Brakes. Educate me please.

[Sal Lubrano]

I have been in two different vehicles when a brake line ruptured from rust/age. (99 Saturn/2002 Chrysler) Fortunately, both times the cars were not moving. Why is it when a line breaks the pedal goes to the floor and there is no braking force applied to the good lines? Aren't all the master cylinder valves/ports separate? Isn't that the reason there is a separation in the master cylinder reservoir? So, the front or rear will always have fluid to stop the car in case there was a rupture. Both times this happened to me there was absolutely no braking applied. On a side note I think stainless or Nickel/copper should be mandatory from the factory. All these new safety devices and cheap out brake lines.

 

[TexasT]

If the front is the end compromised and the rears aren't adjusted properly the shoes/pads might not contact the drum/rotor. No stop. You can also use the parking/emergency brake to stop a vehicle. But don't count on it to stop quickly.
And yes, That is why vehicles went to the dual circuit system.