Yes, brake shoes often control the handbrake (or parking brake) in many vehicles, particularly those with rear drum brakes. Here’s how it works:

1. Drum Brake Systems: In vehicles with rear drum brakes, the brake shoes inside the drum are connected to the handbrake. When you engage the handbrake, it mechanically pushes the brake shoes outward to make contact with the drum, locking the rear wheels and holding the vehicle in place.

2. Disc Brake Systems: In cars with rear disc brakes, there is usually a small, separate drum brake mechanism within the rear disc, called a drum-in-hat or internal drum parking brake. This uses brake shoes specifically for the handbrake function, separate from the main disc brake pads.

So, while not all cars with rear disc brakes use brake shoes for the handbrake, cars with rear drum brakes generally rely on brake shoes for handbrake functionality.

Cars without Brake Drums.

n cars without brake drums, particularly those with rear disc brakes, the handbrake (or parking brake) typically works in one of two ways:

1. Drum-in-Hat (Internal Drum) Parking Brake:

   • Many rear disc brake systems incorporate a small internal drum mechanism inside the rear brake disc, called a drum-in-hat design. This setup includes small brake shoes that expand against the inside of the “hat” portion of the disc when the handbrake is engaged.
   • This method gives disc-brake-equipped cars a reliable mechanical handbrake without needing separate rear drum brakes.

2. Caliper-Based (Cable or Electronic) Parking Brake:

   • In some modern cars, the handbrake directly activates the rear brake calipers via a mechanical cable or electronic actuator.
   • For cable-actuated systems, pulling the handbrake lever pulls a cable that clamps the rear calipers, applying pressure to the brake pads against the disc.
   • For cars with an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), an electric motor in each rear caliper activates the parking brake at the push of a button. This system doesn’t use cables and is common in newer vehicles.

Both methods are designed to lock the rear wheels, but the choice between a drum-in-hat and caliper-based parking brake depends on the vehicle’s design and brake system layout.