Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4

EMMONS MOTORSPORTS · 04-06-2009, 10:40 AM

Attention EVERYONE. I had a near Peter Biondo/ Woodro Josey top end crash in Ennis, TX LODRS DIV4 this past weekend. The master cylinder rod that attaches to the brake pedal (the factory style that has a standard clip style retainer) came out when the clip fell off. No brakes! Thankfully the Texas Motorplex has a long shut-down area and I ended up in the sand trap just feet away from the net.
I am posting this for the same reason Woodro Josey posted his...to REMIND everyone to climb under your dash and check for this. We are going to modify this to have a lock nut on it.

I was lucky and sustained no damage.

Gary Emmons
Lucas Oil Products
4403 C/SA

Angelo DiTocco · 04-06-2009, 11:22 AM

Thanks for the heads up............ and very glad your situation had a happy ending.
Defintely a good idea to get under your car and look for loose fasteners.

Jim Wahl · 04-06-2009, 12:48 PM

Gary, which car were you driving? Glad you are ok! It can be a horrifying ride. Jim

EMMONS MOTORSPORTS · 04-06-2009, 02:02 PM

Jim,
It was my 1998 Firebird.
Thanks,
GE

Woodro Josey · 04-06-2009, 02:55 PM

Gary, glad you came out ok, and at least you had a good sand trap. Gary, let me add this observation, mine had a lock nut and apparantly over the years mine backed out so i would reccomend a clevis pin with a cottor pin and the pin needs to be very hard! Good Luck Gary, again Glad you came out ok!

bobby · 04-06-2009, 03:48 PM

glad you made it home safe Gary. Hate to see anything bad happen to good people. Tell your dad I still have the red 38' trailer for sale.

Ken Haase · 04-06-2009, 07:36 PM

Could someone post some pics of brake rod set-ups that did NOT perform as planned? Such as the ones that we're hearing about on here.

And then could someone post pics of stuff that DOES work? So far, my set-up has not caused any unplanned change of underwear. I'm in Woodro's age bracket and I'm not looking for any huge increase in the pucker factor! Thanks.

P.S. It just occurred to me that maybe a system like Allen Johnson's P/S'er would work real well as a back-up to the foot pedal brakes. I like it for staging too. All you'd need would be dual caliper rear brakes. Right?
Ken

Alan Roehrich · 04-06-2009, 08:31 PM

We had dual caliper rear brakes on one of the Camaros, and they always gave some sort of trouble. We took off the second pair of calipers, and the problems went away.

I do not think there is any one particular "set up" that is giving problems.

I have often considered hanging a heim joint from the pedal bracket and running the rod through it, so that the rod could not fall out. However, that would not solve the problem of the rod getting out of adjustment.

Bob Miller · 04-06-2009, 08:53 PM

Gary, I sure did'nt know what happened till you told me, glad you were ok. Makes me think I need to go to the last turn, I sure would have made sure sure you were ok and help if I could. Always enjoy racing you and your brothers. See yall at next month.

Greg Reimer 7376 · 04-06-2009, 10:05 PM

Glad to hear you are alright and it sounds like you got out of that one with minimal collateral damage.Always like hearing all the good stories about you guys and your dad.Thanks for the reminder to periodically inspect this kind of stuff. Hope to see you all sometime soon.

04-06-2009, 10:40 AM	#1
EMMONS MOTORSPORTS Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: League City, TX 77573 Posts: 179 Likes: 85 Liked 106 Times in 23 Posts	Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 Attention EVERYONE. I had a near Peter Biondo/ Woodro Josey top end crash in Ennis, TX LODRS DIV4 this past weekend. The master cylinder rod that attaches to the brake pedal (the factory style that has a standard clip style retainer) came out when the clip fell off. No brakes! Thankfully the Texas Motorplex has a long shut-down area and I ended up in the sand trap just feet away from the net. I am posting this for the same reason Woodro Josey posted his...to REMIND everyone to climb under your dash and check for this. We are going to modify this to have a lock nut on it. I was lucky and sustained no damage. Gary Emmons Lucas Oil Products 4403 C/SA

04-06-2009, 11:22 AM	#2
Angelo DiTocco Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NY, NY Posts: 750 Likes: 175 Liked 189 Times in 48 Posts	Re: Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 Thanks for the heads up............ and very glad your situation had a happy ending. Defintely a good idea to get under your car and look for loose fasteners. __________________ Angelo DiTocco '98 Firebird SS/HA '98 Firebird B/SA

04-06-2009, 12:48 PM	#3
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,844 Likes: 666 Liked 683 Times in 129 Posts	Re: Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 Gary, which car were you driving? Glad you are ok! It can be a horrifying ride. Jim __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 NHRA D2 National Open Stock Champion 1982 NHRA D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association.

04-06-2009, 02:02 PM	#4
EMMONS MOTORSPORTS Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: League City, TX 77573 Posts: 179 Likes: 85 Liked 106 Times in 23 Posts	Re: Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 Jim, It was my 1998 Firebird. Thanks, GE

04-06-2009, 02:55 PM	#5
Woodro Josey Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 805 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 1 Post	Re: Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 Gary, glad you came out ok, and at least you had a good sand trap. Gary, let me add this observation, mine had a lock nut and apparantly over the years mine backed out so i would reccomend a clevis pin with a cottor pin and the pin needs to be very hard! Good Luck Gary, again Glad you came out ok! __________________ Woodro Josey 2002 STK

04-06-2009, 03:48 PM	#6
bobby Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: League City, Texas Posts: 243 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 glad you made it home safe Gary. Hate to see anything bad happen to good people. Tell your dad I still have the red 38' trailer for sale. __________________ Next time wave all of your fingers at me.

04-06-2009, 07:36 PM	#7
Ken Haase Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 233 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 Could someone post some pics of brake rod set-ups that did NOT perform as planned? Such as the ones that we're hearing about on here. And then could someone post pics of stuff that DOES work? So far, my set-up has not caused any unplanned change of underwear. I'm in Woodro's age bracket and I'm not looking for any huge increase in the pucker factor! Thanks. P.S. It just occurred to me that maybe a system like Allen Johnson's P/S'er would work real well as a back-up to the foot pedal brakes. I like it for staging too. All you'd need would be dual caliper rear brakes. Right? Ken Last edited by Ken Haase; 04-06-2009 at 07:44 PM.

04-06-2009, 08:31 PM	#8
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,105 Likes: 1,564 Liked 1,789 Times in 408 Posts	Re: Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 We had dual caliper rear brakes on one of the Camaros, and they always gave some sort of trouble. We took off the second pair of calipers, and the problems went away. I do not think there is any one particular "set up" that is giving problems. I have often considered hanging a heim joint from the pedal bracket and running the rod through it, so that the rod could not fall out. However, that would not solve the problem of the rod getting out of adjustment. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

04-06-2009, 08:53 PM	#9
Bob Miller Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Waverly, TX Posts: 39 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 Gary, I sure did'nt know what happened till you told me, glad you were ok. Makes me think I need to go to the last turn, I sure would have made sure sure you were ok and help if I could. Always enjoy racing you and your brothers. See yall at next month. __________________ Bob Miller 473M STK

04-06-2009, 10:05 PM	#10
Greg Reimer 7376 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Glendora,Calif. Posts: 1,135 Likes: 172 Liked 704 Times in 218 Posts	Re: Another Brake Failure in Stock @ ENNIS DIV4 Glad to hear you are alright and it sounds like you got out of that one with minimal collateral damage.Always like hearing all the good stories about you guys and your dad.Thanks for the reminder to periodically inspect this kind of stuff. Hope to see you all sometime soon.