Engine Braking
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Brakes to slow, throttle to go! Pads are cheaper than a new clutch anyday.
Discs should be lasting for anything up to 100k (rear discs maybe never?), Pads I'd expect around 20k-30k for fronts and 50k for rears.
Discs should be lasting for anything up to 100k (rear discs maybe never?), Pads I'd expect around 20k-30k for fronts and 50k for rears.
i have a habit of putting it in nutrual then breaking. so not engine breaking at all really. my brakes are fine never been replaced since i got the car. 40000miles on it since yesterday! brake still preform great no trouble at all
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Tother way round, wheels want to go slower and in effect it's like putting the handbrake on. In the V8 westfields if you shift down too early the back wheels will actually skip and chirrup as the engine applies more torque to braking than they tyres can supply grip.krisxf said:
A
Andie B
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I'm curious as to the wear left on my APs - 25k and original....
Not much in in it TBO.Chris T said:
I bought a low milage gearbox for £200 just before X-mas, and a nearly new Trophy160 engine for £400.
A set of new AP discs and pads are currently around £400, add another £100 for the rears, and its a lot closer than you think
I engine brake a fair bit, but can only really do it at low revs as the sports cat has reduced it somewhat higher up the rev range.
Engine braking
Cannot be black & white - Surely depends on how much braking is required?
Slowing a few mph to steady the car prior to a bend is normally just a lift off the throttle and then back on again. Brakes used when harsh slowing is required but best avoided by looking ahead :hyper: M25 is a different problem - brake lights are almost compulsary, certainly necessary to avoid too many rear enders.
Cannot be black & white - Surely depends on how much braking is required?
Slowing a few mph to steady the car prior to a bend is normally just a lift off the throttle and then back on again. Brakes used when harsh slowing is required but best avoided by looking ahead :hyper: M25 is a different problem - brake lights are almost compulsary, certainly necessary to avoid too many rear enders.
Just had a good look at my brakes. There appears to be about 6mm of Pad on the rears and it looked similar at the front, except the red bit was only a couple of mm from the disk. Anyone going to herts wheels meet on Sunday at the Millstream can have a look if they so desire!!
Ah, the cmplex subject of engine braking!!
In days of old, when ............... and brakes were of the 'drum' variety and you were fortunate if you had twin leading shoe rather than the single leading variety the eficiency of the brakes was, to put it mildly, complete pants. Therefore it was always prudent to use engine braking to assist the pitiful wheel braking system.
With modern disc brakes this is, generally, no longer necessary and in general driving then it produces less strain on (expensive) engine components more on (less expensive) brake components i.e. in normal day-to-day driving don't do it.
If, however, you want to embark on some, shall we say, spirited driving then there is always the risk that the brakes will overheat and fade will set in. In this scenario it is better to use engine braking as the brakes should remain efficient for longer.
Now we turn to rear wheel drive v front wheel drive v four wheel drive. Engine braking will only apply 'braking effort' to the driven wheels. For the F/TF this is the rears only. In dry conditions not really a problem but when it is wet/greasy the braking effect on the rear wheels in conjuction with the lightening of weight on them as the vehicle mass is transferred forward can cause the rears to lose grip completely and result in a bit of a 'shimmy'. If you are not in a straight line at the time and are negotiating a corner then this can get very exciting. Use engine braking on rear wheel drive cars very cautiously in wet conditions otherwise you may induce a bit too much oversteer (great for rallying by the way).
The same logic applies to front wheel drive cars except that you can induce more understeer, so be wary.
Four wheel drive depends on whether it is full time or not. Generally it is a lot 'safer' to engine brake in four wheel drive cars in slippery conditions. However, there are a few e.g. Audi TT that are not full time four wheel drive and act mainly like a front wheel drive car when engine braking is applied AND the brakes are being used simultaneously (under braking the Haldex unit does not transfer any drive to the rear wheels)
So. it's 'horses for courses' - just be careful!
In days of old, when ............... and brakes were of the 'drum' variety and you were fortunate if you had twin leading shoe rather than the single leading variety the eficiency of the brakes was, to put it mildly, complete pants. Therefore it was always prudent to use engine braking to assist the pitiful wheel braking system.
With modern disc brakes this is, generally, no longer necessary and in general driving then it produces less strain on (expensive) engine components more on (less expensive) brake components i.e. in normal day-to-day driving don't do it.
If, however, you want to embark on some, shall we say, spirited driving then there is always the risk that the brakes will overheat and fade will set in. In this scenario it is better to use engine braking as the brakes should remain efficient for longer.
Now we turn to rear wheel drive v front wheel drive v four wheel drive. Engine braking will only apply 'braking effort' to the driven wheels. For the F/TF this is the rears only. In dry conditions not really a problem but when it is wet/greasy the braking effect on the rear wheels in conjuction with the lightening of weight on them as the vehicle mass is transferred forward can cause the rears to lose grip completely and result in a bit of a 'shimmy'. If you are not in a straight line at the time and are negotiating a corner then this can get very exciting. Use engine braking on rear wheel drive cars very cautiously in wet conditions otherwise you may induce a bit too much oversteer (great for rallying by the way).
The same logic applies to front wheel drive cars except that you can induce more understeer, so be wary.
Four wheel drive depends on whether it is full time or not. Generally it is a lot 'safer' to engine brake in four wheel drive cars in slippery conditions. However, there are a few e.g. Audi TT that are not full time four wheel drive and act mainly like a front wheel drive car when engine braking is applied AND the brakes are being used simultaneously (under braking the Haldex unit does not transfer any drive to the rear wheels)
So. it's 'horses for courses' - just be careful!
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The OEM ones lasted me 45,000 km and I do brake a lot!!!!iaross said:
They are long lasting "Lucas" brand I think.
Me personally....use the brakes.Mostly cruising around like a granny I dont need anything more than gently braking and going down the box.When things are a little more adventurous,I still just use the brakes and blip the throttle between gear changes,and only change down to keep the revs between 4 and 5 thousand revs,so still no engine braking.
Old school again probably,but I get all the gear changes and braking done in a straight line,then onto an even throttle ready for the turn in to a corner.
Weird thing is,the car seems to "like" going into a corner on a trailing throttle,rather than on an even throttle.hmmm......
Any for me,its no engine braking,its brakes for braking everytime.
Old school again probably,but I get all the gear changes and braking done in a straight line,then onto an even throttle ready for the turn in to a corner.
Weird thing is,the car seems to "like" going into a corner on a trailing throttle,rather than on an even throttle.hmmm......
Any for me,its no engine braking,its brakes for braking everytime.
If you look at the red caliper through your alloy wheel,you should be able to just see how much of the pad material is left.Andie B said:
The pad material is the bit between the brakedisc,and the red caliper housing.
I'll try and find a piccie to help..............
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