Testimonial

Fast Car / Audi Tuner - Line locks review

Features

UK Road Legal

Direct Replacement Part

The only solution

Technology is a wonderful thing. I love the fact that all my music is on my phone, I love that your massive 4K Smart TV can be now be nicely curved instead of flat. I love the new Apple Watch (as poncey as that sounds) even though I can’t afford one and, as for my iPad, I never go to bed without it! (I bet you don’t you mucky bugger -- Jules).

The same can be said for new cars. Technology crams our motors with sweet gadgets, they handle better than they used to and just how cool is it that an insurance-friendly 1-litre Fiesta nowadays can be faster than the XR2i your Dad had in the garage 20-years ago?

The thing is though some car manufacturers, not least the German ones, always have to take things a bit far, and that’s because they hate you messing with their creations - especially the brakes.

 

E-Brakes

Modifying for us is in the blood. When it comes to choosing wheels on the bigger cruisers out there we like them super-wide and fookin’ massive and that means puny little brake discs just won’t cut the mustard. Performance is one thing, but for sheer looks you can’t beat filling you wheels with a huge brake setup, especially on the rear, something that manufactures tend to neglect.

And therein lies the problem. In the UK you need a handbrake to pass an MOT but many modern cars (with plenty more on the way) are now using electronic handbrakes making fitting a rear big disc conversion next to impossible. Just was wrong with a bit of old skool cable eh?

It’s this that makes this patented product from PB Brakes not just a work of engineering genius, but the only solution on the market.

 

What it does

These electronic line locks have been developed as a direct replacement for the OEM part and require no modification for fitting - they simply slide onto the standard electronic handbrake motor.

By sitting in-between the master cylinder and caliper, when you apply the handbrake it closes a valve forcing fluid into the caliper, causing the pistons to lock up the disc. Simple, effective and, unlike hydraulic handbrakes, totally road legal.

 

Need a spot caliper?

With most rear brake conversions, particularly on those cars that utilise a conventional cable system, a small secondary ‘spot caliper’ is necessary to lock up the disc for the handbrake. The modifications needed for fitting along with the caliper aren’t necessary cheap, and they’re not especially pretty either. The PB system is the only one where there’s no need for any secondary calipers, it all works through their aftermarket kits.

Don’t worry if your car doesn’t run a new-fangled E-Handbrake either they have the only patented solution for cable handbrakes too.

 

Applications

This electronic product is brand-spanking-new and, because of all the engineering and testing involved, applications are limited to Audi’s A5/S5, A4/S4, (B8) and A3/S3 (8V) platforms, BMW’s 5-series (F10, F11 and F18) and Z4 (E89), and every single Mk7 Golf. That said they’re developing several new applications which will be available before you know it too. Give ‘em a shout and see what they can do for you.

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