Specifications

Brake assessment manual Ver 1.0 Published October 2013 17 (48 pages)
Appendix 2: Requirements when using a handbrake
from a similar vehicle
When assessing a handbrake mechanism under similar vehicle criteria the following
additional points must be taken into account.
1. For ADR vehicles, the category of the similar vehicles must be the same. For example,
a handbrake from a vehicle that complies with ADR 35/-- vehicle may not be used on a
vehicle that complies with ADR 31/--. This is because a vehicle manufactured to
ADR/35 has approximately a 50 % higher effort allowance than one manufactured to
ADR 31/-- (590 compared to 400 Newtons).
2. Item 1 above does not apply if the tested vehicle has been modified and the handbrake
has been tested in accordance with the applicable vehicle standards (be it ADR or
other), and those standards apply to the untested vehicle. For example, if the tested
vehicle is a pre-ADR vehicle and the untested one an ADR vehicle, the handbrake
assembly is only eligible for the similar vehicle allowance if it has been tested in
accordance with the same ADR that applied to the untested vehicle.
3. For pre-ADR vehicles, the following applies:
a) Passenger car derivative commercial vehicle components may be used on
passenger cars.
b) Passenger car components may be used on any commercial vehicle.
c) Ordinary commercial vehicle components that are not passenger car derivatives
may not be used on passenger cars.
4. If the handbrake assembly is taken from a tested vehicle and the handbrake lever is
not from the same donor vehicle as the tested vehicle, the mechanical advantage or
lever ratio of the untested vehicle must be numerically the same or higher than the
tested vehicle. For example, if the tested vehicle’s mechanical advantage is 6.0:1, then
6.1:1 is a higher ratio; and 5.9:1 is a lower ratio
Notes: 1. ADR 31/-- and ADR 35/-- means any versions of ADR 31 or ADR 35 respectively.
2. ‘Pre-ADR vehicle’ means a vehicle that was manufactured after the introduction of
ADR 31 on 1 January 1977.
3. ‘ADR vehicle’ means a vehicle that was manufactured prior to the introduction of ADR
31 on 1 January 1977.
4. The term ‘handbrake’ is equally applicable to ‘park brake’.
For vehicles fitted with an equaliser system to equalise the tension in the cables, the
handbrake cable equaliser system from the donor vehicle must be retained in the same form
and function including, any ratio change which is incorporated into the equaliser system.
If a vehicle is modified so that an electrically applied handbrake replaces a hand operated
handbrake, all the donor parts should be used.