XPost: comp.os.linux.misc   
   From: bowman@montana.com   
      
   On Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:19:19 +0100, Carlos E.R. wrote:   
      
   > Did they crash often, I wonder? Difficult to stop a 2 ton box of metal   
   > in time.   
      
   Not really. The brakes were designed to handle the load. A big problem was   
   the single circuit hydraulic system that could leave you with no brakes   
   except the mechanical hand brake. They were usually referred to as   
   'parking brakes' and weren't convenient to operate.   
      
   I lost the brakes twice. The first time was in a manual transmission car   
   and I was able to get home using the gears and handbrake if I had to stop   
   for a light. The second time was in the 2 1/2 ton Lincoln. I was close to   
   work and there was a slight uphill grade to the parking lot and I was able   
   to kill most of the speed.   
      
   The dual systems are much better. I lost the front brakes on my pickup   
   after a porcupine chewed through the hose. Coming down a mountain road was   
   interesting since most of the braking power is on the front wheels but at   
   least there was something.   
      
   Even with fully operational brakes people who depended solely on the   
   brakes on mountain roads could get a rude awakening when they overheated.   
   Even with the AT in the Toyota I habitually shift down to 2nd or even 1st   
   on grades. Modern ATs are much better. The early versions would freewheel.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)