Do you press the button when applying the handbrake?

[B'stard Child]

300bhp/ton said:

B'stard Child said:

I have very common on older and cheaply built cars - MKII Polo for sure - a neighbour put hers into a wall when the ratchet failed after years of being pulled up in drag mode rather than button pushed an dthen released at end of travel

Sounds like poor design and components. Although if it wears - replace it. You know like you'd do with the brake pads

Yeah - plastic part - like most manufacturers use - wears very quickly when the pawl is dragged across it

Replacement is a complete assembly unlike brake pads

[kiteless]

Cotty said:

Tight, button pressed till I think it will hold then a click if its still creeping

Same here, but only usually required when on a fairly steep gradient. It's a noise issue, mainly, for me; I just hate that ratchet sound.

[g3org3y]

Yes, not that applying the handbrake makes much difference on the E30.

[smartphone hater]

dvs_dave said:

No facts behind my reasoning but I think you'll probably find that someone who ratchets the handbrake up every time is less likely to have a good understanding of the finer points of automobile operation.

It would be possible to argue the opposite was the case.

[shunaphil]

I always do (instructor taught me so it became a habit) - but whoever owned my MF 390T didn't - it was one of the first things I had to replace as it was worn to the point of not working at all.

[noell35]

I hold it in if the car is moving (not as much these days - skids are for kids!) like the time i handbrake parked my dad's Cavalier in a pub carpark and looked in the rear view mirror to see his best mate looking shocked followed by a knowing nod and it never being mentioned.

If I'm at a stop I use the ratchet and I've never worn one out yet. Something else far more fragile generally breaks first. My best mate always used to tell me off though as he was of the same opinion as the OP

[dvs_dave]

smartphone hater said:

dvs_dave said:

No facts behind my reasoning but I think you'll probably find that someone who ratchets the handbrake up every time is less likely to have a good understanding of the finer points of automobile operation.

It would be possible to argue the opposite was the case.

Maybe, but on what grounds? Something tells me you'd be onto a looser from the start though.....ratchet man.

[Meoricin]

dvs_dave said:

Maybe, but on what grounds? Something tells me you'd be onto a looser from the start though.....ratchet man.

On the grounds that someone who doesn't understand the purpose or function of a ratchet isn't likely to understand the purpose or function of other mechanical devices, perhaps?

[Mark-C]

shunaphil said:

I always do (instructor taught me so it became a habit) - but whoever owned my MF 390T didn't - it was one of the first things I had to replace as it was worn to the point of not working at all.

Had no idea what an MF390T was so I googled it .... way more interesting than this thread (and yes I had contributed to it)

[BigBen]

Mercs nearly all have foot operated parking brakes which ratchet by default. Never heard of one not working.

Ben

[noell35]

Meoricin said:

On the grounds that someone who doesn't understand the purpose or function of a ratchet isn't likely to understand the purpose or function of other mechanical devices, perhaps?

+1

[RDB]

It's a ratchet, so I use it like a ratchet. The button is just there to release it.

[Waugh-terfall]

doogz said:

I usually pull the button in, although unless I'm on a hill, with 2 of the cars, I'll only pull the handbrake up to the first tooth anyway.

But has anyone ever had to replace a handbrake handle because they've actually worn the ratchet mechanism out, to the point it no longer holds? Does this actually happen?

Yes. Well, sort of. An old friends parents had an old Espace, they would ram a doorstop into the base or the lever housing to hold it up.

[noell35]

slightly OT but IIRC the Citroen Xantia had a recall for the handbrake because they had a habit of self releasing as the brakes cooled down (made worse by the fact that the handbrake worked on the front disks). My Dad had one at the time and took it in for the modification which was..... remove the first few ratchet stops so you had to really yank the handbrake on. French Engineering, love it.

[Waugh-terfall]

My old Megane was really weak, I used to have to push the button, yank it, release the button and then heave it the last few stops or it would drop.

[JDMDrifter]

It just sounds expensive without pulling the button out

[Paul_M3]

Meoricin said:

dvs_dave said:

Maybe, but on what grounds? Something tells me you'd be onto a looser from the start though.....ratchet man.

On the grounds that someone who doesn't understand the purpose or function of a ratchet isn't likely to understand the purpose or function of other mechanical devices, perhaps?

Perfect answer Meoricin.

It seems to me on this thread that people who press the button in 'have been told to do it' or 'think' it's the right thing to do.

Those with mechanical understanding or an engineering background just pull up the lever and use the ratchet as intended.

The wear on the ratchet mechanism should be so slight that it becomes completely insignificant.

(Of course it could be that engineering types just love the sound of a ratchet engaging. Put a pair of ratchet crimpers in front of anyone at work and all you'll hear is click click click click for the next 30 minutes. )

[Trommel]

The sound of a handbrake ratchet isn't pleasant.

[noell35]

Trommel said:

The sound of a handbrake ratchet isn't pleasant.

beg to differ, it's the sound of a perfectly engineered solution doing the job it was designed to do

[RV8]

Same here, pull up with button depressed and on last click to ensure the ratchet has engaged. Anything prior to this with encourage premature wear, albeit fairly minimal I should imagine. Apart from releasing the ratchet the button is there to help serve some mechanical sympathy too.