Hey fellow Z drivers!

My buddy told me after I got my car that it's better to leave your car in gear and not use your emergency brake if you've been using your brakes.

He said that the pressure applied to the rotors from the emergency brake will warp them eventually because they are so hot, hot metal contracts, expands, etc. I'm sure you all know the rest...

Is this true?? Is it okay to leave your car in gear on a steep hill w/o the emergency brake?

Peace!

 

Yes, the rotor and the brake pad are really hot, but I think that happens on track... say if I just pulled out of the track and into the pit, I better not use the emergency brake...
But on streets, I leave my car in gear and also use the emergency brake, by leaving it in a gear takes away some of the emergency brake's stress...
anywayz, just my 2 cents

 

I don't know, but ever since this happened to me I have always made sure my ebrake is on, even on a flat surface.

By the way I did get the Borla exhaust installed about a month ago!

 

Wow,

I feel as though I've seen this thread before....

It's like deja-vu all over again.

-D'oh!

 

Id use em... the engine isnt a brake... it will help, but unless your on a flat surface...

besides, isnt the emergency a small drum brake in the rear wheels(thought I heard that from someone)? how does that affect the rotors?

 

MAN! I DON'T KNOW! That's why I was asking a question!

 

Ares, I believe you are right....I think the rear emergency brake is a drum style....I would also think that applying this style of emergncy brake would have less of a chance of warping a rotor due to heat and pressure after say a lapping event.

 

As far as I have seen on other cars, the ebrake is just a steel wire that pulls one of the rear brake calipers manually instead of using the hydralics. Usually at least one caliper has a manual lever for use with the ebrake. Then again, so many things about the Z are different that they may have added a 5th drum brake. However, this would only add cost for no reason, so who knows.

 

Sounds good guys! I'll just use the e-brake when I'm parking it on steep hills, if not, I'll just leave it in gear if I'm parking it on a surface that is flat!

That was my conundrum - whether it was bad for the engine or bad for the brakes. Ares answered gave me more insight!

Thanks you'se guys!

Safe driving ... and parking!

 

That's a funny story dude - your car rolling down hill. I'm glad it ran into something that was semi-soft and that damage wasn't that apparent - I think I would have and if I noticed my car was gone.

My response afterwards would have been nothing short of this

Thanks for the post! I'll leave my car in gear now!

P.S. - the grill looks awesome! Nice touch! Where'd you get that one?

 

in the 350Z is 2 small drum brakes inboard of the rotors. Using the eBrake will not warp your rotors. The #1 cause of warped rotors is improperly torqued wheel bolts.

JMS in TX