brakes: how do you ride them?

[rh71]

light and long distance
or
hard and short (yes, I know)

What's better for preventing brake dust?
What's better for pad longevity?

 

[Saga]

Lifetime warranty on pads means I ride them as hard as I fucking can. Only takes 30 minutes to swap them out.

 

[Jumpem]

Light and long, as you put it. I'll generally down shift for compression braking, and then apply the brakes to come to a stop.

 

[KIAman]

Lifetime warranty on pads means I ride them as hard as I fucking can. Only takes 30 minutes to swap them out.

You got lifetime rotor warranty too?

 

[Saga]

You got lifetime rotor warranty too?

Nope. But my parts guy owes me enough favors I'll probably get those for free for life, too.

 

[Kirby]

I really don't worry/think about it. Brake as I need to.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Light braking should give the pads/rotors longer to dissipate the heat and increase their life span...

 

[TehMac]

it varies. Most of the time I use compression braking to slow me down, but sometimes on the freeways people behave like there is a stop sign, and everyone brakes really quickly, so hard and short is the only real way, but I try to let up asap.

I'd like to put brembos or baers on, but I'm not sure if I'd want them cross drilled or not. I live in CA so I don't think rust is a big issue.

 

[jlee]

I really don't worry/think about it. Brake as I need to.

Same here.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

i don't ride my brakes.
i downshift.

where's my cookie?

 

[SpatiallyAware]

i don't ride my brakes.
i downshift.

where's my cookie?

Depending on the motor that might not be as good for your car as you think.


Brakes are extremely cheap and easy to replace, I'm fairly hard on them and my front wheels turn black in no time..

 

[Mermaidman]

i don't ride my brakes.
i downshift.

where's my cookie?

Engine makes car go. Brakes make car stop. Use correct tool for job. :awe:

 

[overst33r]

It probably makes such little practical/cost difference that it doesn't matter.

 

[Tristicus]

Since I don't have a tach I don't like to downshift.

 

[bommy261]

my breaking and bedroom performance are the same, hard and short baby

 

[Dr. Detroit]

For less brake dust - buy a ceramic pad. Akebono makes great ceramic pads with little to no dust!

 

[Riverhound777]

I'm not sure if i'm doing something special, but I have 67k miles on my stock Mazda 3 break pads and they still have plenty of pad left. I don't down shift much (maybe to 4th on the freeway then brakes from there. I do let off the throttle pretty early in most cases and don't brake much on the freeway unless I have to. People who are constantly accelerating and braking annoy me, I just keep distance in front and let off the gas to slow down instead.

 

[CurseTheSky]

When a stop is coming up ahead: coast -> apply light brake pressure (mainly to wake people behind me up) -> gradually increase pressure as I get closer to the stop. I've warped enough rotors to know not to brake hard when it's not necessary.

Any time I have to brake a bit harder (going down hill into a sharp turn, for example) I generally take my foot off the brake for a short time every few seconds in hopes that it'll allow the rotors to cool down a bit.

 

[daw123]

Light and long, as you put it. I'll generally down shift for compression braking, and then apply the brakes to come to a stop.

I do this generally, unless I am driving enthusiastically when I am very hard on my brakes (I sometimes get brake fade).

 

[TehMac]

Any time I have to brake a bit harder (going down hill into a sharp turn, for example) I generally take my foot off the brake for a short time every few seconds in hopes that it'll allow the rotors to cool down a bit.

yea I do this too, but I'm not sure how effective this really is.

Any brake gurus like to fill us in?

 

[SithSolo1]

There are enough hills around here that if I'm just putzin' around I can coast to match traffic or stop if I need to. For the rest of the time its short and hard.

 

[Imp]

Light and long unless I'm screwing around and want to see how quickly I can stop.

Otherwise, I have a terrible habit of assgating in stop'n'go, then I keep pumping the brake.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I generally brake early and a little softer but then the brakes on my car are shit to begin with and repeated heavy braking will fade them quickly.

Lighter and softer will always be best for the vehicle if longevity is your goal. Short hard stops put more heat into the rotors quickly and will increase wear.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Since I don't have a tach I don't like to downshift.

Why would you need a tach to downshift? I mean if you happen to be deaf then maybe...

 

[JulesMaximus]

Depending on the motor that might not be as good for your car as you think.


Brakes are extremely cheap and easy to replace, I'm fairly hard on them and my front wheels turn black in no time..

Nonsense.