Mico Lock Parking Brake...Ever use 'em??

[Pakrat]

Anybody ever hear of these things or use one on their truck? I have used them years ago when I was driving forklifts. They worked very well and I was wondering if I could put one on my truck without causing any problems with the braking system. Mico Lock says they work good on trucks but I would like to get some opinions here also. I trust the opinions given here.

The reason for this is when we park with our 5th wheel behind us and we are on an uphill or downhill grade, the parking brake just doesn't cut it.

Thanks for any info... Larry

 

[Slow Six]

Good question. I've used them for years on all our line trucks (power line) before they went to diesels and air brakes. They worked very good. The ones with the manual lever were better than the ones with an electric switch. The electric ones could be hard to get them to release. Like you my parking brakes don't like to hold on slopes. They were better when I had them set up but that has not lasted for long.

 

[Stranger]

I have one in my toolbox. It'll make burn-outs easier by locking the fronts. Haven't decided to use it yet. I liked using them when I had it on my tow truck.

 

[RDyson]

I ran one on our service truck back in the oilfield years ago. I've also wondered about putting one on a Dodge but didn't want to screw up the ABS. It might make a good theft deterrant(sp). At least you couldn't drive it off.



Randy

 

[Motorhead]

I used ALOT of them in my early days at UPS. You could come charging up to a delivery stop, flip the lever, stab the brake, grab the package and be jumped out of the truck before it came to a stop!! UPS removed them because guys were having "RUN AWAYS". They can bleed off over time. Some of the later Mico-brakes had an accumulator under the truck to keep pressure on it. Of course these were on older trucks with single circuit brakes.

I personally wouldn't trust them for a long stop such as overnight. Take wheel chocks, put your truck in 4WD LOW to park and in first gear or park.

 

[MCummings]

Can I get a link?



I like teh "burnouts" suggestion...



My rear brakes are much stronger than my fronts right now and burnouts put ALOT of stress on my drivetrain...



Merrick

 

[MMeier]

You guys talking about "line locks"?

 

[John - K5AWO]

You guys talking about "line locks"?

Yes.....

Airplanes use them also to keep the airplane from moving while the pilot gets out to put the wheel chocks in place.

 

[Doubleclutch]

Hey MOTORHEAD, I heard it's now MOTORHEAD... RET. Congratulations!!! Oo. I've been there for 10 months now and can't even find my pre-retirement honey-do list, much less start it. Too busy, and I hope you find yourself in the same boat. We need to get Mike and head for Hoovers for b-fast one day.

Greg

And now back to our regularly scheduled show... (sorry for the hijack)

 

[Pakrat]

Thank you guys for your input. I think I will go ahead and get one. Motorhead, I would not use it for overnight parking. I keep wheel chocks with me all the time. It would be just for a potty stop or picture taking stop.

Larry

 

[Matt400]

Can I get a link?

Here ya go. . AWDirect.com - MBL1PWS Mico® Brake Locks Lever Lock

 

[MCummings]

Sweet!



That's different than the other ones I have seen in Summit and Jegs where you hold a switch.



I could never get an answer on the electronic ones if there were an on/off solenoid, or if they were a one way check valve like these...

Does anybody know the answer to that one?



Merrick

 

[Pakrat]

Thank You Matt !! I didn't find that one and it's better than the one I found using Google.

Larry

 

[abrankod]

The newer electronic MICO brake locks (compatible with 3 and 4 channel ABS systems) are fully automated, they close off the line towards the ABS controller and apply the brake with a separate hydraulic pump and maintain brake pressure electronically. If the switches sense a pressure drop (imminent brake release) the motor will run again to re-pressurize the system.

-Dan

 

[Jeepstang]

I run one on my 6500 lbs rock crawler

which I am stripping down I set the lock and about a week later one of my employees went to drive it and was not able to since he could not figure out how to unlock it. The way this one works is the harder you push the pedal before setting the lock the harder you need to push the pedal to unlock it. it held for a week without bleeding down. It's the 13. 00 manual type

the electric ones are for drag racing only. they work great to setup on the front brakes to heat up the rear tires. they will bleed off after a short while that is why I sold the electric one to my employee with a Dodge Viper and went with the manual style. It's kind of cheesy though. I dont like the idea of brake lines running into the passenger compartment. they are great for off road use. Another option is a drive shaft brake. I am looking into them for my next off road project. But for that you would need to fabricate another parking brake lever or pedal inside the vehicle. I have GM front 1 ton brakes on the back of an old school Dana 60 and the callipers have no provisions for parking brake cables.