brake wearing

[Sam1986UK]

i got a mate who is a merchanic.

him and his dad (also a merchanic) swear by when braking to instead of keeping your foot on the brake until you stop,
they tap the brake on and off

they say that this reduces the brake wearing out as quick, because it aint being used for a long time or something to do with heating up, which means it dont wear as quick.


is this true or false? and if not, why?

[Dan Willis]

Eh? Well people swear by all sorts of stuff - and when you have an idea, it's hard to lose it.

Modern cars, with modern brakes are designed to be used a certain way. On/off braking ain't it. Besides, that's was ABS does (just more quickly). I'd worry that that sort of braking would be quite dangerous.

[SukySaggi]

Braking on and off would mean that the heat generated by the pad isn't transfered as much to the disk. Similiar in theory to when you stop you should not keep your foot on the brake when you have come to a stop.

[Sam1986UK]

<!--QuoteBegin-SukySaggi+--><div class='quotetop'>(SukySaggi)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Braking on and off would mean that the heat generated by the pad isn't transfered as much to the disk. Similiar in theory to when you stop you should not keep your foot on the brake when you have come to a stop.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

so are you saying its a good or bad thing to do when slowing down?

[Dan Willis]

For longevity of your brakes, probably a good thing. For safety - bad. If I saw a car with it's brake lights going "on - off - on - off" I'd think there was something wrong.

[Sam1986UK]

which is good because atleast they wont & dont tail-gate you!

[Dan Willis]

Yeah there is that!

At the end of the day, it's down to you. It's the same as the "Use engine braking over the brakes" - what do you want to wear more? Hmm.

[Animal]

<!--QuoteBegin-Sam1986UK+--><div class='quotetop'>(Sam1986UK)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->which is good because atleast they wont & dont tail-gate you!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

People don't tail gate u if u use reverse to stop! lol....

[Stupink]

Well if you brake for less time by going on/off, then you need to be braking harder when you do, which in turn will create just as much heat i'd immagine..
It sounds a very strange thing to be saying... unless they're on about *long* braking from high speed, in which case i've done it myself.. release the brakes after a bit when you feel them begin to fade and re apply them.. but thats no tapping on and off.

[wilkybar-kid]

lol can not put a Calibra in reverse when it is going forwards, lol makes a nasty crunchey noise,i tend to through the transit in reverse when moving slowley to get around a 3 point turn quicker. just keep forgetting it is RWD and the Calibra aint!
As for the Brake pad wear, dont think it would make enuth diffrence to worry about, if on the off chance it does make a diffence...

[kev208]

dont go as fast and you wont need to brake as much:)

[ealex]

and no racing from stop light to stop light. no, not even if there's a quarter mile between them [img]/wink.gif[/img]

[dicky]

Or... If ur sunroof aint buggerd like mign get a large bit of carboard and stick it outa the sunrood as this will act as an airbrake like them new mercs! Also looks very stylish.

[Sam1986UK]

<!--QuoteBegin-dicky+--><div class='quotetop'>(dicky)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Or... If ur sunroof aint buggerd like mign get a large bit of carboard and stick it outa the sunrood as this will act as an airbrake like them new mercs! Also looks very stylish.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

i'll give that a try tonight! [img]/biggrin.gif[/img]