it is a sensible idea to use wherever you park
the stupid pawl is a lazy bodge to assist and should never be the only thing used if you park on a hill
not using the handbrake will allow it to seize up and thus fail its MOT
years back when on the spanners we got quite a few RR and Jags in with damage to the gearbox (that meant the box had to come out to fix) from issues where only P had been used

 

[EmilysDad]

....
not using the handbrake will allow it to seize up and thus fail its MOT ....

So they say ....

 

[Botus]

was another very common one on RR

if you have exposed linkages like some do, a bit of road salt, damp and no use is a great recipe for things to get stuck

 

[gassed up]

My Series 1 XJ6 had separate handbrake pads (GDB709 - always remember that!) They were as grippy as grabbing an eel with wet hands.......

It's so much nicer pushing a button to engage it on the R172 and it releasing automatically if I forget to take it off.... I was always a little disconcerted by the "Bang" when releasing the R129's handbrake...

You brought back memories of the Uniparts parts numbering scheme. In the early 70's I worked briefly as a box rat in a BLMC garage. The numbers of parts that commonly failed, and God knows with BLMC there were plenty of those, would stick in your head. Mini bypass hose GZA2083, oil filler cap GFE6003, yes I am a sad b*stard.

 

[Taffy7hfa]

My Series 1 XJ6 had separate handbrake pads (GDB709 - always remember that!) They were as grippy as grabbing an eel with wet hands.......

It's so much nicer pushing a button to engage it on the R172 and it releasing automatically if I forget to take it off.... I was always a little disconcerted by the "Bang" when releasing the R129's handbrake...

Haha...Just goes to show how different we all are, I absolutely detest the electric handbrake on my Insignia, but really like the foot operated parking brake on the ML , it's true it would be a dull old world if we were all the same

 

[EmilysDad]

Haha...Just goes to show how different we all are, I absolutely detest the electric handbrake on my Insignia, but really like the foot operated parking brake on the ML , it's true it would be a dull old world if we were all the same

.... and people often hate the Merc's parking brake because it's different.

 

[Jim2]

We have the automatic ( if selected) parking brake on the Superb, and it's something that I have never liked. Give me the mechanical foot brake on the MB, with the "HOLD" function when you press the brake a 2nd time...and automatically releases when you press the accelerator. Great system.

 

[davidsl500]

We have the automatic ( if selected) parking brake on the Superb, and it's something that I have never liked. Give me the mechanical foot brake on the MB, with the "HOLD" function when you press the brake a 2nd time...and automatically releases when you press the accelerator. Great system.

Yep, got hold as well as the electronic handbrake - thumbs up to both for me..

 

[Srdl]

Yep, got hold as well as the electronic handbrake - thumbs up to both for me..

+1

 

[davemercedes]

I absolutely detest the foot operated parking brake. It,s a shame MB didn't finish the job and make it all electric. SWMBOs Renault Scenic has the auto electric brake - the lever to release or set it manually is almost exactly the same as my MB. When new, the "half-done" MB was £10K dearer!

 

[davemercedes]

Question: In the old days, I was told to always use the handbrake because it operated the self adjusting mechanism. -Does that apply to using the foot parking brake?

 

[EmilysDad]

I absolutely detest the foot operated parking brake. It,s a shame MB didn't finish the job and make it all electric.

Merc put an electric parking brake in my ML ..... it was a normal foot operated set up in my R Class. I still rarely use it & am glad it doesn't apply itself automatically.
How can you detest a foot operated parking brake? The Yanks have used them for years ... they keep the centre tunnel clear