Parking Brake, Modification

Just read the Activa/nutter thread, it seems dispite buying an activa, probably one of the best handling hydraulic cits ever produced, he wants to disable this system, on this fast becoming rare car, and turn it into something that wallows and rolls uncontrolably in the bends, he wants to turn it into a Buick?!?!?!?!?!?.................................. words escape me

D

At least Xm handbrakes WORK!

From someone that loves CX's this IS A BIG DEAL!!

Yes, Ok the Xm handbrake is a liitle bit of a faff to use initially, but it can
be applied comfortably with the force of your full body weight on the foot
pedal. It's actually quite handy and once you accept it, something you may
actually like!

Ok, forgive me for stating the obvious here but it seems you autobox boys
are perpetuating an urban xm myth about three legs and hands etc!!

On a manual Xm the application of the hand brake is normal brake foot
down first so the car is stopped; holding the car on the brake the handbrake
foot pedal is then applied with the left foot followed by the lock handle on
dash by right hand. You've still got your left hand holding the tiller!!

This is actually quite handy when you're on a long hill drop in a que of stop
start cars as you can hold the car on just the foot operated handbrake
without bringing the brake lights on and stuffing loads of high viz lights into
the faces of those behind you like everyone else does!! It's also useful when
you don't want to broadcast to everyone that you're trimming your speed
down approaching a speed camera etc!!

Going up hills isn't a matter of getting flustered or agitated by it either.
The car will not roll a millimetre so the anxiety of the Cx system is totally
bypassed!! Actually to me there's nothing quite as antiquated as a bloody
great big lever in the central console like some kind of panto trap door
release!!

The real reason I believe Citroën invented the foot operated mechanical
handbrake was the exclusion of the brake reserve sphere seen on the Cx.
The Xm system loses pressure immediately once the engine/pump stops
and the old brake back up system on the Cx isn't there anymore on the
Xm so you'll need to get sufficient energy into the calipers with the foot
operated handbrake pedal. Bit of a sad scenario and a backwards step
really.

Andrew

Yes i was thinking how many arms and legs you would need!

Although to apply the handbrake/parking brake you would need to select neutral, apply the parking brake, and select first.

Also i dont like the bang the handbrake gives when you let it off, i always have my foot on it when i release it, to avoid the thud!

I can live with that though, id like a manual for economy reasons if nothing else!

Hi John,
Yes I agree with your point about the leverage. However I think that for the same amount of leverage (mechanical advantage) it is possible to apply much more force by foot than by hand. For example on a wheelbrace. It would seem advisable therefore to see what equivalent length of lever and arc of travel would be required for a handbrake conversion and "add a bit" to compensate for the reduced force. Then you would see whether it is practical and acceptable looking.

Regarding the handbrake and MOT. Mine barely passed at the second attempt and was lower on one side than the other. Both the cables you mentioned were new on and in balance. The pads and discs were also new on and may have had an influence. Anyway I will give the calipers a good going over for the next one in a couple of months. As an aside , I think the required efficiency is only around 25% and there is a tolerance of 40% difference between sides!

Regards,

Robert.

I never need to use it at junctions. The petrols may be different of course as they probably haven't got the torque to pull away without using the accelerator.

I find that even if it is enough of a hill (or I am driving fast enough) to want to use the accelerator as I pull away then there is enough of a delay in the brakes releasing to avoid rolling back. However I do do the whole feet manoeuvre quite quickly so a less experienced/confident driver may need to use it more often.

I have found one of two hills where I have had to stop in traffic and needed to use it - but they are the sort of hills that make you think you are going to fall off when stationary.

It is much more of a faff to use on a manual of course as you need 3 feet to do the clutch, brake and parking brake at once - or for the humans among us take it in and out of gear in a rather long winded clutch-gear-declutch-parking brake-clutch-gear-declutch thing. But like I said, I never need to do it.

Ah missed your post.

Yes i bearly use the handbrake in my daily driver when in traffic on hills. I just use the footbrake and get ready with the clutch & accelerator quickly, as you say.

So i cant see the XM handbrake being a problem, infact i have driven an XM manual and never found it a problem.

What are all you guys trying to use the handbrake for ?? All you do is ease the clutch out until it's starts to bite, then move your foot from the brake to the accelerator and move off.... Having driven CX's for since the day I got my license you learn to live without a handbrake Even the low compression turbo charged CX will hold itself as you ease the clutch out for the fraction of a second before you move off without stalling. As will most cars.

The only car I've ever struggled with the clutch in is a friends BX TD, it clutch pedal was heavy and right at the top of the clutch travel so would almost catch your foot under the dash... It is also a snatchy clutch that takes up with next to no warning. Made the car a horror to drive the small area I drove it around. If I owned the car I'd have tightened the cable up so the clutch was near the floor.

The XM is the only car my wife ever applies the handbrake on hard enough to actually stop the car rolling, in the BX and Xantia, as soon as I pushed the clutch in (or pulled it out of park) the car would start rolling away ! (then again I always get abused for pulling the handbrake on to tightly .... You know, so it'll stop the car rolling ).

seeya,
Shane L.