What is the point in upgrading brakes?

[C.slicker]

Been thinking a little today about brakes lol...

Basically I don't understand why people upgrade brakes on clios fitted with ABS.

If the brakes are good enough to cause the ABS to kick in at any speed, how would increasing the disc size/pad quality help in stopping you?

Is it that when racing this type of clios, due to brake fade the ABS is no longer capable of kicking in at all speeds in all conditions?

I am sure there is a pretty simple answer and my logic is flawed somewhere, just having trouble identifying where!

Thanks guys

Sam

 

[LegoHead]

Better brake cooling is one reason.

 

[S22 JGS]

its got nothin to do with ABS mate.
you can brake hard, and get brake fade without kicking the ABS, purely because the disc/pads get too hot..

The whole point of upgrading is to get a combo that are much better at resisting heat.

 

[C.slicker]

Obviously science supports the fact that when brakes are used heat is generated as the momentum must go somewhere.

However when you brake so hard that the ABS kicks in, then the brakes are good enough to lock (or else the ABS wouldn't kick in) so therefore what is the point in them being any better?

 

[fmp_]

depends on grip levels too.

if you have a slick tyre, on a smooth race track, you can brake harder, and lose more speed quicker, than you could on a regular road, with road tyres.

 

[C.slicker]

But when you say brake harder what is the point? The ABS has kicked in so providing there is no slipping each time the ABS automatically squeezes the pads how will any improvement be seen?

Is it something to do with brake feel? Do pads become more maluable when hot resulting in a loss of brake feel?

 

[DrR]

When doing about 80mph+ you won't be able to lock the wheels on stock brakes.

 

[C.slicker]

Argh right ok, will the discs just continue to slide yeah? So the ABS doesn't have a chance to kick in?

Sam

 

[stan*]

yes...brake fade.

ABS enables you to maintain steering stability whilst braking...it isnt just meant to stop skidding in a straight line; believe it or not, this is a side effect. It has become a common "asset" to most modern cars, due to most modern cars being sold to planks that drive round with their eyes closed, and on semi-alert mode...in these common cases, ABS is useful. However it is relyed upon too much and becomes a safety barrier..."oh its ok, the ABS works, i can drive like a knob".

ABS isnt used on competition cars, since the drivers ability controls the cars dynamics better than any electronic control system can.

 

[C.slicker]

Right ok.

So in a straight line if a top notch driver giving 100% concentration was driving both a cup without abs and a cup with abs (use your imagination) the cup without ABS would go from 100-0 quicker?

 

[stan*]

yes.

Check out "cadence braking"

 

[C.slicker]

Thanks for that Stan. Understand all now.