The Official E-Brake ****** Off Thread :) Conversion Time !

[zimnismoboy34]

Hi Everyone me again, so since i have been driving the altezza for a while now the one thing that really ****** me off and still pisses me off is the E-Brake, parking brake,hand brake what ever you want to call it .

Why would Toyota/Lexus go and create a interior with the Emergency brake all the way on the opposite side of the center console.

Its super hard to reach and for drifting and Gymkhana its a pain in the ***** that and the fact that reverse and first are next to each other ??!!!! what a F-up.

Any ways so i did some research and went in depth and it looks like i can convert to a IS300 center console, then switch the hand brake over and switch it out and mount the hand brake/ ebrake over closer to the seat, where all normal handbrakes are found ?

Has anyone done this ? If so did it work ?

AM i the first one to have a complaint about the stupid hand brake location ?

I am going to move it over no matter what i am ****** off keep reaching over for it and have to sTRREEEEETCHHH to reach it thats precious moments im missing out on, ebrake turns around cones and driftin like maniac lol ....

Please give me your input going to order a center console from Japan soon for the is300 and hand brake boot as well .

And a hand brake as well.

[matt-c]

I'm pretty sure Toyota/Lexus didn't design the car with drifting and gymkhana in mind, as for it being on the opposite side of the console - makes much more sense; means I don't have to reach over it to get to whatever I put in the drinks holder/cubby hole.

I also don't get why people make a thing out of first and reverse being next to each other? Hundreds of cars are like this; some have a pressure gate (like the IS/Altezza), some have a press down gate, and some have a lift collar gate - but they all have a gate. It'd be almost impossible to put the car in reverse by mistake.

How short are your arms if you have to stretch to reach the handbrake lever? And how slowly do your arms move? It's only a couple inches from where you intend to move it to (from one side of the console to the other), and if your reaction/reach time is so slow that a couple inches make that much difference, I would suggest you shouldn't be driving full stop, let alone trying to "drift like a maniac".

I just prey I'm never on the same stretch of road as you; I worry you can't move your foot the couple inches from the accelerator to the brake pedal quick enough to stop, and instead lose those "precious moments" by running over a child...

[zimnismoboy34]

lol Matt-c no pun intended, try this for breakfast, drive and own lots of cars, from toyota startlet gt-turbos, to Subaru imprezas and Sti's and Mitsubishi Evo 4s to Nissan skyline gtr-34s and then move to an altezza apart from all the inbetweens, two subaru legacys and a honda fit lol, and then drive a Nissan skyline gt-st R32 and play with all of them soon you notice something common about all of them.... yes they have the hand brake/E-brake NEXT TO YOUR SEAT......

So why would u then go and change it ?

Why go and break way from the Norm ? So yes the designers didnt have that in mind and drifting and Gymkhana are the last things on their minds .

But lets face it we all drive differently but when it comes to cars the general layout always seems to be the same, window controls on the drivers door not in the center console ... lol another car i drove and found weird, the Nissan primera why cause the window controls were on the center console near the hand brake .

But if you really dont want to be on the same stretch of road as me do yourself a favour and do some research of where the common location for the e-brake is located in 99.8% of all manual Vehicles and u will see what im talking about ....

Stop being a grump Fart and harping on about what a car was designed for, simple they stuffed the location up !!!!! POINT BLANK.

[zimnismoboy34]

Ps the debate begins .

have a look at the following cars .

Lamborghini http://www.seriouswheels.com/2004/2004-Lamborghini-Gallardo-Italian-State-Police-Car-Interior-1280x960.htm

Ferrari again on the drivers side of the car ....

and if we throw a sedan four door into the mix just to even the score out a little we can use the following as examples.

Audi RS4 close to drive infact on the drivers side of the car either left of right hand drive .

Its known to all drivers that hand brake is close to your thigh for lack of a better description.

My final example is the GT86 have a look at all the interior pics the handbrake is close to the driver again .

So the next time u pull the hand brake in a hurry if you ever do use it, think about the can of coke u might grab instead since Coke is more important then sticking to interior layout of a vehicle !!!! lol

[matt-c]

They stuffed up the location form YOUR point of view. Not from THEIR point of view.

As for the the cars you mentioned, what do they all have in common? They're Japanese. And what side of the car is the steering wheel on in a JDM car? And what side is your steering wheel on? I'm guessing you're american, and drive let hand drive cars, whereas the Jap cars you mentioned are RHD. Seems Lexus, and Toyota in your case, thought they would put the handbrake lever on the "correct" side for the cars of the countries they were designated to - so over here the Lexus IS got it on the left side of the console (for a RHD car) as they did in Japan, and in the US they got it on the right side of the console (for a LHD car)

Window switches vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and also differ widely for cars from the same manufacturer. For example, I've had three different models of Escort (a Ford) and each one the switches were in different locations. BMW for example (and Merc for that matter) have their windows switches on the centre console of some of their cars, and on the door panels on other models.

As for research - I work in the motor industry, and have done for 8 years, and have driven and worked on must be thousands of cars in that time, so yeah, I've got a pretty good idea ;) And one thing I can tell you about "the norm" is that most cars, the handbrake is actually in the middle of the centre console, not to one side or the other. At least, over here anyway.

Can't remember the last time I had to reach for the handbrake in a hurry. Maybe it's because we use it as a parking brake and not an emergency brake? But either way, I wouldn't grab a can of coke instead of the brake handle - I have a good sense of spacial awareness and know where the controls of my vehicle are located.

Here's an Audi RS4 you mentioned; http://images.ashmar...864-640x480.jpg

[zimnismoboy34]

lol and you "Prey" very hard dont you ..... sorry just had to use that one for a grumpy Matt like u .

[matt-c]

Oh, you're picking on a typo? What a mature and educated line of argument. Very impressed

[zimnismoboy34]

Sorry Matt, i live in Africa i have a JDM toyota ALTEZZA and its a Right hand drive exactly like your IS200 u speak highly of, so inherently i have the steering on the right hand side like urs and have the hand brake on my passenger side of the car, its a flaw why put the hand brake by the passenger..... wait i think incase they get cold feet when things go ... pear shaped or sideways in my view, never the less it should be in a place that we all used to and know it is.

Picture this u drive a JDM car, and its JDM spec, so u have the windscreen wipers on the left and the indicators on the right, u jump into a vauxhaul astra God forbid that you dont as they are not the best cars in the world, prefer my altezza, never the less u jump in and start to drive and soon before you realise it you busy switchin on the windscreen wipers every right hand corner u turn, and u adapt as a driver and soon learn to drive the car as it is for what it is .

But i switch between the subaru legacy B4 rsk and the Altezza and the Nissan skyline gtr34 all the time and its a pain yanking at fresh air everytime i park some where seriously its the truth no denying i look like an idiot doing it . then look for the presence of the handbrake and its location and engage the dam thing .

Its gripe that isnt fair on the consumer, us the altezza and lexus owners .

So im going to swap it over and make it the norm based on the is300 pics ive seen i can make it happen and if it works out will make the world of the difference maybe not to you but on a forum everyone is here looking for answers so let them have those questions answered and maybe they too can have the coke... sorry i mean hand brake in the right location .... keep smiling bud lifes to short to be serious and grump bud.

[zimnismoboy34]

not picking, just peeved that u would tease some one about accelerator pedals over a hand brake location subject lets be serious mate stick to the questions and answer them if u can .

[matt-c]

Listen chap, if you want to have an intelligent discussion by all means, I'm your man. But if you want to fabricate parts to make your posts appear better then this isn't the place for you. Please, quote me where I've specifically "spoken so highly of" my IS200?

We can debate the location of the brake lever all you like, but the fact is as it stands that the majority of cars have the brake handle either in the middle of the console - so no closer to passenger or drivers side, regardless of designation, or on the opposite to the steering wheel (so RHD, brake is on left side)

My wiper stalk is on the right, and my indicators on the left. Same as all the Vauxhalls I have driven. And Fords. And BMW's. And Audi's. etc etc.

I did drive an EK9 for a while that the wiper stalk was on the left and indicators on the right. I only ever put the wipers on instead of the indicator once. It's not hard to learn from a mistake and not repeat it.

Likewise, if you "grab at air" you clearly do not qualify to be behind the wheel of a car, as you clearly don't have the spacial awareness or capability to operate the vehicle correctly or efficiently, since you don't know where the controls for it are. Please, please be more diligent - I'd hate for a child to lose their life because you didn't know how to find the controls of the car you're driving.

[zimnismoboy34]

Matt indeed i hear where u are coming from .

Firstly i dont drift on the street and why would i be puling my hand brake in a hurry on the street, i have a brake pedal for that .

Secondly im not an idiot street drifter so stop basing ur facts on *****-umptions did i mention any such comment of drifting on a public road ?

Thirdly its ur condescending talk about my driving skills or lack there of that irritates me so cut it out i doubt any one else would appreciate it ?

Lets let some other members of the forum comment on the topic at hand and see what they feel .

This can become a poll which i feel would be fair rather then have a debate between the two of us about my driving skills and adaptability between vehicles.

And the same way u made the mistake with the EK9 i made the mistake of grabing at air in a car park trying to secure the parking brake .

U take this topic seriously and so do i so quit the finger pointing .

[zimnismoboy34]

Matt u really are work of art no children will loose their lives over my bad driving skills lol. The more and more i read the posts the more and more i realise u are trying to make this post about he said she said and .... u cant drive .... like i said stick to the question dont go making this about u cant drive u cant see u cant pull the hand brake ... tut tut

[matt-c]

I didn't state, nor allude to, that you drift on the street.

The EK9 I stated I made the mistake once. It was the very first time I'd ever even been in one. I didn't make that mistake again in the three months I drove it. But you say you "grab at air" constantly, or "everytime you park", when switching from the Nissan and Subaru to the Altezza, and you even have to look to locate it before using it. I'd think you'd only make that mistake once, not repeatedly.

You also said "u adapt as a driver and soon learn to drive the car as it is for what it is", but then went on to say you "grab at air" "everytime you park", which is a bit of a contradiction, no?

Please, what finger pointing are you talking of?

As for children loosing their lives - that can, and does happen, when someone isn't paying attention to what's going on, and/or their surroundings - which includes not knowing where the controls for the vehicle they are driving are. Hypothetical example; you're driving the Altezza and a child runs out in front of you - you react, reach for the emergency brake, but instead you "grab at air", which you admitted you do a lot, and lose those precious seconds - which is enough time to run the child over.

It's a real concern - I defy anyone to say differently.

[RayKhan]

Well this is an entertaining topic.

So I would just like to point out that the 2 Lexus's we have dont have a barking brake on the left, middle or right! Just a foot operated parking brake.

So does that make them really wrong?

Either way I wont be reaching for air or coke :winky:

[matt-c]

I forgot about those! Just like the C Class Merc I was driving the other day; foot operated parking brake. I remember when I first got in one years ago and was all "huh, where's the handbrake!?!?!"

While I think of it, what about the Passat for example - no handbrake OR foot operated parking brake ;)

[zimnismoboy34]

fair enough but i wont be reaching for a hand brake when a child runs across the road ? any one else want to comment ?

Id press the accelerator and run them over and may they rest in peices .lol.

Its easier to move ur foot over to the brake pedal matt ? be serious do u pull the handbrake everytime u have some one run in front of ur vehicle ?

Incase u dont know what a e-brake is for here is a short description... this used also for drifting which toyota/lexus never intended the is200/Altezza for .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_brake

Taken from Wikipedia i quote,

"An emergency brake is a separate brake system in a vehicle for use in case of failure of the regular (hydraulic or air) brakes and commonly used as a parking brake in automobiles"

So regular brakes are used when the so called child runs across the road (not the hand brake ) .... u do stand corrected now Mr Matt. Maybe u would use the e-brake but i certainly wouldnt .

I switch cars frequently and have adapted well, hec i can even adapt to driving a left hand drive in our right hand drive country.

But its the drifting that needs the modification of the handbrake not the parking .

The parking was merely an example of how i had to adapt to suit the difference in the car .

And i dont go grasping at air now it happened a few times when i first got the car, but it does happen when im in a rush and have just switched cars from Nissan/subaru to the Altezza.

Dont get me wrong its a good car just a few poor areas of design .

Secondly the gated box doesnt work well it often and i say very often lets me engage reverse instead of first when trying to get first quickly .

im sure u will find a comment for the first and reverse too no doubt!!!

However the Nissan skyline with the getrag gearbox has a pull up gated reverse and so does the subaru sti, and its a good protection measure .

Now we can stop worrying about the child and the e-brake as its a last measure of braking not a primary measure !!

[zimnismoboy34]

Well this is an entertaining topic.

So I would just like to point out that the 2 Lexus's we have dont have a barking brake on the left, middle or right! Just a foot operated parking brake.

So does that make them really wrong?

Either way I wont be reaching for air or coke :winky:

Is your car manual or Auto ?

[zimnismoboy34]

i quote, "common location for the e-brake is located in 99.8% of all manual Vehicles and u will see what im talking about ...." MANUAL CARS NOT AUTO!!!

[zimnismoboy34]

Well this is an entertaining topic.

So I would just like to point out that the 2 Lexus's we have dont have a barking brake on the left, middle or right! Just a foot operated parking brake.

So does that make them really wrong?

Either way I wont be reaching for air or coke :winky:

Sorry bud just did some looking and both are auto, so not really apples for apples.

[matt-c]

So regular brakes are used when the so called child runs across the road (not the hand brake ) .... u do stand corrected now Mr Matt. Maybe u would use the e-brake but i certainly wouldnt .

No, I already stated that here;

Can't remember the last time I had to reach for the handbrake in a hurry. Maybe it's because we use it as a parking brake and not an emergency brake?

Please do keep up.

And i dont go grasping at air now it happened a few times when i first got the car, but it does happen when im in a rush and have just switched cars from Nissan/subaru to the Altezza.

So you don't do it, but you do do it? Hmm...

Secondly the gated box doesnt work well it often and i say very often lets me engage reverse instead of first when trying to get first quickly .

im sure u will find a comment for the first and reverse too no doubt!!!

No offence, but you must be doing it wrong. I've never managed to put it in reverse instead of first by mistake. There's a very obvious "barrier" to push through to get it in reverse, and even if the selector is badly worn, sloppy and soft, I know where first is, and where reverse is; and putting it in reverse feels much different than putting it first. It comes back to having awareness of the car you're in control of.

[zimnismoboy34]

i guess theres no winning here next .....

[zimnismoboy34]

Any ways for those that want to see the conversion will post pics and show if it can be done or not be done will be good for those looking for what im looking for .

[zimnismoboy34]

Hey Matt u almost on 300 posts give us one more for the road and we can celebrate in style :hocus-pokus:

[matt-c]

Sure, why not

[noby76]

Hi Everyone me again, so since i have been driving the altezza for a while now the one thing that really ****** me off and still pisses me off is the E-Brake, parking brake,hand brake what ever you want to call it .

Why would Toyota/Lexus go and create a interior with the Emergency brake all the way on the opposite side of the center console.

Its super hard to reach and for drifting and Gymkhana its a pain in the ***** that and the fact that reverse and first are next to each other ??!!!! what a F-up.

Any ways so i did some research and went in depth and it looks like i can convert to a IS300 center console, then switch the hand brake over and switch it out and mount the hand brake/ ebrake over closer to the seat, where all normal handbrakes are found ?

Has anyone done this ? If so did it work ?

AM i the first one to have a complaint about the stupid hand brake location ?

I am going to move it over no matter what i am ****** off keep reaching over for it and have to sTRREEEEETCHHH to reach it thats precious moments im missing out on, ebrake turns around cones and driftin like maniac lol ....

Please give me your input going to order a center console from Japan soon for the is300 and hand brake boot as well .

And a hand brake as well.

I dont think the location of the handbrake in the IS/Altezza is that bad when compared to the couple of inches you want to move it to yes there will be a gain in terms of drifting reaction times when its located more closer to the drivers side of the center console rather than the passengers side of the center console and when measured from side to side, the difference wont be any more than 5 inches apart so I think it will take someone who is extremly slow in reaction times not to reach for the handbrake in time at its currenlt location when drifting but then again drifting is a sport and all equipments needed for a good drift needs to be accesible conveniently to the driver to get the perfect drift so if moving the location to your desired location will yeild the perfect drift with regards to your reaction times then by all means do it and post pics and step by step process for others who might want to swap thier hand brake location aswell. but its certanly not a Toyota/Lexus design flaw as thier designers would have stumbled on this during the center console design faze the IS was desinged to satisfy all markets and in the US they really make a big fuss about thier cup holder location so my guess would be Lexus/Toyota wanted to keep them happy by placing the cup holders next to the driver side and moving the handbrake to the other end as that will be rarely used during driving comapred to reaching out for a Soda when driving on a daily basis. so my gues will be Lexus/Toyota had to compromise on this to keep thier biggest market "US" happy.