line lock e brake

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K2KK

K2KK

Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Threads
48
Messages
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Location
In the redwoods
Hitting rubithon this year and my e brake is virtually non existant. searched this forum and didn't find much.
Who has a line lock e brake? Pro's? Con's? I have a disc e brake and it is crud. Who makes the best for the price?
Thanks
 
line lock

I think Summit racing might be a good stop

I wouldnt trust line lock as a parking brake and I think it would be hard to apply gradually like a parking brake but maybe not if you dont stomp on the brakes with it engaged
 
a line lock is not or should it be used as a parking brake. it is ok to used if you are on flat ground and leave the car in gear or park. dont relay on it
 
I have just been reading on some other forums that there are basically two different types. electric and mechanical. The feed back that I read was that electric is as you guys say not very reliable. Mechanical they say can hold for just about an unlimited time. I would rather not have to change out my caliper/s for this. What is the best alternative e brake system?
 
K2KK said:
I have just been reading on some other forums that there are basically two different types. electric and mechanical. The feed back that I read was that electric is as you guys say not very reliable. Mechanical they say can hold for just about an unlimited time. I would rather not have to change out my caliper/s for this. What is the best alternative e brake system?
Click to expand...

I thought all line locks were just valves that let you hold pressure in the circuit - does "electrical" mean that the valve has an electric actuator??? That sounds kinda silly, especially if they're unreliable.

In any case, I don't like line locks because I wouldn't want to have my wheel cylinders (especially old ones) under pressure for hours at a time.
 
K2KK -
My $0.02 worth, wrong application for the line-loc. Line-locs were originally developed for drag racing starts, to keep the car from rolling through the staging lights. An electronic valve on the master cylinder kept the brakes engaged, leaving your other 2 feet for the gas and clutch. Release the switch on the shifter when you let fly on the clutch, and away you go. It merely keeps your brakes engaged while you hold the button down, it does not lock, or otherwise allow you to leave the brakes engaged. There is no easy way to say this, but your going to have to either fix or rebuild your emergency brake. Maybe its just me, but I can see no use for this type of mechanism on a 4X4. Sorry.
 
68LC said:
K2KK -
My $0.02 worth, wrong application for the line-loc. Line-locs were originally developed for drag racing starts, to keep the car from rolling through the staging lights. An electronic valve on the master cylinder kept the brakes engaged, leaving your other 2 feet for the gas and clutch. Release the switch on the shifter when you let fly on the clutch, and away you go. It merely keeps your brakes engaged while you hold the button down, it does not lock, or otherwise allow you to leave the brakes engaged. There is no easy way to say this, but your going to have to either fix or rebuild your emergency brake. Maybe its just me, but I can see no use for this type of mechanism on a 4X4. Sorry.
Click to expand...
the line loc you are talking about is for drag racing but it is not the same as a line loc for the brakes it is totally differant
 
line locks are totally worthless in an emergency; if you lose your hydraulics, you have a mechanical back up in the "hand ebrake" with a line lock you have nothing if you lose your hydraulics........ask me why.....I have been there ONCE!! never ever again....just my 0.02

Lou
 
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Thanks for the imput guys. Question though. If they suck for 4x4ing why are guys buying them and using them for our sport? Why are these companies billing them out(Mico and Jamar) as an off road line lock? I realize that if there is a hydrolic failure you are sol, but other forums say that they are OK as an e brake. a temp one as it may be.
The disc from Manafre that I installed a few years back really didn't do the job. I really didn't need one and I wheel all the time. It's just that on inspection I need one that is not a poser(sorry poser), but one that works.
 
like we said they will work but as a back up i would not count on one. if you have a stick leave in gear also. i read the ad and like it says temportay
 
My gears are what I have been using as a brake. I can have a wheel in the air, on a hill and get out for the great photo ops and my rig doesn't move a bit. This is more or less to pass inspection for rubicon. I do hear what you guys are saying and I am reconsidering the line lock. And I do appreciate all of your input. I have to replace my master cylinder and was thinking to do that at the same time to spare the bleeding to a one time deal.
 
A lot of people tossing out some pretty strong opinions... most stated as fact... doesnt sound like many have used line locks



I have and I love them and consider them much more effective than my mechanical parking brakes which I also have on my rigs.


If you have experience with something that pertains to a questions asked.... offer it up... if all you have is 12th hand web advise... why bother?


Mark...
 
I have quite a bit of experience with the "Lever Lock" brand of hydraulic brake lockers on ford F-350 and F-250 4WD trucks that we ran on several seismic crews that I used to work on. The only failure I ever saw was an idiot driver who installed the Lever Lock himself and didn't properly bleed the system afterwards (got pictures of the truck and idiot somewhere). Other than that, they were 100% reliable. On a truck as old as a 40 though, I would want to make sure my brake hydraulic system was 100% before installing one.


MICO, Inc. : Products/Literature
 
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some old 4 wheeler mags have an article on installing a line lock on a 40. this was back in the late 70s.we had line locks on all our line trucks and they would sit for hours with the lock on with no problems .the locks were only on the rear wheels.the locks were also electric and never failed.some of the trucks were 17 years old .with elecrtic you dont need to run brake lines into the truck.i geuss if your gonna do it just do it right.good luck
 
Mark W -

Is there a particular line lock device you prefer?
 
I've ran a Jamar for almost 8 years and it works fine. I ran -3 SS lines through the firewall and carry extra lines so it can be disconnected if necessary. It is a manual version that you depress the brake pedal, push the knob in and release the brake. It has been left weeks engaged with no bleed down. Maybe not the best for it but it worked. I like the ability to lock the tire not the driveshaft. I can see where the above arguments come from, but it is just a tool, to be used at the right time under the right conditions.

Mine is plumbed into the rear circuit w/RDB. Bleeding can be a bit of a pain too.
 
Lil'John said:
they are called emergency brakes for a reason... having something tied into the hydraulic system won't help you when the hydraulic system fails:meh:
Click to expand...

Agreed - Line locks can be very useful for parking or holding brakes, but cannot be used as an emergency brake. An emergency brake is a mechanical backup for for when/if your hydraulic braking system fails. If your hydraulic brakes fail, your line lock wont work either.
 
The case cracker

n2666s said:
line locks are totally worthless in an emergency; if you lose your hydraulics, you have a mechanical back up in the "hand ebrake" with a line lock you have nothing if you lose your hydraulics........ask me why.....I have been there ONCE!! never ever again....just my 0.02

Lou
Click to expand...

x3 this is the case cracker!

Line Lock works great as line lock

might be somewhat useful on the trail but not as an emergency or parking brake
 
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