Is the handbrake of a front-wheel drive car applied to the front or rear wheels?

[OIsabel]

In front-wheel drive cars, the handbrake is applied to the rear wheels. Small cars are generally front-wheel drive, so the handbrake brakes the rear wheels while the front wheels are braked by the foot brake. For larger vehicles where the rear wheels are the driving wheels, the handbrake is applied to the front wheels. Long-term use of the handbrake can cause the steel cable to undergo plastic deformation, which is irreversible and will reduce its effectiveness over time, also increasing the handbrake's travel distance. The professional term for the handbrake is auxiliary brake, which operates differently from the main brake system. It uses a steel cable connected to the rear brake shoes to apply braking force to the vehicle. In some small cars, the handbrake is located behind the transmission, where there is a brake disc connected to the driveshaft, similar to a disc brake system. The parking brake is then achieved by transmitting the pulling force through the steel cable.