Rear brakes and e-brake... Options

[edhall]

Hi guys, just joined as I've just got a 914. Need a little help with parts compatibility and wondered if anyone could help?

Car is a 74 914 with a 3.2 Carrera engine, 901 trans, and it stops with 911 SC vented rotors and calipers all round. Thing is, it doesn't have an emergency brake. The car was built in California but here in the uk it cannot be road legal without one.

Do I go 911 style drum in disc or 914 style ebrake on a calipers?

Thanks in advance

[Steve]

Eric's solution is the way to go. IMHO, to go with 911 rear e-brakes you need to weld a hefty stopping brace to the trailing arm, let alone the additional cable mods. I had Wes (rip) weld some thick braces to my trailing arm. Similar size and structure to a 911 trailing arm. I then used early 911 e-brakes and Boxster rear brakes. For the cables, I used modified 914 clutch cables. It only pulls from one side, but works fine. Regarding the brace there is a bolt on available, but I am curious how strong it is in case of an emergency. If your going 60 plus miles an hour and yank on the emergency brake, will it rip off? The brace prevents the shoes from ripping apart and spinning on the axle. I only went with this solution because Eric's solution wasn't available at the time.

[ChrisFoley]

Eric's solution is the way to go. IMHO, to go with 911 rear e-brakes you need to weld a hefty stopping brace to the trailing arm, let alone the additional cable mods. I had Wes (rip) weld some thick braces to my trailing arm. Similar size and structure to a 911 trailing arm. I then used early 911 e-brakes and Boxster rear brakes. For the cables, I used modified 914 clutch cables. It only pulls from one side, but works fine. Regarding the brace there is a bolt on available, but I am curious how strong it is in case of an emergency. If your going 60 plus miles an hour and yank on the emergency brake, will it rip off? The brace prevents the shoes from ripping apart and spinning on the axle. I only went with this solution because Eric's solution wasn't available at the time.

911 and 914 cable operated braking mechanisms are just parking brakes.
They really aren't designed to handle the loads imposed in an emergency braking situation. Additionally, a true emergency brake handle wouldn't lock in position, which would be dangerous.

My 911 "e-brake" conversion kit is a weld on solution which works just fine, but I wholeheartedly endorse using Eric's calipers.
They simply bolt on and work just as the factory calipers did, without additional modification. Its sensible and economical. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)