Anyone using a Pinion Brake?

[Larry69GTO]

I am completing a restoration and pro touring mod to a 69 GTO. I recently purchased the car but have not yet done anything to it. It is already 50% complete and drive train and brake are in it. It has brand new Wildwood disc all around, but there is no emerg brake. I figure I need to either change the calliper to add an emerg brake or go to a pinion brake style but I do not know much about them? Anyone have any experience or comments with them???

Thanks

[LeighP]

Ok, so the above post is a little wierd...lol.
Back to pinion brakes....popular in the hot rod world. the people I know that use them tell me they are only good as a park brake, would not stop your car as an emergency brake. But then most disc rears with park brakes in the caliper are pretty worthless anyway, lol.

[SLO_Z28]

Ive wondered what setups there was for GM rears also. Ive used them before in truck applications, they do function as a E-Brake as I have used it before. I wouldn't expect much from it, but its at least as good as what GM put in there from the factory. I do remember it was easy to install, as I was only about 10 year old when I put it in.

[MrQuick]

back in the olden days they started out as emergency brakes due to the use of single cylinder and single line masters. Now with the advent of prop/combo valves and split/diagonal systems the emergency brake has turned into the parking brake to keep your car from rolling just incase you are hit while parked or trans park pawl fails. If you look at any modern car, they are labledas parking brake.

My Firebird parking brake slows the car down pretty good from 65. I could spin my old Nissan with the parking brake at any speed.

OP:
Check with Frank at Prodigy Customs for a Wilwood kit you maybe able to add on to your existing set up. Might be as simplae as a backing plate and rotor swap.

[Wicked]

Having one rotor on the pinion allows you to utilize the rear gear ratio to multiply your brake torque.
That's why its so popular with offroaders. The pinion brake allows for good braking even with big wheels and tires diameters.

The reason I can think of that its not more popular...
1) If you brake an axle, you lose all rear braking unless a spool/locker is install.
2) No 4 channel ABS/VSA. However, some vehicle use what is referred to as a "low-select" system in which both rears are always unlocked at the same time.
3) RPM, the axle spins 3+ times more rpm than the wheel. So the balancing and centrifugal force could become an issue. A fatigued rotor coming apart at high rpm could be a problem.

Anyone else know why you don't see it more?

[317millhand]

couldnt you use a 98-02 camaro or trans am style rear brake setup with the drum in hat parking brake. Im using this in my Chevelle and it is a bolt on deal and works superbly. I dont know anything about how they would mount on a GTO. No need to spend a fortune on rear brakes.

[redss86]

I have been thinking about this since I started building my car. I would have no problems going with a drum in hat set up, but I can't. I am running a full floating rear so a drum in hat is impossible. I still haven't figured out what I am going to do. I have considered a pinion brake but I don't know how well that would hold up if I ever tried any drifting. My other thought was to try to find a mechanical caliber that would fit the thickness of the rotor, and make some brackets for them. I am gonna subscribe to this and see what people's thoughts are.

[silver69camaro]

I would just run a small mechanical caliper at the wheels.

[srh3trinity]

I would just run a small mechanical caliper at the wheels.

Do you have a pic or supplier for reference? I have a full C6 Z51 setup and I am trying to decide if I should buy C5/C6 backing plates or come up with something else.