Miata Mailing List: October 1994, Message #100
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   From: buck@claude.ma30.bull.com (Kenneth J. Buck)
Subject: re: use/non-use of e-brakes
   Date: Thu, 6 Oct 1994 14:35:13 -0400

> From: dquara@encore.com (Doug Quara)
> Subject: RE: miata stuff
> 
> I don't know if it would make a difference, but since I've been
> autocrossing, I've made a habit of not using the emergency brake.
> (I heard a long time ago when I started autocrossing at one of
> the schools that using the emergency brake on a hot rotor contributes
> to warping the rotors; as the rotor cools, the area under the pads
> don't cool at the same rate as the rest of the rotor, and it can
> warp.)

this is true and isn't necessarily just a problem related to
autoXing, either.  if you blast into the parking lot at work
every morning after leaning on the brake pedal a lot as you
use pedestrians for slalom cones, it's just as bad clamping the
pads tight against the hot rotors then, too.

that doesn't mean it's always bad to use the parking brake,
just that you need to be aware of when you're using it -
if the brakes/rotors have been getting a lot of use
just before you park, maybe you don't want to use it.

some folks argue against using the parking brake in the
winter (or ever) on the theory that it'll remain stuck
either from frozen ice/snow or because it eventually rusts,
but i don't go quite that far.
i'm wary of using it on cold days after driving on wet
roads, but otherwise, there shouldn't be much to worry about.
cold temperatures alone won't cause a problem unless there's
moisture to freeze, and rusty brake cables are a lot more
common on 20-year old dodge chargers than they are on relateively
new miatas.  for what it's worth, i almost always use the parking
brake for 10 years when parking my rx7 and miata, and have never
had it stick, even in the winter.

--                                             
Ken Buck                                          /|
Internet: kbuck@peritus.com                   \'o.O'    ACK!
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