Team O'Neil Blog

Hydraulic Handbrakes for Rally, Rallycross, and Drift Cars

Written by Karl Stone | Mar 24, 2020 6:40:46 PM
A hydraulic handbrake is excellent addition to any rally car, drift car, off road race truck, or any other vehicle where rotating sideways into corners is an advantage. 

While hydraulic handbrakes might seem complex at first glance, they're actually very simple and can be installed by anyone with some basic mechanical skills. Join us as we take a look at hydraulic handbrake systems here at the Rally School in northern NH.

Fundamentally, a hydraulic handbrake is just a brake master cylinder with a handle attached to it instead of a foot pedal. This setup is typically installed in the middle of the normal rear brake circuit, so that the handbrake only operates on the rear wheels. For all of the details about hydraulic handbrake setup and installation, tune in to this quick video.