Re: Driving With Two Brakes

In article <47F748F6.8A3AA8BD@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>, Eeyore wrote:
>
>
>Ed Pirrero wrote:
>
>> On Apr 4, 3:42 pm, "Neil" <nos...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> > An additional note re. this. The reason this came to light was
because my
>> > son's emergency brake wasn't holding the wheels. He brought it in,
asking
>> > them to adjust the emergency brake, and they told him that the reason
the
>> > emergency brake wasn't working was because of brake fluid that was
leaking
>> > out of the rear cyclinders. (They said that one cyclinder was leaking
a
>> > little, and another was leaking a lot.)
>>
>> Considering it's a mechanical hand brake mechanism, fluid (or lack
>> thereof) isn't going to do anything, unless both rears are so
>> contaminated the brake shoes won't hold in the drums.
>>
>> Seems unlikely.
>
>That's exactly what happens. The friction material loses its friction
when
>saturated with brake fluid. It is an oil of sorts after all !

It would depend on the design of the back plate and drum I would guess.
The wheel cylinder that went on me last year was discovered in part by
'what's that puddle'. The shoes never got any brake fluid on them. It
just went along the back plate through the over lap with the drum and
down to the ground. 

I would think it possible for the parking brake to slip because of
contamination, but it would be unlikely IMO... then again the car may
have a drum brake design that any leaking brake fluid goes on to the
shoes.