Parking Brake

Ok...I am awaiting our ordered 2021 DCSB TRD OR AT from the factory, this will replace our 2011 DCSB TRD OR AT.
I am just curious if anyone has any speculation on why they moved the parking brake from the floor(as a pedal) to the center console (as hand operated)?
I always thought the floor mounted pedal was preferred.

 

To keep up with the Ridgeline

 

Drifting.

 

Possibly for ease of production? In the second gens, the parking brake is in a different location in an automatic vs manual transmission. Now in the third gens, they're all the hand lever.

 

I don’t know why they did that on the 2nd gen either. They could have all been the same hand brake as the manual version. Would have made my manual swap a lot easier.

They do a lot of weird stuff like that. Just adding complexity for no obvious purpose.

 

Why is that? I prefer the hand brake, but not for any reason I can explain.

 

x2. Floor parking breaks are a PITA

 

That's a good point, who really knows.

 

I don't have any real obvious reason for my preference either other than the fact it frees up some space on the center console.

 

I have the foot pedal parking brake (with a separate release) on my 2000 Ford Ranger. The hand lever on my 2021 Tacoma is better. For one thing, it's easier to control the parking brake while working the clutch (on a steep hill, for example).

 

No facts to back this, just observation:
It always seemed to me that the foot operated brakes had more issues with the cables freezing up over the years.
With the handle in the center console the cables are more protected from salt spray and such vs the foot operated cables that are near the driver rocker panel.
With a manual the console brake is more convenient.

 

If there is correlation, I don't think has to do with the cables being more protected. The floor mounted parking brake routes the cable internally to the center console before exiting the cab. The exit location is almost exactly (if not exactly) the same as the 3rd gen hand parking brake.

 

Wasn't really talking Tacoma, just old cars in general.

 

If you ever had to use your Parking Brake as an Emergency Brake, you would want the hand lever.
This happened to me in college when my ratty muffler clamp gave out and the muffler started tumbling and twisting and cut the brake line(s) resulting in loss of brake fluid and total brake failure.

I was able to drive home that day and to the shop the next day, using nothing but my hand brake.

 

Complete loss of brake fluid happened to me once, in my antique 1954 army jeep. The key thing is to let the engine do most of the braking, through downshifting. Then you can use the hand brake for the last 5 mph, until you come to a complete stop. It's too much to expect the hand brake to bring you down from highway speeds. It goes without saying that you have to be extra careful while doing this, and anticipate every stop. Your stopping distance is going to be way longer than normal.