If someone cuts your brake line, and you lose the ability to brake your car...

Legendary

Diamond Member
Jan 22, 2002
7,020
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I'm curious because I see this on TV all the time, someone is murdered because someone cuts their brake line...is the e-brake connected to the same line? Or will pulling it engage the brakes and stop your car?
 

DainBramaged

Lifer
Jun 19, 2003
23,449
38
91
Yes, it will slow your vehicle. It is cable based and does not rely on the hydraulics of the brake line.
 

schneiderguy

Lifer
Jun 26, 2006
10,769
52
91
i dont think it will stop the car. ive driven 10 miles with the ebrake on :eek:

i think you're supposed to put the car in neutral to stop it if your brakes fail.
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
One thing's for sure. If they sever your brake line, they break your car. :p
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,511
219
106
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
i dont think it will stop the car. ive driven 10 miles with the ebrake on :eek:

i think you're supposed to put the car in neutral to stop it if your brakes fail.

Putting in neutral isn't going to slow you down much..at all.

Downshift + ebrake FTW.
 

Ricemarine

Lifer
Sep 10, 2004
10,507
0
0
Well... if your brake line is cut, then pumping the break is no use...

I do believe you're supposed to shift to neutral and pull the parking brake, and pull off when safe.

Or go up those hills which were meant for brake failures.
 

Kalvin00

Lifer
Jan 11, 2003
12,705
4
81
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
i dont think it will stop the car. ive driven 10 miles with the ebrake on :eek:

i think you're supposed to put the car in neutral to stop it if your brakes fail.

Putting in neutral isn't going to slow you down much..at all.

Downshift + ebrake FTW.

+1

except the ebrake on my tacoma sucks balls, lol
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
10,621
1
0
Yes, as said above the emergency brake uses a cable. However, if someone knows enough about cars to cut the brake lines, then there's no reason then wouldn't just cut the e-brake cable too.
 

DainBramaged

Lifer
Jun 19, 2003
23,449
38
91
Originally posted by: Ricemarine
Well... if your brake line is cut, then pumping the break is no use...

I do believe you're supposed to shift to neutral and pull the parking brake, and pull off when safe.

Or go up those hills which were meant for brake failures.

Neutral won't do sh!t. Downshift as far as you can + ebrake.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,511
219
106
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
i dont think it will stop the car. ive driven 10 miles with the ebrake on :eek:

i think you're supposed to put the car in neutral to stop it if your brakes fail.

Putting in neutral isn't going to slow you down much..at all.

Downshift + ebrake FTW.

+1

except the ebrake on my tacoma sucks balls, lol

Yours too, eh? So it's not just me. Perhaps it needs adjusting..haven't bothered to look at it yet...
 

Kalvin00

Lifer
Jan 11, 2003
12,705
4
81
Originally posted by: CadetLee

Yours too, eh? So it's not just me. Perhaps it needs adjusting..haven't bothered to look at it yet...

heh. mine is useless if im parked on anything fairly steep at all. just gotta hope it doesnt pop out of gear :D
 

thehstrybean

Diamond Member
Oct 25, 2004
5,729
1
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Originally posted by: Ricemarine
Well... if your brake line is cut, then pumping the break is no use...

I do believe you're supposed to shift to neutral and pull the parking brake, and pull off when safe.

Or go up those hills which were meant for brake failures.

Runaway truck ramps. Those things are a blast. I waited until it rained really hard here, then found ramp that was all muddy and nailed it. It was a blast...

 

DainBramaged

Lifer
Jun 19, 2003
23,449
38
91
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
Originally posted by: CadetLee

Yours too, eh? So it's not just me. Perhaps it needs adjusting..haven't bothered to look at it yet...

heh. mine is useless if im parked on anything fairly steep at all. just gotta hope it doesnt pop out of gear :D

I can picture you getting out and putting cinderblocks under your tires. That would be LOL.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,511
219
106
Though really, your brake light would be on as soon as you started the vehicle...and if you use your ebrake/parking brake when parked, you would notice the lack of tension if the cable were to be cut.

Originally posted by: Kalvin00
Originally posted by: CadetLee

Yours too, eh? So it's not just me. Perhaps it needs adjusting..haven't bothered to look at it yet...

heh. mine is useless if im parked on anything fairly steep at all. just gotta hope it doesnt pop out of gear :D

LOL...yep -- I stood on my tire once and the truck started to creep backward. I immediately hopped off and put it in gear. I had to park on a steep driveway once..brake wouldn't hold it, and leaving it in gear didn't feel too stable either. I think I put it in 4wd & then in gear..that did the trick. I really should check my rear brakes..
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,511
219
106
Originally posted by: DainBramaged
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
Originally posted by: CadetLee

Yours too, eh? So it's not just me. Perhaps it needs adjusting..haven't bothered to look at it yet...

heh. mine is useless if im parked on anything fairly steep at all. just gotta hope it doesnt pop out of gear :D

I can picture you getting out and putting cinderblocks under your tires. That would be LOL.

I used to drive a work truck for a friend of mine....the clutch pedal was wack and was very difficult to depress enough to hit the clutch safety switch (to start it), and his parking brake didn't work. So we almost never shut it off (F350 turbodiesel), and had to put a wheel chock down before I got out..
 

thescreensavers

Diamond Member
Aug 3, 2005
9,930
2
81
couldest you in theory put your car in revers and then I bet it would slow you down a whole lot. rather ruin your car then your life
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,459
854
126
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
i dont think it will stop the car. ive driven 10 miles with the ebrake on :eek:

i think you're supposed to put the car in neutral to stop it if your brakes fail.

I find it hard to believe that anyone of driving age is this stupid.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,459
854
126
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
i dont think it will stop the car. ive driven 10 miles with the ebrake on :eek:

i think you're supposed to put the car in neutral to stop it if your brakes fail.

Putting in neutral isn't going to slow you down much..at all.

Downshift + ebrake FTW.

+1

except the ebrake on my tacoma sucks balls, lol

You need to have it adjusted. It's painfully easy to do and it's very worthwhile.
 

Skeeedunt

Platinum Member
Oct 7, 2005
2,777
3
76
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
i dont think it will stop the car. ive driven 10 miles with the ebrake on :eek:

i think you're supposed to put the car in neutral to stop it if your brakes fail.

I find it hard to believe that anyone of driving age is this stupid.

no you don't

really though, why the hell would anyone think putting the car in neutral would slow you down?
 

chambersc

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2005
6,247
0
0
Think about this. If someone cuts your break line, you would know it really fast. When you back outta the parking spot at like 1 mph, you would realize that you couldn't break. I don't see how these "driving 50mph and breaks are out due to malice" are possible.
 

benliong

Golden Member
Jun 25, 2000
1,153
0
0
Originally posted by: mar23
i drove my car with a broken brake line

My friend did that once, and I was on the car. He kept engine-braking to slow down. Some drivers use that to save on brake pads.
 

Lithium381

Lifer
May 12, 2001
12,458
2
0
Originally posted by: thescreensavers
couldest you in theory put your car in revers and then I bet it would slow you down a whole lot. rather ruin your car then your life

near impossible to do at any real speed, reverse doesn't have those syncro things so you'd just get a bunch of grinding
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,034
8,717
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Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
i dont think it will stop the car. ive driven 10 miles with the ebrake on :eek:

i think you're supposed to put the car in neutral to stop it if your brakes fail.

Putting in neutral isn't going to slow you down much..at all.

Downshift + ebrake FTW.
PLUS, in an emergency situation, turn off the ignition, then you'll get FULL engine braking and your e-brake will still work -- just remember you're gonna' have to manhandle your now non-power-assisted steering.