Your doing 75mph and suddenly the light turns yellow at the next intersection....

Do you apply hard, consistent brake pressure without steping off the brake pedal?

Or,

Do you apply hard pressure, and than let up a second, and than reapply?

I sometimes do this thinking it may save my pads/rotors a bit by releasing heat buildup, pressure etc. Is this really necessary? What do you do?

 

I do it because I like the feel of the brake pedal once some pressure is built up...the 2nd application is always stiffer. When my brakes are first bled it takes a day or so to get this pressure to come back, and it bothers me...so used to having it after one brake pump.

 

To stop an S2000 in the shortest amount of time possible, slam on the brakes and don't lift. The ABS will kick in and you will stop very, very quickly.

If you have to reapply the brakes to get a firm pedal, you should probably bleed your fluid.

 

If that were true I'd have to chance my fluid every day.

It's not that it's not firm, but that it's much firmer if you reapply.

 

I agree with Wes, it seems to be much firmer after you reapply....but typically when I have to hard brake I will initiate the braking by pushing on the brake pedal to get the car slowing down then apply more pressure as needed. It seems to keep the car more balanced, then by slamming on the brakes. I don't lift and reapply...I just stay on the brakes and let the ABS do its job.

 

FIRST check your rear-view mirror. No matter how quick you stop, you won't be stopped long if you have an Excursion riding your bumper.

Maybe some of the guys with huge wheels or loads of stereo equip have trouble with stopping on stock brakes, but I've had no trouble whatsoever with the "pound and pray" method of braking, even on the track. Stand on the brakes and let the ABS do the work.

You might "build more pressure" by lifting and then reapplying, but not only is the stock system capable of bringing the stock car to a halt w/o reapplying, you don't lose that split-second of braking time and deceleration by lifting.

Once stopped, I generally lift off the brakes, roll enough so the pads move to a "fresh" location on the rotor, then reapply just enough to keep the car from rolling. Similar to setting the parking brake after hard braking, it will help to prevent your rotors from warping.

 

When hard braking, definitely push hard on the brake pedal and let the ABS do it's thing...there is no need to lift or "pump" your brakes.

The application is different if you have a larger stopping distance. I usually tap my brakes just to slow the car down a bit before applying for a full stop.

 

I don't double brake (sister of double clutch?) when I'm braking in a turn or if I'm standing on the brake (where ABS might kick in), but only when I'm easily slowing to a light. If I brake down from over 100 I try not to sit with the brake applied at all at the light.

 

To me it just 'feels' better. Makes it easier on me. Just like our tight steering wheel. I might not actually turn faster than a <insert car here> but it takes less effort, which I like.

 

If you are trying to stop in the shortest distance possible, hit the brakes hard and hold the pressure. The reason you stop faster with an initial hard push is because you are sending all of your weight (momentum) forward and making huge contact patches on the front tires. The more weight (normal force) on the front tires, the more frictional force your tires will generate (F=uN). If you pump-release-pump, you won't have as much initial force on the front tires and your stopping distance increases.

Definitely check your rear view mirror before slamming on the brakes