cutting brakes?

orange150

orange150

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Fairfax City, VA
allright, next up on my agenda is disk braking my rear end. i have the driveline cutting brake from high angle so i wouldnt have to put money down for ebrake rotors for the rear. But, i was thinking that a pretty cheap and easy way to do cutting brakes would be to get the ebrake rotors and calipers to have mechanical cutting brakes, i would just have two ebrake levers from a jeep or something to control it. also, my 14bolt came with a detroit in it. since the detroit "ratchets" could i just put my truck in front wheel drive and rely on the detroit unlocking when i brake one of the wheels?

this is all definatly just an idea becuase i dont know the nature of how the detroits really work, or cutting brakes for that matter.
 
I've watched guys do it both ways, and on anything other than high-traction surfaces, locking both rear brakes seemed to work just as well as locking one. In fact, it worked better most of the time from what I saw.

Since you've already got the driveline e-brake, just use that?

P.S. Eldorado calipers on the rear are a pain in the ass from every single person I've spoken with, without exception, and is why I didn't bother trying to run them.
 
yes, eldo calipers suck. I had them and got rid of them before i even finished my buggy and used them.

i opted for the dual wildwood pedals and dual master cylinders to break each axle independantly. Granted its not independantly breaking each wheel but it works good with twin stick. Toss the front in N, hit the front brakes, turn the wheel, smash the go pedal and its a quick (and fun) u-turn.
 
Just install a summit electric line lock on your front and rear lines and enjoy. Cheap and effective. Just push the toggle pump the brakes and gas it. Your turn will be based on the axle engaged with the other axle locked.

I just run the line lock on the rear to do front burns. My front brakes hold fine compared to the drums in back and work in the same manner if I need it for rear burns.
 
orange150 said:
since the detroit "ratchets" could i just put my truck in front wheel drive and rely on the detroit unlocking when i brake one of the wheels?

this is all definatly just an idea becuase i dont know the nature of how the detroits really work, or cutting brakes for that matter.
Click to expand...


Mike,

It's funny you mention cutting brakes, I was just driving my dad's tractor this weekend and had to use them to make some sharp turns when the front end would just push through the soft sand.

Anyway, cutting brakes, as I know them, have two brake pedals for the rear axle, one for the left side and one for the right side. This allows you to lock up one wheel of the rear axle to help turn BUT you have to have an open diff for this to happen. But you're right, the detroit would "ratchet" while one wheel is spinning and the other locked up, provided you are in front wheel drive. If you apply power (i.e. 4 wheel drive) to the rear detroit and one wheel is spinning faster than the other it will lock-up and will simply overcome the one brake that is applied.

So, on a practical side, you'd almost want three brake pedals :( . One to operate the rear left, the rear right, and one that brakes all four wheels. Plus you'd need to have a twin stick transfer case (which it sounds like you already have). Kind of complicated but on the few rigs I've seen them operate on their manueverability was unmatched.

Hope this helps...
 
yes i do already have a twin sticked 205. i think i will use chasepops idea of the summit line lock to do studnuts idea of the brake the front and mash the go pedal for my drastic u-turns.
 
I have better luck turning with a front dig. Lock the rears, kick it in FWD, and go.
 
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