i wanted some opinions on the benefit of going to centre mount handbrake from those who have changed over.. i will be using rear r31 discs...

is there any benefit or is it just a mod people do for the hell of it??

discuss...

In the middle of doing this to my 180B now, benefits for me are:

I will actually be able to reach the hand brake with my harness on.

Will now be able to do hand brake turns in motokhanas.

haha... see now i thought motorkhanas would be the only reason, but i'll be doing more track days and hillclimbs, and i don't think i'll have harnesses, well not straight away anyway.... i guess i can do it any time down the track... if there was a clear benefit other than convenience i'd probably fit it....
thanks for the reply.

I haven't installed one yet, but I will eventually.
For me it'll simply be because I hate the action of the factory mechanism.
I hate fiddly hand brakes when you want it on, and more importantly off in a hurry.

It's just far easier to use. Especially for handbrake turns. I hate the stock one it annoys the sh*t outta me, can't have any fun.

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i just like the idea of it being where it was originally.. i do remember in my P plate days leaning in for the handbrake for a quick turn... the cable, and mount doesn't interfere with an SR20 fit does it in it's factory position?? SR owners?

Not to my knowledge. My mates car still retains the factory position.

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I've done the centre handbrake using DS gear - but cannot lock the rears for a h/b turn whatsoever.

Everything's been set up right and checked and rechecked, but it won't lock. If anyone's got any tips, I'd love to hear them.

My 2c, go hydraulic if you want to easily & reliably be able to lock the rears.

my intention is to use it as it is intended, a PARK brake.... if I find myself doing more motorkhanas than track days/hillclimbs, then the conversion will be done, but from the get-go, I don't think I will need it.
I guess because the car is stripped, I have the blank canvas to do what I want now before I put it all back together.

maybe my decider will be what type of centre console I find to fit to the 1600... if it has a gap for a centre mount, I might just use it. how is that for backwards thinking.

I've seen a few people use a 200B centre console, which therefore allows them to use a floor-mounted handbrake as 200Bs had them from factory. If you use a 200B handbrake lever it looks fairly factory as well.

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green200b - aka Alistair

The fleet:

Australia:
'80 200B GX - the green200b - hibernating
'81 RX-7 - 12A extend port - daily
'74 RX-2 - 13B bridgeport - cruiser

Europe:
'93 200SX - CA18DET - tourer

ive got a centre handbrake and i dont do motorkana or handbrake turns. i did it cause it looks better then a factory one and i feel it works better aswell

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YOU JUST GOT TO LOVE JDM AND BMX
current rig's:
1970 datsun 1600 p510: 73 SPEC WITH SR SHED
prev rides:
1970 datsun 1600 wp510 project SOLD
1969 datsun 1600: SIMS metal
1984 KE70 corolla:defected/crushed
1985 KE70 corolla:SOLD
1982 KE70 4AGE drift pig SOLD
1978 120Y wagon SOLD

piss the r31 caliper off that is your problem.

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Check the calipers and discs are in good condish, also check the cable coming out the lever doesnt have too sharp of a kink etc or this will make it harder to pull...

Everything is brand spanking new DS gear (brakes now bedded in) and is set up as good as I can get it (with repeated tweaking).

On the flip side, a mate's with the exact same configuration (but VERY 2nd hand stuff from a wrecker with discs worn like tin lids) will lock the rears most of the time. Very annoying.

Best of both
Standard park brake.
Centre hydralic brake. You know it will work then.

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Rally is it!